Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63, was completed in 1911 by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957). The seven Sibelius symphonies form a cycle of an extraordinarily consistent high quality. For me, the 4th is just that little bit more exceptional, but it is very much a primus inter pares choice. One of the bleaker symphonies, it is not as popular as the second, fifth or seventh, but ultimately even more rewarding in my experience. The work is in four movements and the average playing time is 36 minutes (AllMusic). I have two versions, of which I have a slight preference for the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi on a BIS CD.
