# Ödlan (The Lizard) Suite by Sibelius (rare 1909 score for fans of his 4th Symphony)



## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

This is quite a rare piece from Sibelius' maturity. Along with the Fourth Symphony it shows Sibelius sounding about as modern as he was ever going to sound.








> The Lizard (Ödlan), Op. 8, is an incidental music for orchestra by Jean Sibelius for a play of that name by Mikael Lybeck (1864-1925). He supplied music for two scenes: Act II Scene 1 and Act II Scene 3. Sibelius completed it in 1909 and conducted the first performance at Helsinki's Swedish Theatre on 6 April 1910 . Although it is rarely played, Sibelius told his friend and patron Axel Carpelan that it was "one of the most exquisite works that I have written".
> 
> The work derives from the "crisis" period between 1908 and 1912. It is scored for solo violin and string ensemble (with no more than 9 players according to the composer's own notes) and a typical performance lasts 17 minutes.
> 
> The principal character in the play, Count Alban, is engaged to Elisiv, who represents everything that is pure. But, Adla -word that resembles to Ödlan or lizard- symbolises evil and arouses both fear and passion in Alban. Elisiv and Adla both struggle to keep Alban's soul on their side. Elisiv trips, falls, and perishes in the struggle, but in revenge, Alban kills the evil that exists within himself - i.e. Adla.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I liked the piece. It is not as evocatively reptilian as Respighi's _Butantan_ in Brazilian Impressions, but does suggest a lizardian ambiance now and again to the mind already prepared by the title and explanation.


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

Jim Morrison has the reptilian title all wrapped up, being the Lizard King, after all:


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