Jean Sibelius

Jean Sibelius (born into a Swedish-speaking Finnish family as Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was a Finnish violinist, composer, music educator and conductor, of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country’s greatest composer and his music is often credited with helping Finland develop a stronger national identity as the country struggled with various attempts at Russification in the late 19th century.

At the heart of his oeuvre are his seven symphonies, which, like his other major works, are regularly performed and recorded in Finland and countries around the world. His other best-known compositions include Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, the Violin Concerto, the choral symphony Kullervo and The Swan of Tuonela (from the Lemminkäinen Suite). His other works include pieces inspired by nature, Nordic mythology and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over a hundred songs for voice and piano; stage music for numerous plays; the one-act opera The Maiden in the Tower; chamber music, piano music, Masonic rituals and 21 editions of choral music.

Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s, but after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the stage 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 known to have stopped composing, he still tried to continue writing, including the unsuccessful work on an eighth symphony. Later in life, he wrote Masonic music and reworked some earlier works, while maintaining an active but not always favourable interest in new developments in music. Although this ‘silence’ has often baffled scholars, in reality Sibelius was clear: he felt he had written enough. In 1950, he was awarded the Grand Cross in the Order of the White Rose of Finland.

Bron: WikiPedia