Celebration of Sibelius’ 150th Birthday
The Finnish composer Sibelius 1865 – 1957, has been celebrated all year culminating yesterday at his birthday. Never before have I heard so much of his music in one day. All day via my Danish Radio and in the evening live transmission from the town Hämeenlinna he was born not far from Helsinki. All over Finland flags were raised for his sake and many concerts were held to his honor.
Listening to his symphonies yesterday and today convinced me of his great importance for Finland. Finland is a very new country as they only got their independence 98 years ago.
His native language was Swedish and only after his tenth year he was taught Finnish. He was drawn to the sagas of the Finnish tradition, but all his life he spoke and wrote in Swedish. Finland has been under Swedish supremely first and then Russian.
This week in our Danish classical radio channel the CD of the week was chosen to be his seven symphonies. To listen to them is a time travel in his compositions.
His music is creating imagination and is both dark and tragic and has lots of beautiful melodies. He uses lots of instruments strings, wind, kettledrums and percussion and you just feel the impressive landscapes with wild animals in lakes and forests.
My husband and I visited his house Ainola , where he lived from 1904-1957. The name is similar to the name of his wife Aino. It was not so easy to find, hiding between trees in the countryside. We were not allowed to take pictures inside unfortunately.
He is buried there and didn’t compose anything the last 30 years.
Categories: Art, Classical music
From one Heart to Another 
I didn’t realize this was an anniversary year. You should post this on my Senior Salon today – http://www.HaddonMusings.com
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I realized in the middle of the night that I had forgotten to do that
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I am sorry I was too late I will do it next week
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Looking forward to seeing your post. They are always so interesting. I am sure that they other bloggers will really enjoy them.
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How lovely. My Swedish friend is also named Aino.
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The Swedish speaking minority in Finland has done the fundamental work of establishing the state. It is still difficult with two so different languages in the same country. I have a friend in Finland who’s ancestors was somehow a pioneer.
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I was able to attend a performance of Sibelius’ Kullervo at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. I really enjoyed it! It was the first piece of that composer I heard. I bought the record and much later I bought a recording with the violinist Lisa Batiashvili with Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47. Today is an excellent day to refresh my Sibelius experience to keep me going through one more office day. So watch that Twitter TL, people!
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I will put a link to a fine edition of his 7 symphonies here in the post. Thank you for commenting
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Thanks for posting this I just reread and it is even more interesting the second time around.
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Thank you for your comment. It’s difficult to express thoughts about music and then in another language than your own. But I enjoy making these historic / biography posts
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An interesting piece about a composer of whom I know very little, to my shame! Thanks for stopping by my blog, liking and following. Happy to return the compliment!
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Thank you Clive! I learn so much from one like you who is excellent in English and I would like to express more, I have to read and follow to know what to say
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It’s my natural language so I have a huge advantage over you! I think you’re very brave to write in another language than your own. I couldn’t do it!
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I have something to so “say” so I take the chance and I appreciate to be corrected to improve the language. Denmark is a small country, but I write in Danish too on another blog on baby health care
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I love Sibelius’ music. I’ve just found out he died the year I was born! Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you Stevie for reading and commenting. Just imagine being so self critical that he didn’t write anything during his last 30 years. I just ordered CDs on all his symphonies played by the Lahti symphony orchestra. They are specialists on him
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Hej hej. good article. I completely agree with you on the visual power of Sibelius’ music. But don’t forget that it was also Carl Nielsen’s 150th the 9th of June and it is interesting that these two important Northern composers, with two very distinct styles, were absolutely contemporary.
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Thank you for reading and commenting. As a Dane I haven’t forgotten Carl Nielsen. He has been celebrated the whole of 2015 in our radio and in many concerts in Denmark and even at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. You inspire me to make a post on him too
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Of course, that’s a good idea. Here in Paris, the Embassy and the France-Denmark association, to-gether, organised a superb concert at the Salle Gaveau with Nielsen’s Flute Concerto with a Danish soloist. Nielsen’s style, full of digressions, always puzzles a bit the public, but it’s interesting to feel a certain “unrest” in symphonic music.
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I am so glad you tell me about this. His flute concert is very good I think and it’s always used in the international Carl Nielsen flute contest in Odense. We have Carl Nielsen contests in flute, clarinet and violin and organ I think each every forth year. So his music is spread out that way to the world.
His wind octet is really worth listening to also
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Until so far, my preferred work is the 6th Symphony. I feel it like my soul’s inner music. 🙂 For the photos of the Nielsen concert in Paris : https://picasaweb.google.com/104000664633275660309/Concert150AnsDeCarlNielsenALaSalleGaveau
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The soloist could be Ulla Millman from the National Radio Symphony Orchestra
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The soloist is Janne Thomsen
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Oh yes I know her too. They look a bit alike
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Thank You remembering Sibelius.
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