The Sad Garden

One of Erkki Melartin's best-known piano compositions is the five-movement suite Der Traurige Garten (The Melancholy Garden) dedicated to Sibelius. It combines Romantic and drawing-room touches with Impressionistic elements. This set includes the two last pieces: 4. Regen (Sade / The Rain) and 5. Solitude (Yksinäisyys). The Rain has a transparent texture reminiscent of Ravel, and yet it is unmistakably Finnish in mood. Solitude is also impressive in its sombre intensity.