The year 2025 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. It is an opportunity to revisit one of his most powerful works, the symphonic poem The Sea.

The Sea is the first Lithuanian symphonic poem, the ambition and imagination of which were ahead of its time. Čiurlionis composed it in the early 20th century but never heard performed during his lifetime – due to the complexity of the score, the work was only performed after his death. This recording presents the first version of Čiurlionis’ The Sea, without the editing and changes we are used to hear that were made after the composer’s death. “Let’s give Čiurlionis the opportunity to be heard the way he wanted to be heard,” says Dr. Charis Efthimiou, a researcher of Čiurlionis’ work, Greek musicologist and composer, who reconstructed the score of the symphonic poem from the manuscript.

It is music that merges the grandeur of nature with the mysteries of the human spirit. Čiurlionis’ The Sea is imbued with infinity; its waves carry both a gentle whisper and the roar of the elements. It is a poetic image of the world that remains the foundation of our cultural identity and a pillar of our values.

This historic event was committed by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and maestro Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, whose interpretation offered a unique opportunity to hear Čiurlionis in his own voice. This recording was broadcast on the STAGE+ channel of the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon company and was a great success, ranking among the top three most-watched programs and attracting particular interest from audiences in the US, Japan, and Germany.