Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé present the completion of their Sibelius Symphonies Cycle with inspiring performances of two of his most personal and characteristic...

Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé present the completion of their Sibelius Symphonies Cycle with inspiring performances of two of his most personal and characteristic works, both regarded as indispensable to an understanding of the composer. Sibelius began his Symphony No.4 at a time of personal crisis and the resulting work, noted for its depth of expression and intellectual originality, contains some of the darkest and most unsettling music he ever wrote. It is a piece of marked originality and striking imaginative power, captured to great effect in this recording. In contrast, the elusive Symphony No.6, has been described as being full of music that “seems to be almost constantly singing”. The orchestration is particularly haunting; throughout, the string section in particular captivates the listener, in one of the most beautiful and original pieces of music Sibelius wrote.