Jan Sibelius: biography, interesting facts, videos, creativity. Jean Sibelius biography The figurative structure and expressiveness of the piano pieces by Jean Sibelius can serve as an excellent means of musical and aesthetic education of schoolchildren

Jan Sibelius(Swede. Jean Sibelius, Swedish Johan Christian Julius Sibelius; December 8, 1865, Hämeenlinna, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire - September 20, 1957, Järvenpää, Finland) - Finnish composer of Swedish origin.

Biography

Jean Sibelius was born on December 8, 1865 in Tavastgus in the Grand Duchy of Finland. Was the second of three children of Dr. Christian Gustav Sibelius and Mary Charlotte Borg. He lost his father early, spent his childhood with his mother, brother and sister at his grandmother's house in his hometown.

The family spoke Swedish and maintained Swedish cultural traditions. However, Jan's parents sent him to a Finnish-language high school. From 1876 to 1885 he studied at the Normal Lyceum of Hämeenlinna.

Following a family tradition, children were taught to play musical instruments. Sister Linda played the piano, brother Christian played the cello, Jan- at first on the piano, but after that he preferred the violin.

Already at the age of ten Jan wrote a short play.

Subsequently, his attraction to music increased and he began systematic studies under the guidance of the leader of the local brass band, Gustav Lewander.

The acquired practical and theoretical knowledge allowed the young man to write several chamber-instrumental compositions.

In 1885 he entered the law faculty of the Imperial University in Helsinki, but he was not attracted to the profession of a lawyer, and soon he moved to the Music Institute, where he became the most brilliant student of Martin Vegelius. Many of his early compositions for chamber ensembles were performed by students and teachers of 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 return Sibelius in Finland, he made his official debut as a composer: the symphonic poem Kullervo, op. 7, for soloists, male choir and orchestra - based on one of the legends of the Finnish folk epic Kalevala. These were years of unprecedented patriotic upsurge, and Sibelius immediately hailed as the musical hope of the nation. Soon he married Aino Jarnefelt, whose father was the famous lieutenant general and governor who took part in the national movement - August Alexander Jarnefelt.

Kullervo was followed by the symphonic poem En Saga, op. 9 (1892); suite "Karelia" (Karelia), op. 10 and 11 (1893); "Spring Song", op. 16 (1894) and the suite "Lemminkäinen" (Lemminkissarja), op. 22 (1895). In 1897 Sibelius participated in the competition to fill the position of a music teacher at the university, but failed, after which friends convinced the senate to establish an annual scholarship of 3,000 Finnish marks for him.

Notable influence on early work Sibelius two Finnish musicians provided him: the art of orchestration was taught by Robert Kajanus, conductor and founder of the Helsinki Orchestras Association, and the music critic Karl Flodin was a mentor in the field of symphonic music. Premiere of the First Symphony Sibelius took place in Helsinki (1899). In this genre, the composer wrote 6 more works - the last was the Seventh Symphony (one-movement Fantasia sinfonica), op. 105, first performed in 1924 in Stockholm. international fame Sibelius acquired it thanks to the symphonies, but his violin concerto and numerous symphonic poems are also popular, such as Pohjola's Daughter (Fin. Pohjolan tytär), Night Jump and Sunrise (Swed. Nattlig ritt och soluppgang), Tuonel swan" (Tuonelan joutsen) and "Tapiola" (Tapiola).

Most writings Sibelius for drama theater (there are sixteen in total) - evidence of his special penchant for theatrical music: in particular, this is the symphonic poem "Finland" (Finlandia) (1899) and "Sad Waltz" (Valse triste) from the music for the play by the brother-in-law of the composer Arvid Järnefelt " Death" (Kuolema); the play was first staged in Helsinki in 1903. Many songs and choral works Sibelius often heard in his homeland, but outside it are almost unknown: obviously, the language barrier prevents their distribution, and besides, they are devoid of the characteristic merits of his symphonies and symphonic poems. Hundreds of piano and violin pieces and several suites for orchestra are also inferior to the best works of the composer.

A special position in the Finnish national culture is occupied by the symphonic poem "Finland", which is a musical illustration of the history of the people and had an anti-Russian orientation. The melody was a success and became the national anthem. Her performance, including whistling a tune in public places, was punished by the Russian authorities with imprisonment.

Creative activity Sibelius actually ended in 1926 with the symphonic poem Tapiola, op. 112. For more than 30 years, the music world has been waiting for new compositions from the composer - especially his Eighth Symphony, about which so much has been said (in 1933 its premiere was even announced); however, expectations were not met. During these years Sibelius wrote only small plays, including Masonic music and songs, which did not enrich his legacy. However, there is evidence that in 1945 the composer destroyed a large number of papers and manuscripts - perhaps among them were later compositions that did not reach the final embodiment.

