Jean Sibelius

Karelia Suite op. 11

Sibelius on the organ today? - More than ever! A look at the history of transcriptions of the famous 'Karelia Suite' reveals something astonishing: when Herbert A. Fricker selected orchestral movements by Jean Sibelius for his 'Organ Album' in 1909, he limited himself to the concluding 'Alla marcia' and really missed out on the other two movements. Klaus Uwe Ludwig opens up the entire three-movement work to the organ in a new way, and in his transcription he draws on his profound knowledge of late Romantic organ literature, which he has previously demonstrated in transcribing the orchestral works of Wagner (Prelude and Finale from 'Rheingold'), Brahms (Academic Festive Overture, Haydn Variations) and Reger (Der geigende Eremit). References in the score to the original orchestration are intended to give the performer suggestions for tonal realization on the organ. The desired result is a varied arrangement appropriate for the organ.