Transport yourself to the Nordic countries as masterpieces by Sibelius, Grieg and Nielsen open the Philharmonia’s 2024/25 season in Bedford.

Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5 would make it into many listeners’ top ten. It begins with a whisper from horns and timpani, which spreads through the woodwind section in a glorious evocation of sunrise. The second movement is a set of variations on a simple, wistful theme. Then comes the moment Sibelius fans have been waiting for – the magnificent ‘swan’ theme of the finale, with its jubilant horn chords and sweeping strings. Sibelius wrote it after witnessing the awe-inspiring sight of 16 swans in flight: “One of the great experiences of my life! God, how beautiful,” he wrote in his diary.

Grieg’s Piano Concerto is one of the most popular works in the orchestral repertoire. From its dramatic opening with its timpani roll to its anthemic finale, tonight it is in the hands of Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen.

First comes Nielsen’s Helios Overture. Inspired while travelling to Athens, the Danish composer traces the journey of the sun across the Aegean Sea in a wondrous celebration of the Greek god Helios.