Search - Jean Sibelius, Neeme Järvi, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra :: Jean Sibelius: Swanwhite Suite, Op. 54; Belshazzar's Feast Suite, Op. 51

Although he wrote only a single, insignificant opera, Sibelius composed a tremendous amount of music for the theater to accompany spoken plays. This "incidental music," as it's called, performs exactly the same function that movie music does today--it sets the scene, supports the action, and accompanies some of the dialogue. The major works on this recording--the suites from Swanwhite and Belshazzar's Feast--are two of the many incidental scores that Sibelius wrote over the course of his career, and they are every bit as enjoyable as any film score by John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith. You'll find them well worth getting to know. --David Hurwitz