View source for Suite for Violin and String Orchestra

{{short description|Concertante suite by Jean Sibelius}}
{{Infobox musical composition
| name                = Suite for Violin and String Orchestra
| type                = [[Concerto|Concertante piece]]
| composer            = {{nowrap|[[Jean Sibelius]]}}
| image               = JSibelius 1927.jpg
| image_upright       = .9
| caption             = The composer&nbsp;({{c.|1927}})
| border              = Yes
| catalogue           = [[List of compositions by Jean Sibelius#Works with and without opus|JS]]&nbsp;185 (<s>[[Opus number|Op]].&nbsp;117</s>){{efn|The Suite for Violin and Orchestra is sometimes designated as Sibelius's {{em|de&nbsp;facto}} Op.&nbsp;117. However, Sibelius's final opus list from 1952 did not assign Op.&nbsp;117 to any composition. In addition to the Suite, several other compositions at one point provisionally held this designation, including ''[[Andante festivo]]'' (JS&nbsp;34; 1922, arranged for strings and timpani in 1938), the ''Academic March'' ({{lang|fi|Promootiomarssi}}; JS&nbsp;155, 1919), and the choral piece for [[men's choir|male choir]] and piano ''Karelia's Fate'' ({{lang|fi|Karjalan osa}}; JS&nbsp;108, 1930).{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|pp=492, 617–618, 687}}{{sfn|Barnett|2007|p=331}}|name=Op. 117}}
| key                 = [[D minor]]
| composed            = {{start date|1929}}
| publisher           = {{ill|Fazer Music|fi|Musiikki-Fazer}} (1994){{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=618}}
| duration            = 7&nbsp;mins{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|pp=617–618}}
| premiere_date       = {{start date|1990|12|8|df=y}}{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=618}}
| premiere_location   = [[Lahti]], [[Finland]]
| premiere_conductor  = [[Osmo Vänskä]]
| premiere_performers = {{unbulleted list|[[Lahti Symphony Orchestra]]|[[John Storgårds]]&nbsp;(violin)}}
}}

The '''Suite for Violin and String Orchestra''' in [[D&nbsp;minor]], [[List of compositions by Jean Sibelius#Works with and without opus|JS]]&nbsp;185 (<s>[[Opus number|Op]].&nbsp;117</s>),{{efn|name=Op. 117}} is a [[Concerto|concertante]] composition for [[violin]] and strings written in 1929 by the Finnish composer [[Jean Sibelius]]. The piece is in three [[movement (music)|movements]], as follows:

{{ordered list|list_style_type=upper-roman
|Country Scenery (''Allegretto'')
|Serenade: Evening in Spring (''Andantino'')
|In the Summer (''Vivace'')}}

The individual movements bear English language titles,{{efn|A recording of the Suite by [[Deutsche Grammophon]] provides the following Finnish titles: I.&nbsp;{{lang|fi|Maalaismaisema|italics=no}}, II.&nbsp;{{lang|fi|Kevätilta|italics=no}}; and III.&nbsp;{{lang|fi|Kesällä|italics=no}}.}} as Sibelius intended to sell the Suite to the New York-based publisher [[Carl Fischer Music|Carl Fischer]].{{sfn|Barnett|2007|pp=330–331}} 

Fischer wrote to Sibelius on 5&nbsp;October 1928: "However, we would be much more interested in works for piano, voice and piano, and violin and piano&nbsp;... If we are permitted to make the suggestion, we would like to recommend that you write some characteristic numbers in the form of an orchestra suite&nbsp;... We have every reason to believe that an orchestral suite from your pen&nbsp;... would be a very commercial proposition".{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=484}}

Sibelius wrote back to Fischer on 15&nbsp;February 1929: "I take pleasure in handing to you herewith the following compositions: Op.&nbsp;114 Piano-solo&nbsp;.../ Op.&nbsp;115 Violin-solo with piano&nbsp;.../ Op.&nbsp;116 Violin-solo with piano&nbsp;.../ Op.&nbsp;117 [JS&nbsp;185] Suite for Violin-solo with accomp. of strings".{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|pp=484–485}}

