Jean Sibelius Composer Date of Birth: 08.12.1865 Country: Finland

Biography of Jean (Johan Christian) Sibelius

Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer of Swedish descent, was born on December 8, 1865, in Hämeenlinna, Finland. He was the second of three children to Dr. Christian Gustaf Sibelius and Maria Charlotta Borg. Although his family upheld Swedish cultural traditions, which were passed down from the composer's ancestors, Sibelius was enrolled in a Finnish secondary school.

In 1885, Sibelius entered the Imperial Alexander University in Helsinki, but he was not interested in pursuing a career in law and soon transferred to the Music Institute, where he became the most brilliant student under the tutelage of Martin Wegelius. Many of his early compositions for chamber ensembles were performed by students and teachers at the institute.

In 1889, Sibelius received a state scholarship to study composition and music theory with Albert Becker in Berlin. The following year, he took lessons from Karl Goldmark and Robert Fuchs in Vienna. Upon his return to Finland, Sibelius had his official debut as a composer with the performance of the symphonic poem "Kullervo," Op. 7, for soloists, male choir, and orchestra, based on one of the tales from the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. These were years of unprecedented patriotic fervor, and Sibelius was immediately hailed as the musical hope of the nation.

Soon after, he married Aino Järnefelt, whose father was a famous governor general and leader of the national movement. "Kullervo" was followed by other notable works, including the symphonic poem "En Saga," Op. 9 (1892); the Karelia Suite, Op. 10 and 11 (1893); "Vårsång" (Spring Song), Op. 16 (1894); and the Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22 (1895).

In 1897, Sibelius participated in a competition for a music teaching position at the university, but he was unsuccessful. However, his friends convinced the Senate to establish an annual scholarship of 3000 Finnish marks for him. In 1903, Sibelius signed a contract to purchase a plot of land and commissioned architect Lars Sonck, known for his "Art Nouveau" style, to design his house. Among Sonck's notable projects were the summer residence for Finnish presidents and the Tampere Cathedral. Sonck was able to realize his design for the composer's house within a year, and the Sibelius family moved into their new home in 1904.

Two Finnish musicians had a significant influence on Sibelius's early works: Richard Faltin taught him orchestration, and Karl Toll influenced his symphonic music. The premiere of Sibelius's First Symphony took place in Helsinki in 1899. He went on to compose six more symphonies, with the last being the one-movement "Fantasia sinfonica," Op. 105, which premiered in Stockholm in 1924. Sibelius gained international recognition primarily for his symphonies, but his violin concerto and numerous symphonic poems, such as "Pohjolan tytar" (Pohjola's Daughter), "Nattlig ritt och soluppgang" (Night Ride and Sunrise), "Tuonelan joutsen" (The Swan of Tuonela), and "Tapiola," are also popular.

Most of Sibelius's compositions for the dramatic theater, totaling sixteen, are evidence of his special affinity for theatrical music. These include the symphonic poem "Finlandia" (1899) and the "Valse triste" from the music for Arvid Järnefelt's play "Kuolema" (Death), which was first performed in Helsinki in 1903. Many of Sibelius's songs and choral works are frequently heard in his homeland; however, they are relatively unknown outside of Finland, likely due to the language barrier and the absence of the distinctive qualities found in his symphonies and symphonic poems.

Sibelius's creative activity effectively ended in 1926 with the symphonic poem "Tapiola," Op. 112. For over 30 years, the musical world awaited new compositions from him, particularly his Eighth Symphony, which had been widely anticipated, but those expectations were never fulfilled. During this time, Sibelius composed only small pieces, including Masonic music and songs that did not enhance his legacy. His music gained recognition primarily in Anglo-Saxon countries. He visited England five times between 1903 and 1921 to conduct his own works and traveled to the United States in 1914, where his symphonic poem "Aallottaret" (The Oceanides) premiered at a music festival in Connecticut. In the mid-1930s, Sibelius reached the peak of his popularity in England and the United States. Prominent English writers such as Rosa Newmarch, Cecil Gray, Ernest Newman, and Constant Lambert admired him as an outstanding composer of their time and the worthy successor to Beethoven. Among his enthusiastic supporters in the United States were Olin Downes, music critic for The New York Times, and Serge Koussevitzky, conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1935, when Sibelius's music was broadcasted by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, listeners voted him their "favorite symphonist."

Interest in Sibelius's music noticeably declined after 1940, with voices questioning his innovation in form. He did not establish his own school and did not directly influence composers of the next generation. Today, he is often compared to late Romantic composers such as Richard Strauss and Edward Elgar. However, in Finland, he is given a much more significant role, where he is recognized as a great national composer and a symbol of the country's greatness.

During his lifetime, Sibelius received honors that were bestowed upon only a few artists. Numerous streets and parks bear his name, and there is an annual music festival dedicated to him, called "Sibelius Week." In 1939, the composer's alma mater, the Music Institute, was renamed the Sibelius Academy. Sibelius passed away on September 20, 1957, in Järvenpää.