Belshazzar's Feast (Sibelius)

Belshazzar's Feast (Swedish: Belsazars gästabud), JS 48, is incidental music by Jean Sibelius to a play of the same name by the journalist, poet and playwright Hjalmar Fredrik Eugen Procopé [sv] (1868−1927).

The first performance of the play and its incidental music was at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki on 7 November 1906, conducted by the composer.

[1][2] The suite has had a number of recordings, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Neeme Järvi, Pietari Inkinen and others.

The full original score had its world premiere recording by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Lilli Paasikivi (mezzo-soprano), Petri Lehto (tenor), Sauli Tiilikainen (baritone), Lahti Chamber Choir, conducted by Osmo Vänskä, as part of BIS Records' Complete Sibelius Edition.

The suite was scored for two flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 1 oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, percussion (bass drum, cymbals, tambourine, triangle) and strings.