His work is recognized mainly in the Anglo-Saxon countries. In 1903-1921, he came to England five times to conduct his works, and in 1914 he visited the United States, where, under his direction, the symphonic poem Oceanides (Aallottaret) was premiered as part of the Connecticut Music Festival. Popularity Sibelius in England and the USA reached its peak by the mid-1930s. Such major English writers as Rosa Newmarch, Cecil Grey, Ernest Newman and Constant Lambert admired him as an outstanding composer of his time, a worthy successor to Beethoven. Among the most ardent adherents Sibelius in the USA there were O. Downes, music critic of The New York Times, and S. Koussevitzky, conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; in 1935 when the music Sibelius was performed on the radio by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the listeners chose the composer as their "favorite symphonist".

Since the 1940s, interest in Sibelius's music has noticeably declined: voices are heard questioning his innovation in the field of form. Sibelius did not create his own school and did not directly influence the composers of the next generation. Nowadays, he is usually put on a par with such representatives of late romanticism as R. Strauss and E. Elgar. At the same time, in Finland he was assigned and is assigned a much more important role: here he is recognized as a great national composer, a symbol of the greatness of the country.

Even during life Sibelius received honors that only a few artists received. Suffice it to mention the numerous streets Sibelius, parks Sibelius, the annual music festival "Week Sibelius". In 1939, the composer's alma mater, the Musical Institute, was named the Academy named after Sibelius.

Sibelius in Freemasonry

He was a Freemason for many years, and rightly was one of the outstanding figures of Finnish Freemasonry. Sibelius was one of the founders of Suomi Lodge No. 1 in Helsinki. Later he was the chief organist of the Grand Lodge of Finland. In 1927 Sibelius wrote nine vocal and instrumental compositions, collected by him under the general title "Masonic Music for Rites". The first edition of the score, destined for distribution among the Masons, was published in 1936. The second edition was published in 1950, corrected and supplemented by the author with new compositions, including the well-known symphonic poem "Finland", accompanied by a special text during Masonic performance.

Major works

Symphonies

• "Kullervo", symphony for soloists, choir and orchestra, op.7 (1899)
• Symphony No. 1 in e-moll, op.39 (1899)
• Symphony No. 2 in D-dur, op.43 (1902)
• Symphony No. 3 in C-dur, op.52 (1907)
• Symphony No. 4 a-moll, op.63 (1911)
• Symphony No. 5 Es-dur, op.82 (1915)
• Symphony No. 6 in d-moll, op.104 (1923)
• Symphony No. 7 in C-dur, op.105 (1924)

Symphonic poems

• "Saga", op. 9 (1892, second edition 1901)
• "Forest Nymph", Op. 15 (1894)
• "Spring Song", Op. 16 (1894)
• "Finland", op.26 (1899)
• Pohjola's Daughter, op.49 (1906)
• "Night Ride and Sunrise", op.55 (1907)
• Dryad, op.45 (1910)
• "Luonnotar" for soprano and orchestra, op. 70 (1913)
• Bard, op.64 (1914)
• Oceanides, op.73 (1914)
• Tapiola, op.112 (1926)
• "Tuonel Swan"

Symphonic suites

• "Lemminkäinen" (four symphonic legends: "Lemminkäinen and the girls on the island of Saari", "Lemminkäinen in Tuonele", "The Swan of Tuonela", "Return of Lemminkäinen"; 1893-1895)
• "Karelia", suite, Op. 11 (1893)
• Pelléas et Mélisande (1905, from music to a play by Maurice Maeterlinck)
• Historical Scenes I, Op. 25 (1. Overture 2. Scene 3. Feast) (1899)
• "Love Suite" for strings, timpani and triangle (Rakastava), op. 14 (1911)
• Historical Scenes II, Op. 66 (1. Hunting 2. Love song 3. At the drawbridge) (1912)
• "Three Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 96. (1. Lyrical Waltz, 2. Past (pastoral), 3. Knightly Waltz) (1920)
• "Little Suite" for 2 flutes and string orchestra, Op. 98a (1921)
• Country Suite for string orchestra, Op. 98b (1921)
• "Genre Suite" (Suite caracteristique), Op. 100 (1922)

Concert works

• Concerto for violin and orchestra in d-moll, op.47 (1903)
• Two Serenades for Violin and Orchestra, op. 69 (1912)
• Two Solemn Melodies for violin or cello and orchestra, op. 77 (1914, 1915)
• Six humoresques for violin and orchestra, op. 87 and 89 (1917)
• Suite for violin and string orchestra (1929)

Theatrical works

• The Making of a Boat, opera (1894, unfinished; based on the material of the overture, the play The Swan of Tuonela was written)
• The Maiden in the Tower, opera in one act (1896)
• "King Christian II", music for the play by A. Paula (1898)
• "Pelleas and Mélisande", music for the play by M. Maeterlinck (1905)
• "Death", music to the drama by A. Yarnefelt, Op. 44 (including the famous "Sad Waltz") (1903)
• "Scaramouche", ballet-pantomime based on the play by P. Knudsen, op. 71 (1913)
• “The Feast of Belshazzar”, music for the drama by Hjalmar Prokope (1906) Op. 51.
• “White as a Swan”, music for the drama by August Strindberg (1908) Op. 54.
• "The Lizard", music to the play by Mikael Liebeck (1909) Op. 8
• "The Name", music to the play by Hugo von Hofmannsthal (1916) Op. 83.
• "The Tempest", music to the play by William Shakespeare, Op. 109 (1925)

