Jean Sibelius

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Sibelius was born on 8 December 1865 in Hämeenlinna in the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous state within the Russian Empire. He was the son of Swedish-speaking medical doctor Christian Gustaf Sibelius and Maria Charlotta Sibelius. His father died of typhoid in July 1868, leaving substantial debts, so his mother moved the family into the home of her widowed mother. Sibelius was brought up in a decidedly female environment; the only male influence came from his uncle Pehr Ferdinand Sibelius, who gave him a violin when he was ten and encouraged his interest in composition. From an early age, Sibelius showed a strong interest in nature, frequently walking around the countryside when the family moved to Loviisa on the coast for summer months. In his own words: 'For me, Loviisa represented sun and happiness. Hämeenlinna was where I went to school; Loviisa was freedom.' He began violin lessons with local bandmaster Gustaf Levander in 1881, setting his heart on a career as a great violin virtuoso. He performed David's Concerto in E minor in 1886 and the last two movements of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in Helsinki the following year. Despite such success, he ultimately chose to become a composer. After graduating high school in 1885, he studied law at the Imperial Alexander University but soon moved to the Helsinki Music Institute (now the Sibelius Academy), studying from 1885 to 1889 under Martin Wegelius and Ferruccio Busoni. He continued studies in Berlin (1889–1890) with Albert Becker and in Vienna (1890–1891) with Robert Fuchs and Karl Goldmark. In Vienna he turned to orchestral composition, composing an Overture in E major and a *Scène de Ballet*. His breakthrough came with the premiere of *Kullervo* in Helsinki on 28 April 1892, an enormous success. He married Aino Järnefelt on 10 June 1892 at the Tottesund Mansion in Maxmo; they spent their honeymoon in Karelia, the home of the *Kalevala*, which inspired *En saga*, the *Lemminkäinen* legends, and the *Karelia Suite*.

Reader's Guide

Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s, but after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the incidental music for *The Tempest* (1926), and the tone poem *Tapiola* (1926), he stopped producing major works in his last 30 years—a retirement commonly referred to as the 'silence of Järvenpää' (the location of his home). Although he is reputed to have stopped composing, he attempted to continue writing, including abortive efforts on an eighth symphony. In later life, he wrote Masonic music and re-edited some earlier works. Sibelius was clear about the cause of his early retirement: he simply felt he had written enough. His oeuvre includes seven symphonies; works inspired by nature, Nordic mythology, and the Finnish national epic the *Kalevala*; over a hundred songs for voice and piano; incidental music for numerous plays; the one-act opera *The Maiden in the Tower*; chamber music, piano music, Masonic ritual music, and 21 publications of choral music. The Finnish 100 mark note featured his image until 2002, when the euro was adopted. Since 2011, Finland has celebrated a flag flying day on 8 December, the composer's birthday, also known as the Day of Finnish Music. In 2015, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sibelius's birth, a number of special concerts and events were held, especially in Helsinki.

Did You Know?

• Sibelius's father died of typhoid in July 1868, leaving substantial debts, forcing the family to move in with his widowed grandmother.
• As a boy he was known as Janne, a colloquial form of Johan, but adopted the French form Jean during his student years, inspired by the business card of his deceased seafaring uncle.
• He abandoned his dream of becoming a celebrated violinist, saying: 'My tragedy was that I wanted to be a celebrated violinist at any price... it was a very painful awakening when I had to admit that I had begun my training for the exacting career of a virtuoso too late.'
• His home Ainola, completed near Lake Tuusula, Järvenpää, in 1904, was where he lived with his wife Aino and their six daughters: Eva, Ruth, Kirsti (who died aged one), and three others.
• The Finnish 100 mark note featured his image until 2002, and since 2011 Finland celebrates a flag flying day on 8 December, his birthday, as the Day of Finnish Music.