Fischer responded to Sibelius on 7&nbsp;September 1929: "We must reluctantly inform you that in view of the extremely unfortunate constellation in the music publishing field in the United States, it seems to us inadvisable at the present time to publish compositions of the high standard which you have submitted to us. The market is very unfavorable for this class of music and we are compelled to return them to you with our regrets".{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=485}}

As a result of Fischer's rejection, Sibelius wrote on the manuscript, "Sketch. To be reworked!"{{efn|The original Swedish is: "{{lang|sv|Skizz. Omarbetas!|italics=no}}".{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=618}}}}—although he never completed a revision.{{sfn|Barnett|2007|p=331}}

The Suite was never performed in Sibelius's lifetime. It received its world premiere in [[Lahti]], Finland on 8&nbsp;December 1990, the composer's sesquicentennial; the Finnish conductor [[Osmo Vänskä]] conducted the [[Lahti Symphony Orchestra]], with the Finnish violinist [[John Storgårds]] as soloist.{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=618}} 

==Recordings==
The Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra made the world premiere studio recording in April 1992 for [[BIS Records]]; the soloist was South Korean violinist [[Dong-Suk Kang]].{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=618}} The sortable table below lists commercially available recordings of the Suite:
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-right:0; font-size:95%"
!scope="col"|{{abbr|No.|Chronological number}}
!scope="col"|Conductor
!scope="col"|Orchestra
!scope="col"|Soloist
!scope="col"|{{nowrap|{{abbr|Rec.|Year of recording}}{{efn|Refers to the year in which the performers recorded the work; this may not be the same as the year in which the recording was first released to the general public.}}}}
!scope="col"|Time
!scope="col"|Recording venue
!scope="col"|Label
!scope="col"class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
!scope="row"|1
|{{sort|Vänskä|[[Osmo Vänskä]]}}
|[[Lahti Symphony Orchestra]]
|{{sort|Kang|[[Dong-Suk Kang]]}}
|1992<!--Apr.-->
|6:52<!--CD notes: (1) 1:59; (2) 2:51; (3) 1:50-->
|[[Ristinkirkko]]
|[[BIS records|BIS]]
|{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7922255--sibelius-lahti-vanska O.&nbsp;Vänskä–BIS (CD–1125) 2000]}}}}
|-
!scope="row"|2
|{{sort|Kangas|{{ill|Juha Kangas|fi|Juha Kangas (kapellimestari)}}}}
|[[Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra]]
|{{sort|Valo|{{ill|Jari Valo|fi}}}}
|1994<!--Oct. & Nov.-->
|7:56<!--CD notes, add mvts.: (1) 2:37; (2) 3:23; (3) 1:56-->
|{{ill|Kaustinen Church|fi|Kaustisen kirkko}}
|[[Finlandia Records|Finlandia]]
|{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/4599884-Sibelius-Ostrobothnian-Chamber-Orchestra-Juha-Kangas-Works-For-String-Orchestra J.&nbsp;Kangas–Finlandia (4509–98995–2) 1996]}}}}
|-
!scope="row"|3
|{{sort|Dausgaard|[[Thomas Dausgaard]]}}
|[[Danish National Symphony Orchestra]]
|{{sort|Tetzlaff|[[Christian Tetzlaff]]}}
|2002<!--Feb. 6-13-->
|7:34<!--CD notes: (1) 2:18; (2) 3:29; (3) 1:47-->
|Danish Radio Concert Hall&nbsp;<small>(old)</small>
|[[Virgin Classics]]