Other works

• "Karelia" - overture, op.10 1893
• "Pan and Echo", op.53a 1906

Chamber compositions

• Two pieces (Romance and Epilogue) for violin and piano (1888) Op. 2.
• String Quartet B-dur (1889) Op. 4.
• "Melancholia" for cello and piano (1901) Op. 20.
• "Voces intimae" ("Secret Voices"), string quartet in d-moll (1909) Op. 56.
• Four pieces for violin (or cello) and piano (1915) Op. 78.
• Six Pieces for Violin and Piano (1915) Op. 79.
• Sonatina in E major for violin and piano (1915) Op. 80.
• Five Pieces for Violin and Piano (1915) Op. 81.
• Novelleta for violin and piano (1923) Op. 102.
• Village Dances, five pieces for violin and piano (1925) Op. 106.
• Four pieces for violin and piano (1929) Op. 115.
• Three pieces for violin and piano (1929) Op. 116.

for piano

• Six Impromptu Op. 5.
• Sonata in F major (1893) Op. 12.
• Ten Pieces (1894-1903) Op. 24.
• Ten bagatelles (1914-1916) Op. 34.
• "Pensees lyriques", 10 pieces (1912-1914) Op. 40.
• Küllikki, three lyrical pieces (1904) Op. 41.
• Ten Pieces (1909) Op. 58.
• Three Sonatinas (1912) Op. 67.
• Two Little Rondos (1912) Op. 68.
• Four Lyric Pieces (1914) Op. 74.
• Five Pieces (1914) Op. 75.
• Thirteen Pieces (1914) Op. 76.
• Five Pieces (1916) Op. 85.
• Six Pieces (1919) Op. 94.
• Six bagatelles (1920) Op. 97.
• Eight Short Pieces (1922) Op. 99.
• Five Romantic Pieces (1923) Op. 101.
• Five characteristic impressions (1924) Op. 103.
• Five Sketches (1929) Op. 114.

For organ

• Two Pieces Op. 111.
• 1. Intrada (1925)
• 2. Funeral music (1931)

for choir

• Six male choirs a cappella to the texts of "Kalevala", "Kanteletar" and to the words of Kivi (1893-1901) Op. 18.
• Impromptu for women's choir and orchestra to words by Rydberg (1902) Op. 19.
• Natus in Curas. Hymn for male choir a cappella (ed. 1899) Op. 21.
• "University Cantata 1897" for mixed choir a cappella (1897) Op. 23.
• "Sandels", improvisation for male choir and orchestra on words by Runeberg (1898) Op. 28.
• "The Origin of Fire" for baritone, male choir and orchestra (1902) Op. 32.
• "The Captive Queen", ballad for choir and orchestra (1906) Op. 48.
• Two songs for mixed choir a cappella (1911-1912) Op. 65.
• Five men's choirs a cappella (1915) Op. 84.
• Native Land, cantata for choir and orchestra, words by Kallio (1918) Op. 92.
• "Song of the Earth", cantata for choir and orchestra on a text by Jarl Gemmer - in commemoration of the opening of the university in Turku (1919) Op. 93.
• "Hymn to the Earth", cantata for choir and orchestra, text by Eino Leino (1920) Op. 95.
• "Hymn" for choir and organ (1925) Op.107.
• Two male choirs a cappella (1925) Op.108.
• “Hymn to Väinyo” (“Kalevala”) for choir and orchestra (1926) Op.110.
• "Masonic Ceremonial Music", a cycle of pieces for soloists, male choir and organ (1926-1948) Op.113.

For voice with accompaniment

Five Christmas Songs for voice and piano (1895-1913) Op.1
Arioso after words by Runeberg for voice and string orchestra (1911) Op.3.
Seven songs to words by Runeberg with piano accompaniment (1891-1892) Op.13.
Seven Songs to Words by Runeberg, Tavastjern and others for voice and piano (1894-1899) Op.17.
The Carrier's Brides for baritone or mezzo-soprano and orchestra (1897) Op.33.
Two songs for voice and piano (1907) Op.35.
Six songs for voice and piano (1899), among them - "March Snow" (No. 5), "Diamonds in the Snow" (No. 6) (second author's version - for voice and orchestra) Op.36.
Five songs for voice and piano (1898-1902), among them - "The girl returned from a date" (No. 5) to the words of Runeberg Op. 37.
Five Songs for voice and piano (1904) Op. 38.
Six Songs for Voice and Piano (1906), among them "Quiet City" (No. 5) to words by Demel Op.50.
Eight songs for voice and piano to words by Josephson (1909) Op.57.
Two songs for voice and piano (or guitar) on texts from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (1909) Op.60.
Eight songs for voice and piano to words by Tavastierne, Runeberg and others (1910) Op.61.
Luonnottar, poem for soprano and orchestra (1913) Op.70.

