Sibelius - Belshazzar’s Feast, Op 51 - (2/2)

Jean Sibelius’ incidental music for “Belsazars Gästabud“ (“Belshazzar’s Feast“) was composed for a play of the same name which was written by Sibelius’ friend Hjalmar Procopé. The play is based upon King Belshazzar of the Old Testament book of Daniel, focusing specifically on the fifth chapter of Daniel; as an aside, a bit of trivia if you will, the play paid homage, in parts, to Oscar Wilde’s “Salome“. The play was not all too well received. Due to this, critics claimed that Sibelius “wasted“ good ideas on the incidental music for the play which had 21 performances between Nov. 1906 and Jan. 1907. Sibelius’ incidental music for the play comprised ten pieces. This reduced Suite for Orchestra, four movements, received its first performance, with Sibelius conducting the Orchestra of the Helsinki Philharmonic Society, in 1907. Sibelius also transcribed the suite for piano in 1907 though that is rarely, if ever, s