Kuolema

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Jean Sibelius provided six pieces of incidental music for a drama called Kuolema (Death) by his brother-in-law, Arvid Järnefelt, in 1903. However, most of this music remained unpublished until Breitkopf & Härtel, the music publishers, issued a revised version of the first piece: Valse triste (Sad Waltz). It became an instant hit with the public, one of Sibelius's signature pieces. In 1906, Sibelius combined two movements for Kuolema (No. 3 and 4) to produce the Scene with Cranes, but it remained unpublished until 1973. In 1911 Sibelius composed two new salon-style numbers, Canzonetta and Valse romantique, which he published immediately, hoping to repeat the success of Valse triste but unfortunately that never materialised.

The incidental music to Arvid Järnefelt's drama Kuolema consisted of four excerpts:

1. Valse triste Op. 44 No. 1

2. Scene with Cranes (Szene mit Kranichen, Scène avec grues) Op. 44 No. 2

3. Canzonetta Op. 62a

4. Valse romantique Op. 62b

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