Six songs for voice and piano to words by Topelius, Rydberg and others (1914-1915) Op.72.
Six Songs for voice and piano (1916) Op.86.
Six Songs for voice and piano to words by Franzen and Runeberg (1917) Op.88.
Six Songs for voice and piano to words by Runeberg (1917) Op.90.

melodeclamation

• Dryad (words by Rydberg), with piano accompaniment, two horns and string orchestra (1894) Op.15.
• "Snowy Peace" (words by Rydberg), with chorus and orchestra accompaniment (1900) Op.29.
• “Ice drift on the Oulu River” (words by Topelius), accompanied by male choir and orchestra (1899) Op.30.

Compositions without an opus designation

• Trio a-moll (1881-1882)
• Piano quartet e-moll (1881-1882)
• Suite for violin and piano (1883)
• Andantino for cello and piano (1884)
• String Quartet Es-dur (1885)
• Sonata for violin and piano in F-dur (1886)
• Piano Trio (1887)
• "Tranaden" ("Wishing"), melodeclamation to the words of Stagnelius, with piano accompaniment (1887)
• "Nights of Jealousy", melodeclamation to the words of Runeberg, with piano trio accompaniment (1888)
• Serenade for voice and piano to words by Runeberg (1888)
• "Water Spirit", two songs with piano trio accompaniment to a piece by Vennerberg (1888)
• Theme and Variations for string quartet (1888)
• Suite for violin, viola and cello A-dur (1889)
• String Quartet a-moll (1889)
• Piano quintet in g minor (1889)
• Overture a minor (1890-1891)
• Overture in E-dur (1890-1891)
• Piano Quartet in C-dur (1891)
• Octet for flute, clarinet and strings (1891), later used in the Saga
• Ballet scene for orchestra (1891)
• "Tiera", piece for brass band (1894)
• Dryad, symphonic poem (1894)
• "University Cantata 1894", for choir and orchestra (1894)
• "Min rastas", for male choir a cappella (1894)
• Rondo for viola and piano (1895)
• "Endless Day" (lyrics by Erkko), for children's voices a cappella (1896)
• "One Power" (words by Cajander), for male choir a cappella (1898)
• "Swimming", for voice and piano (1899)
• "Hymn to Thais", to words by Borgstrom, for voice and piano (1900)
• "Cortege", for orchestra (1901)
• "Portraits", for string orchestra (1901)
• "Horseman", for piano (1901)
• Six Finnish Folk Songs for piano (1903)
• "No need for complaints" (to the words of Runeberg), for mixed choir a cappella (1905)
• "Carminalia", for boys' choir (1905)
• "The Language of Birds", music for the play by Adolf Paul (1911)
• "Drommarna", for mixed choir (1912)
• "Uusimaa", for mixed choir (1912)
• "Juhlamarssi", for mixed choir (1912)
• "Spagnuolo", piece for piano (1913)
• "Dream" (to words by Runeberg), for two sopranos and piano (1915)
• "Mandolinata", for piano (1917)
• "The Recklessness of Fridolin" (to words by Karlfeldt), for male choir a cappella (1917)
• Narcissus (to lyrics by Gripenberg), for voice and piano (1918)
• "Sails", for voice and piano (1918)
• "Girls" (to words by Prokope), for voice and piano (1918)
• "Faded", for voice and piano (1918)
• Two songs for male choir a cappella (1918)
• "Brotherhood" (to words by Aho), for male choir a cappella (1920)
• "Resemblance" (to words by Runeberg), for male choir a cappella (1920)
• "Johan's Journey" (to words by Fröding), for male choir a cappella (1920)
• "Romantic Piece", for piano (1920)
• "Passionate Desire", for piano (1920)
• "The Solemn March of the Singing Brotherhood in Vyborg" I, for male choir (1920)
• "Andante festivo", for string quartet (1922). There is an author's arrangement for string orchestra and timpani ad libitum, made in 1938.
• "Andante lirico", for string orchestra (1924)
• "Blue Duck", for voice and piano (ed. 1925)
• "Lonely Ski Trail", melodeclamation (to the words of Gripenberg) with piano accompaniment (1925). There is an author's arrangement for the reader, harp and bowed instruments, made in 1948.
• Two psalms for mixed choir a cappella (1925-1927)
• "Guards on the Bridge", for male choir a cappella (1929)
• "The Solemn March of the Singing Brotherhood in Vyborg" II, for male choir a cappella (1929)
• "The Fate of Karelia", for male choir and piano (1930)

Performances of Sibelius music

Conductors who have recorded all of Sibelius' symphonies (including or excluding Kullervo) include Vladimir Ashkenazy (twice), John Barbirolli, Paavo Berglund (thrice), Leonard Bernstein (twice), Osmo Vänskä, Alexander Gibson, Sir Colin Davis (thrice ), Kurt Sanderling, Lorin Maazel, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Simon Rattle, Petri Sakari, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Leif Segerstam (twice), Neeme Järvi (twice).

