Ravishing and dreamlike yet revolutionary, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune’s premiere in 1894 unequivocally opened the age of modern music. Saint-Säens’ Fifth Piano Concerto is a showpiece that features beautiful and sleek airs imbued with exotic north-African flavor. Its second movement, based on a tune sung on the Nile, and the fiery toccata in the finale always receive thunderous applause from the audience. Influenced by German and Russian styles, Sibelius discovered his own musical language which ultimately became the common dialect of northern European music. Crisp but broad, compact but elegant, Sibelius’ orchestration comprises original and bewildering tonations with bizarre timbre. Attending a live performance is a must in order to appreciate the true depth of this work. Two of his swan songs, Symphony No.7 and Tapiola, are phenomenal gems that are highly representative of Sibelius’s style. They are monumental works in the symphonic genre. By combining these French and Finnish masterpieces together, and juxtaposing the two in one concert, the NSO will more than fulfill its audience’s expectations.