Jean Sibelius: Karelia-Suite op.11

Two very well-known and one less known symphonic poem were composed in a short period: between 1893 and 1896.

Sibelius approached his 30th birthday, was already an experienced composer of chamber music and piano music and had shown with the première of Kullervo in 1892 that he could also write orchestral music that was fashionable and could attract the attention of both audience and critics. Sibelius revised all three works after they were written.

There are no fewer than five different versions of Rakastava, and Lemminkäinen received its definitive form only in 1954, three years before the composer's death and 60 years after it was written.