Important recordings of some of the Sibelius symphonies were also made by Karel Ancherl (No. 1), Thomas Beecham (No. 4, 7), Herbert von Karajan (No. 1, 2, 4-7), Robert Cajanus (No. 1-3, 5), Kirill Kondrashin (No. 2, 3, 5), Sergey Koussevitzky (No. 2, 5, 7), James Levine, Evgeny Mravinsky (No. 3, 7), Eugene Ormandy (No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7), Evgeny Svetlanov ( No. 1), Georg Tintner (No. 7), Sergiu Celibidache (No. 2, 5), Georg Sneevoigt (No. 6), Paavo Järvi (Kullervo). Other orchestral works by Sibelius were also recorded by conductors Hans Rosbaud and Wilhelm Furtwängler.

Recordings of the violin concerto were made by violinists Camilla Wix, Ida Handel, Gidon Kremer, Anna-Sophie Mutter, David Oistrakh, Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern, Jascha Heifetz, Henrik Schering.

Jean Sibelius(Finnish Jean Sibelius; December 8, 1865, Hämeenlinna, Finland - September 20, 1957, Järvenpää, Finland) was a Finnish composer.

Biography

Jean Sibelius was born on December 8, 1865 in Hämeenlinna (Swedish name Tavastehus) in Finland. He was the second of three children of Dr. Christian Gustav Sibelius and Maria Charlotte Borg. Although the family maintained Swedish cultural traditions, coming from the composer's ancestors, he was sent to a Finnish high school. In 1885 he entered the Imperial University in Helsinki, but he was not attracted to the profession of a lawyer, and soon he moved to the Music Institute, where he became the most brilliant student of M. Vegelius. Many of his early compositions for chamber ensembles were performed by students and teachers of 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 made his official debut as a composer: the symphonic poem Kullervo, op. 7, for soloists, male choir and orchestra - based on one of the legends of the Finnish folk epic Kalevala. These were years of unprecedented patriotic upsurge, and Sibelius was immediately hailed as the musical hope of the nation. Soon he married Aino Järnefelt, whose father was the famous governor-general who led the national movement.

Kullervo was followed by the symphonic poem En Saga, op. 9 (1892); suite "Karelia" (Karelia), op. 10 and 11 (1893); "Spring Song", op. 16 (1894) and the suite "Lemminkäinen" (Lemminkissarja), op. 22 (1895). In 1897, Sibelius entered a competition to fill the post of music teacher at the university, but failed, after which friends convinced the Senate to establish an annual scholarship of 3,000 Finnish marks for him.

Two Finnish musicians had a noticeable influence on Sibelius's early work: he was taught the art of orchestration by R. Kajanus, a conductor and founder of the Helsinki Orchestras Association, and music critic Karl Flodin was a mentor in the field of symphonic music. Sibelius' First Symphony premiered in Helsinki (1899). In this genre, the composer wrote 6 more works - the last was the Seventh Symphony (one-movement Fantasia sinfonica), op. 105, first performed in 1924 in Stockholm. Sibelius gained international fame thanks to his symphonies, but his violin concerto and numerous symphonic poems, such as "The Daughter of the North" (Finnish: Pohjolan tytär), "Night Jump and Sunrise" (Swedish: Nattlig ritt och soluppgang) are also popular. , "Tuonel swan" (Tuonelan joutsen) and "Tapiola" (Tapiola).

Most of Sibelius's compositions for drama theater (sixteen in all) are evidence of his special penchant for theatrical music: in particular, this is the symphonic poem Finlandia (Finlandia) (1899) and Sad Waltz (Valse triste) from the music for the play by the composer's brother-in-law Arvid Jarnefelt "Death" (Kuolema); the play was first staged in Helsinki in 1903. Many of Sibelius's songs and choral works are often heard in his homeland, but are almost unknown outside of it: apparently, the language barrier prevents their distribution, and besides, they are devoid of the characteristic merits of his symphonies and symphonic poems . Hundreds of piano and violin pieces and several salon suites for orchestra are even more inferior to the best works of the composer, embarrassing even the most dedicated admirers of his talent.

The creative activity of Sibelius actually ended in 1926 with the symphonic poem Tapiola, op. 112. For more than 30 years, the music world has been waiting for new compositions from the composer, especially his Eighth Symphony, about which so much has been said (in 1933 its premiere was even announced); however, expectations were not met. During these years, Sibelius wrote only small plays, including Masonic music and songs, which did nothing to enrich his legacy. However, there is evidence that in 1945 the composer destroyed a large number of papers and manuscripts - perhaps among them were later compositions that did not reach the final embodiment.

