Lemminkäinen – Four Legends op. 22

The four orchestral scores which are brought together in Lemminkäinen op. 22 can be understood with a bit of imagination as a kind of program symphony. All the more surprising is the Revision History that occurred after the first performances and versions in 1896 and 1897: Sibelius soon revised two pieces, the Swan of Tuonela (which was soon to become very popular) and Lemminkäinen returns home (op. 22 no. 4). He had both scores printed, but stowed the two other pieces away in a drawer for nearly 40 years before he gave them their last polish. The entire cycle in its last authorized version was published in 1954, just as the composer wished. This happy ending is comprehensively documented in Volume I/12b of the Sibelius Complete Edition.