|{{center|{{efn|[http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/mar03/Sibelius_ViolinCon_works.htm T.&nbsp;Dausgaard–Virgin Classics ({{nowrap|7243 5 45534 2 4}}) 2002]}}}}
|-
!scope="row"|4
|{{sort|Kuusisto|[[Pekka Kuusisto]]}}
|[[Tapiola Sinfonietta]]
|{{sort|Kuusisto|[[Pekka Kuusisto]]}}
|2006<!--Jan.-->
|8:21<!--CD notes, add mvts.: (1) 2:10; (2) 4:23; (3) 1:48-->
|Tapiola Hall, [[Espoo Cultural Centre]]
|[[Ondine (record label)|Ondine]]
|{{center|{{efn|[https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/OD%201074 P.&nbsp;Kuusisto–Ondine (ODE&nbsp;1074–5) 2006]}}}}
|-
!scope="row"|5
|{{sort|Garrido|[[Alejandro Garrido Porras]]}}
|[[Orquestra Vigo 430]]
|{{sort|Dautricourt|[[Nicolas Dautricourt]]}}
|2014<!--Mar. 2-->
|8:10<!--CD notes: (1) 2:30; (2) 4:06; (3) 2:01-->
|Martín Códax Auditorium, [[Vigo]] Conservatory of Music
|{{interlanguage link|La Dolce Volta|fr|La Dolce Volta}}
|{{center|{{efn|[https://musicbrainz.org/release/3dc10710-cbb2-4b4e-aff7-bb7e0ef6c226 A.&nbsp;Garrido Porras–La Dolce Volta (LDV&nbsp;23) 2015]}}}}
|-
!scope="row"|6
|{{sort|Ashkenazy|[[Vladimir Ashkenazy]]}}
|[[Philharmonia Orchestra]]
|{{sort|Yoo|[[Esther Yoo]]}}
|2014<!--May 3-4-->
|7:53<!--CD notes, add mvts.: (1) 2:14; (2) 3:40; (3) 1:59-->
|[[Fairfield Halls]]
|[[Deutsche Grammophon]]
|{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8081120--sibelius-glazunov-violin-concertos V.&nbsp;Ashkenazy–DG ({{nowrap|481 215 7}}) 2015]}}}}
|-
!scope="row"|7
|{{sort|Klumpp|[[Johannes Klumpp]]}}
|[[Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen]]
|{{sort|Hagen|{{ill|Kathrin ten Hagen|de}}}}
|2014<!--June-->
|8:54<!--CD notes, add mvts.: (1) 2:33; (2) 4:16; (3) 2:05-->
|{{ill|Immanuelskirche (Wuppertal)|lt=Immanuelskirche|de|Immanuelskirche (Wuppertal)}}, [[Wuppertal]]
|[[ARS Produktion]]
|{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8052216--northern-lights J.&nbsp;Klumpp–ARS (ARS38157) 2014]}}}}
|-
!scope="row"|8
|{{sort|Gardner|[[Edward Gardner (conductor)|Sir Edward Gardner]]}}
|[[Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra]]
|{{sort|Ehnes|[[James Ehnes]]}}
|2023<!--Aug. 14-18-->
|<!--CD notes, add mvts.; (1) ; (2) ; (3)-->
|[[Grieg Hall]]
|[[Chandos Records|Chandos]]
|{{center|{{efn|[https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%205267 E.&nbsp;Gardner–Chandos (CHAN&nbsp;5267) 2024]}}}}
|}

==Notes, references, and sources==
;{{large|Notes}}
{{notelist}}
;{{large|References}}
{{Reflist}}
;{{large|Sources}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|last1=Barnett|first1=Andrew|year=2007|title=Sibelius|location=New Haven|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-11159-0}}
*{{cite book|last=Dahlström|first=Fabian|author-link=:sv:Fabian Dahlström|title=Jean Sibelius: Thematisch-bibliographisches Verzeichnis seiner Werke|trans-title=Jean Sibelius: A Thematic Bibliographic Index of His Works|date=2003|publisher=Breitkopf & Härtel|location=Wiesbaden|language=de|isbn=3-7651-0333-0}}
{{refend}}

{{Jean Sibelius}}
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[[Category:Concertante works by Jean Sibelius]]
[[Category:Suites by Jean Sibelius]]
[[Category:1929 compositions]]
[[Category:Compositions for string orchestra]]
[[Category:Compositions for violin and orchestra]]
[[Category:Compositions in D minor]]