His work is recognized mainly in the Anglo-Saxon countries. In 1903-1921, he came to England five times to conduct his works, and in 1914 he visited the United States, where, under his direction, the symphonic poem Oceanides (Aallottaret) was premiered as part of the Connecticut Music Festival. The popularity of Sibelius in England and the United States reached its peak by the mid-1930s. Such major English writers as Rosa Newmarch, Cecil Grey, Ernest Newman and Constant Lambert admired him as an outstanding composer of his time, a worthy successor to Beethoven. Among the most ardent adherents of Sibelius in the USA were O. Downes, music critic of the New York Times, and S. Koussevitzky, conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; in 1935, when the music of Sibelius was played on the radio by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, listeners chose the composer as their "favorite symphonist."

Since 1940, interest in Sibelius's music has noticeably declined: voices are heard questioning his innovation in the field of form. Sibelius did not create his own school and did not directly influence the composers of the next generation. Nowadays, he is usually put on a par with such representatives of late romanticism as R. Strauss and E. Elgar. At the same time, in Finland he was assigned and is assigned a much more important role: here he is recognized as a great national composer, a symbol of the greatness of the country.

Even during his lifetime, Sibelius received honors that were given to only a few artists. Suffice it to mention the numerous streets of Sibelius, the parks of Sibelius, the annual music festival Sibelius Week. In 1939, the composer's alma mater, the Institute of Music, was named the Sibelius Academy. Sibelius died in Järvenpää on September 20, 1957.

Major works

Symphonies:

• Symphony No. 1 in e-moll, op.39 (1899);
• Symphony No. 2 in D major, op.43 (1902);
• Symphony No. 3 in C-dur, op.52 (1907);
• Symphony No. 4 a-moll, op.63 (1911);
• Symphony No. 5 Es-dur, op.82 (1915);
• Symphony No. 6 in d-moll, op.104 (1923);
• Symphony No. 7 in C-dur, op.105 (1924);

Symphonic Poems:

• Saga, op. 9 (1892, second edition 1901);
• "Finland", op.26 (1899);
• Pohjola's Daughter, op.49 (1906);
• "Pan and Echo", (1906);
• "Night Race and Sunrise", op.55 (1907);
• Dryad, op. 45 (1910);
• Bard, op.64 (1914);
• Oceanides, op.73 (1914);
• Tapiola, op.112 (1926);

Symphony suites:

• "Lemminkäinen" (four symphonic legends: "Lemminkäinen and the girls on the island of Saari", "Lemminkäinen in Tuonele", "Tuonela swan", "Return of Lemminkäinen"; 1893-1895);
• "Karelia" - overture and orchestral suite, op.10 and 11 (1893);
• "Pelleas and Mélisande" (1905);

Concerts:

• Concerto for violin and orchestra in d-moll, op.47 (1903);

Music for drama performances:

• "King Christian II" play by A. Paula (1898);
• "Kuolema" (drama by A. Yarnefelt);
• The Tempest (tragedy by William Shakespeare; 1930);
• 1891 - Overture in E-dur;
• 1891 - Overture a-moll;
• 1892 - "Kullervo", symphony. poem for orchestra, solo and choir;
• 1897 - "Song of the Athenians" for boys' choir and orchestra.

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Sibelius was very fond of nature, she inspired him to create beautiful works. The images of Finnish nature are translated by Sibelius in the fourth symphony, the symphonic poem "Caga", "Spring", "Dryad", "Oceanides". In these works, the influence of impressionism is felt. The move of Sibelius and his family in the spring of 1904 from Helsinki to a small estate in the village of Järvenpää, in a picturesque area near Lake Tuusula, had a great influence on the composer's creative work. In the estate, located in the garden and surrounded by forest, the composer created the most mature works, including the "3" and "4" symphonies in 1907 and 1911, which were perceived as a new word in the composer's work. These symphonies marked the transition of Sibelius to the path of lyrical symphonism and caused a search for new means of expression and new forms. Sibelius conveyed a lyrical deepening into his inner world in his piano work.

Sibelius wrote over 150 piano works, about 115 of which have been published. The composer himself recklessly said that he wrote little things for the piano in his free moments as a break from big orchestral pieces. In the period from 1911 to 1919, piano cycles appeared: Lyric Pieces op. 40, Four Lyric Pieces op. 74, 13 pieces op. 76, 6 pieces op. 1914-1919) and op 85 "Flowers" (1916-1917). These cycles are among the best examples of the composer's piano legacy. Five pieces op. 85 are subtitled "Flowers". Each piece is dedicated to a particular flower.

№1 "Daisy"

№2 "Carnation"

No. 4 "Aquilegia"

No. 5 "Bell" - a bright, magnificent sparkling finale.

Each play is marked by seriousness and poetry. Let's take a closer look at pieces No. 2 and No. 4.

