The Oceanides (Aallottaret), Op. 73, is a single-movement tone poem for orchestra by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius(pictured). The piece, which refers to the nymphs in Greek mythology who inhabited the Mediterranean Sea, premiered on 4 June 1914 at the Norfolk Music Festival in Connecticut with Sibelius conducting. Praised upon its premiere as "the finest evocation of the sea ... ever ... produced in music", the tone poem, in D major, consists of two subjects, said to represent the playful activity of the nymphs and the majesty of the ocean. Sibelius gradually develops this material over three informal stages: a placid ocean, then a gathering storm, and finally a thunderous wave-crash. As the tempest subsides, a final chord sounds, symbolizing the mighty power and limitless expanse of the sea. Stylistically, many commentators have described The Oceanides as impressionistic. It is one of Sibelius's most revised works. A derived suite and an early version of the piece were performed for the first time in 2002, by Osmo Vänskä and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. (Full article...)
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1977 – The Humboldt Park riot began in Chicago, resulting in three deaths, three cars in the Humboldt Park lagoon, and increased tension between the Chicago Police Department and the Puerto Rican community.
1989 – The People's Liberation Army violently cracked down on the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing, leaving at least 241 dead and 7,000 wounded, and causing widespread international condemnation of the Chinese government.
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