The Swan of Tuonela, Op. 22, No. 2
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Arranged for Flute Orchestra by Shaul Ben-Meir
Published by Megido Publications
Includes score and parts
Instrumentation: 5 c flutes, alto flute (or English Horn), 2 bass flutes, contrabass flute
The Swan of Tuonela (Op. 22, No. 2) was composed by Jean Sibelius in 1893 as the prelude to an unfinished opera titled “The Building of the Boat.” Following revisions, it became the second movement of his Lemminkäinen Suite, a set of four tone poems based on the Kalevala, a collection of poetry grounded in Finnish folklore and mythology. In the orchestral version, the English horn is featured throughout, depicting a swan swimming around Tuonela, the realm of the dead. In this arrangement for flute ensemble, the alto flute is featured and it is possible to utilize it as a solo instrument. Additionally, an English horn part is provided as a substitute for the alto flute.
