Jean Sibelius's first orchestral works were influenced by Finnish legends (Kullervo, En saga). But even a few years after having written these works, he was planning another programmatic piece, a symphony in several movements entitled "Life of a Dreamer" or "Musical Dialogue." It was not until the compositional phase leading up to the world premiere in 1899 that Sibelius took his first steps towards "absolute" orchestral music, as is revealed by the editor in his knowledgeable preface.

After...