Ryan Bancroft, conductor

Jean Sibelius: Symphony no. 4 in A minor op. 63

Johannes Brahms: Symphony no. 4 in E minor op. 98

Our conductor partner Ryan Bancroft presents a symphonic broadside that delves into the depths of the soul. Sibelius and Brahms are at their most serious in their Fourth Symphonies, but also at their boldest. Brahms built his last symphony on Baroque variations but with a timeless feel. The motif of the passacaglia in the finale is from Bach’s Cantata no. 150, where it is associated with the words “My days spent in sorrow the Lord nevertheless ends in joy”. 25 years later, Sibelius stood at the top of Koli hill and conceived his Symphony in A minor, probing his darkest thoughts. Poet Elmer Diktonius perhaps identified a connection to Brahms in the slow movement: “60,000 autumnal grey lakes and, in some wonderful way, a greeting from Bach”.

Pre-concert talk 18:10-18:30.

Tapiola Sinfonietta 2025-2026