ON THIS DAY

Finnish Composer Jean Sibelius Died in 1957

September 20, 2024

2 MIN READ

He is widely recognized as Finland's greatest composer, and his music played a significant role in fostering a national identity during the late 19th century

At the heart of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius's compositions are his seven symphonies, which, along with his other major compositions, are frequently performed and recorded in Finland and around the world.

His other notable pieces include Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, his Violin Concerto, the choral symphony Kullervo, and The Swan of Tuonela from the Lemminkäinen Suite. His oeuvre also encompasses works inspired by nature, Nordic mythology, and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, as well as over a hundred songs for voice and piano, incidental music for various plays, the one-act opera The Maiden in the Tower, chamber music, piano works, Masonic ritual music, and 21 publications of choral music.

Sibelius was prolific 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 ceased to produce major works for the last 30 years of his life—a period often referred to as the "silence of Järvenpää," named after his home.

Although he is thought to have stopped composing entirely, he made attempts to continue, including unfinished efforts on an eighth symphony. In his later years, he created Masonic music and revised some earlier works, while maintaining an active, though sometimes critical, interest in contemporary music. This "silence" has puzzled many scholars, but Sibelius himself believed he had composed enough.

Sibelius's image appeared on the Finnish 100 mark note until 2002, when the euro was introduced. Since 2011, Finland has observed a flag-flying day on his birthday, 8 December, known as the Day of Finnish Music.

In 2015, various special concerts and events were organized to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth, particularly in Helsinki.