No. 2 "Carnation" (Oeilet) - a piece written in a three-part form, sounds in the key of As-dur, with an as-moll modal contrast in the middle part. Glancing briefly at the play, in particular at its texture, and not knowing who composed it, one can safely answer Felix Mendelssohn "Song without words." A piece of cantilena nature in a romantic style, with a beautiful melody complemented by a polyphonic undertone of a middle voice, saturates us with sounds like the scents of a flower. One wants to enjoy and drown in the beauty of pedal overtones, one wants to whirl in a three-part waltz rhythm, the richness and beauty of harmonic revolutions resembling flower petals. But suddenly, the bold rhythmic move of the quarter notes with an accent and the transition to a chordal texture leads us into an atmosphere of sadness. (note example of the middle part).

The abundance of flats (7) gives us a short change of mood, and the melodic move of the as-moll scale and the same accented move of the quadrupoles return us to the original state of pleasure and bliss, sensuality and beauty. And only a small culmination of the unexpectedly returned quartoles and chord texture makes us excited, but only for a moment, soothing with the gentle tonic of the A-flat major chord. (a musical example of the last line of the work).

No. 4 "Aquilegia" This piece also attracts attention with its romantic theme, emphasized by the A-flat major key, which sounds fresh and even a little fragrant. The play is three-part with an introduction theme. Sibelius in the introduction used, at first glance, not very convenient cross-hand movement, when the theme sounds in a low register, and the accompaniment in a high one. After playing the introduction several times, the hands quickly get used to the crossed movement and the performance becomes very comfortable (a musical example of the introduction).

In general, the play has an extremely convenient texture for performance.

The main theme of the song, tender. Sibelius uses a juxtaposition of parallel keys in the sound of the theme. As-dur - f-moll ending with an unexpected C major arpeggio, which smoothly turns into the sound of a melodic ascending sequence built on a descending motive - a sigh: leading us to the interrupted turn D7 - 4th step. (note example three measures of the last line).

Then the main theme is repeated in the upper register, as if the composer turns our gaze upwards and we tenderly look at the upper petals of the flower - tender and beautiful, we are surprised at the natural magic. In the middle part, the mood changes, excited motifs appear, repetitions in the left hand, a slight deviation in Des-dur, an alarming short arpeggio of the left hand again leads us to a C major arpeggio. And finally, there is a reprise. In the sound of the main theme, an amazing chromatic move appears in the opposite movement, which finally resolves the main theme into the tonic. The final section sounds, where the theme of the introduction builds up in the sound like an arch. And only fermata makes us think about what miracles nature gives birth to! The last four measures sound like the author's monologue: "This is such an unusual flower" (a musical example of the last four measures).

Five pieces op 75 (1914-1919) - "Trees" is one of the best examples of the composer's sensitive perception, who admitted that the trees speak to him, and each tree has its own thoughts, feelings, history.

No. 1 "When the mountain ash blooms" - an excitedly lyrical introduction in the cycle in the spirit of P.Ch. Tchaikovsky.

No. 2 "Lone Pines" Gives the impression of absolute resilience, as a symbol of Finland's resilience against the icy wind from the east.

No. 3 "Aspen" breathes the mystery of impressionism.

No. 4 "Birch" - the favorite tree of the Finns.

No. 5 "Spruce" is one of the indisputable "hits" of Sibelius.

Let's take a closer look at pieces No. 4, No. 3, No. 5

No. 4 "Birch" is written in two private forms, the first part is Es-dur, the second part is Des-dur.

Original tonality in the Mixolydian mode. The first part is a chordal texture, the size is two quarters, the alternation of chords in the left hand emphasizes and reminds us of the swaying of a birch. The main theme in the soprano register resembles a folk song melody - sonorous, rhythmic, active, due to the staccato stroke with accents, emphasized by quarter notes, it sounds twice and draws a tree trunk in the imagination:

The arpeggio prepares the transition to the second part of the piece Des - dur, a change of key, a timbre enriched with flats and a change of texture to a broken arpeggio in eighth notes, as if transferring our imagination to the crown of a tree with its abundant foliage and swaying earrings.

The melody of the second part is veiled in the texture of eighth notes, reminiscent of a folk melody.

The active beginning of the piece with the dynamics of mf leads to pp in the second part, facilitating the sound, takes our gaze up, far away, as if we, together with the leaves swaying in the wind, are breaking away from the ground and becoming just as weightless and light.

No. 3 "Aspen" is a vivid example of onomatopoeia and figurativeness.

In the piece, the composer used a large technique - the rich harmonic formations of the arpeggios in the left hand are connected by an octave melody in the right. The dimensional course of the chords is emphasized by the half-lengths "r".

An unexpected change in the measured rhythm by triplets and a short melodic progression of sixteenths breaks the calm and leads to the "rattling" of the leaves:

No. 5 Spruce - the final piece of the cycle. Decent, strong, monumental and simply gorgeous. Sibelius chose the waltz genre to create the play. This waltz is comparable in beauty to the Sad Waltz. A short introduction to the stretto arpeggio brings us to the main theme - rich, luxurious, free, independent in sound. The play is in the same key h-moll, which is associated with some restraint, the severity of colors and coloring of the natural region of Finland.

