Karina Canellakis leads Sibelius, Mendelssohn and Adams

Water, wind, swans, flowers and fast machines. These are the sources of inspiration for the works Karina Canellakis is conducting today. The Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in Sibelius' Fifth Symphony, Mendelssohn, John Adams and Mahler.
KarinaCanellakis conducting Sibelius'Fifth Symphony
From his study by a Finnish lake, Sibelius one day saw sixteen swans flying. My God, what a beauty', he noted. An accompanying musical 'swan motif' would form the basis of his Fifth Symphony. The work was a government commission, intended for Sibelius' own fiftieth birthday. Because of the war with Russia, Sibelius had to be evacuated for a while. Only when he returned home to his lake was he able to complete a final version. Today it is being conducted by Karina Canellakis. The American has been the principal conductor of the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra for some time.

Mendelssohn and Adams
This morning the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra will be playing Mahler's beloved Blumine. By Mendelssohn we hear Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt. An overture that gives voice to the poems of the same name by Goethe. Sailing over flat water, the question is whether the other side will ever be in sight. When the wind or even a storm starts, the glorious arrival is not far away. Another journey is by John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine. Lively, optimistic and with inescapable rhythms on its heels.