The famous melody by Jean Sibelius’s Finlandia was originally part of a score written for a series of historical tableaux in 1899.

You might call it the soundtrack music of its day.

In fact, many well-known composers have taken to writing what is called “incidental music.” We’ve featured some in another program, but there’s still lots more to share.

In the next hour, Finlandia, plus theater music by Beethoven, Purcell, Vaughan Williams, Copland and more.

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