Sibelius, Malinconia For Cello (Breitkopf & Härtel)

The MALINCONIA OP 20 is a heartfelt and emotional composition by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, written in response to the tragic loss of his daughter Kirsti in 1900. The piece is a fantasy, infused with a sense of urgency and drama, and features a cello and piano. The cello plays a mournful and sonorous melody, at times soaring in long, sweeping arcs before being forced through virtuoso passages. The piano contributes almost equally, with moments of virtuosic runs and climaxes interspersed throughout. Listeners may detect echoes of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto in B minor, Op. 23 in the cascading chords that accompany the cello. Overall, MALINCONIA OP 20 is a moving tribute to a lost loved one, expressed through the powerful language of music.