Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä calls the upcoming CSO program of Sibelius and Strauss “an incredibly interesting combination for many reasons.” Hear his take on why the former’s Lemminkäinen and the latter’s Ein Heldenleben work together so nicely to tell the tales of two different yet similar heroes. Tickets for the Feb. 19-21 performances are available at cso.org/ps/25122 | Chicago Symphony Orchestra

"I should like to compare the symphony to a river. It is born from various rivulets that seek each other, and in this way the river proceeds wide and powerful toward the sea." - Sibelius, on his Symphony No. 5. While composing his 5th Symphony, Sibelius wrote about the inspiration he felt from the Nordic landscape and the glory of the natural world around him. 🌱🦢 Join Ulster Orchestra, Nadège Rochat - Cellist and conductor Chloé van Soeterstède for Soaring Spirits on Friday 1 November in the U

18K views · 2.5K reactions | Sibelius's symphonies are truly quite special! ✨ Here's the final movement of Sibelius's Symphony No. 2 Watch the whole movement on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/rVzJDgDnKLI | London Philharmonic Orchestra | Facebook

Music that illuminates the soul. ✨ Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 unfolds like light across a winter landscape, beginning in quiet reflection and gradually rising toward a breathtaking, luminous finale. Swirling melodies and soaring strings gather warmth and grandeur along the way, shaping a journey filled with hope, resilience, and deeply felt triumph. The work is unofficially titled the “Finnish Independence Symphony” cementing the composer’s status as Finland’s most beloved cultural treasure.