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The true North ! Its cold, vast plateaux foster interiority and introspection. And what do these Nordic composers discover, deep within themselves? A certain sadness or melancholy…  Clearly the Garden of Eden cannot be found on this Earth!

Brahms was a true solitary, and Sibelius soon ended his work as a composer. Undoubtedly, some great suffering tormented both these souls. But – to our great delight – they were able to convert this suffering into sound, and these sounds work their way into musical moments of a rare intensity and supreme beauty. Yes, the monochordal plains of the North summon up manifold emotions. The senses, impressions and perceptions are stimulated, and overflow. Brahms and Sibelius attest to this capacity of human beings to sublimate everything…