Bleak and fiercely individualistic, SYMPHONY NO. 4 IN A MINOR, OP. 63, was written by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) in a period of deep personal upheaval. At the time of its composition from 1909 to 1911, he had recently undergone surgery for throat cancer. Sibelius himself described it as a "psychological symphony." Defying the extroverted romanticism of the European symphonic tradition, the work premiered on April 3, 1911, with the Philharmonia Society performing under the direction of the composer. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(1): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.