The theme at first sounds strong in the lower register, as if drawing a strong tree trunk. The structure of the melody differs from other pieces of the cycle by its severity, classicism in the construction of phrases and sentences:

Then the transition of the melody up into the second octave takes our gaze to the top of the tree. Next - a dance - a waltz circles us around, enjoying the fresh smell of pine needles, then stopping our hearing for a moment. In the right hand, B flat, A sharp in the left hand, adding fermata:

The middle part - Risoluto - a decisive and turbulent flow of thirty-second feelings, enriched with chromatic harmonic combinations of a short arpeggio and underlined basses, makes us worry and empathize with the author. But… the storm quickly subsides and calms us down. The first theme returns again - strong, persistent, but very short. It breaks off and resolves our perception, calming, into the tonic of a B minor arpeggio. After listening to the play, one can imagine the image of the composer himself, understand his fortitude, courage, patriotism, greatness, talent, pride, beauty and love!

In his declining years, Sibelius predicted: "I know that my piano pieces have a safe future, despite the fact that they have completely fallen into oblivion - one day they will become as popular as Schumann's pieces." Indeed, many pianists have studied Sibelius' piano works, recognizing its originality and suitability for the instrument. Including Glenn Gould, emphasizing the skill of the composer, said that "in the piano works of Sibelius - everything is music, everything sings ... and, most importantly, this is a significant addition to the too limited piano repertoire of late romanticism." Numerous recordings of collections of Sibelius piano music have appeared in the digital age. The Finnish pianist Eric Tavaststierna (1951), whose father was also a pianist (a student of Neuhaus, Cortot and a researcher of Sibelius' work), recorded the most thorough of them in the early 80s. According to him, "Many of Sibelius's piano works are remarkable both in their form and in terms of musical material and style that suits the character of the instrument well. His compositions have significant technical difficulties that are interesting for the performer, the texture is generally melodic and colorful, then interesting to the listener...

demonstration lesson

Music lesson in 6th grade (fragment)

Topic: "Images of nature in the piano work of Jean Sibelius"

The purpose of the lesson: Acquaintance with the piano work of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

Artistic and pedagogical idea: " Many of Sibelius's piano works are quite remarkable both in their form and in terms of musical material… in his compositions… the overall texture is melodic and colorful, which is interesting to the listener. "

(Glenn Gould)

Music material:

1. I. Sibelius - "Sad Waltz".

2. I. Sibelius - "Spruce".

3. I. Sibelius - "Aquilegia".

Equipment:

1. Presentation on the work of Jean Sibelius.

2. Portrait of the composer

3. Illustrations for the plays "Spruce", "Aquilegia", "Birch", "Carnation", "Aspen".

The north is not only the magic of the white nights of the aurora borealis, not only the beauty of the mountain peaks turning blue in the distance, but it is also the bewitching music of the sea waves. The North is courage, struggle, it is always work, and therefore the traditional saga of the North is not verbose and harsh. Even if it is narrated by the sounds of music. Let's keep this in mind when opening our excursion into the music of Suomi, which we used to call Finland.

Jan Sibelius is the founder of the Finnish national music school and its largest representative. The art of Sibelius is inextricably linked with the past and present of the Finnish people, with the nature of Finland, with its songs and legends. In the music of Sibelius, we feel the pulse of his native country. The harsh nature of Finland, the country of "a thousand lakes", granite rocks and centuries-old forests, was also reflected in his work. To feel happy, the composer always needed the sun, light, birdsong; but from a young age he also fell in love with another face of his native land: the matte, pastel colors of the snow-covered northern landscape, the mysterious twilight of the long polar nights, the whirlwinds and howls of snow storms.

Jan (Johan) Julius Christian Sibelius was born on December 8, 1865 in the small Finnish town of Hemeenlinna in the family of a regimental doctor. In Hemeenlinna there were amateur choirs and music circles, artists from Russia, Helsinki and Turku often came. It is clear that in the midst of such an environment, Janne's interest in music was growing.

From the age of five, they began to teach him to play the piano, but the scales and exercises discouraged the boy from musical studies for a long time. However, for all his outstanding musical abilities, little Sibelius did not at all give the impression of a child prodigy. He was an ordinary, cheerful child who sometimes liked to play pranks and frolic with his comrades. The only thing that distinguished him was an extraordinary love for nature. After graduating from high school, yielding to the insistence of his mother and grandmother, who, although they encouraged Janne to make music at home, did not want to hear about the profession of a musician, the young man entered the law faculty of the University of Helsinki. At the same time, he studied at the Musical Institute in the classes of violin and music theory. Soon, the musical life of the capital so fascinated the young Sibelius that he forgot about jurisprudence. At the Institute of Music, Sibelius took lessons in violin and composition theory. At first, Jan was more fond of the violin, but gradually overcame the composition. Diploma works of Sibelius - a string trio, a string quartet - were publicly performed in 1889 in Helsinki and were a great success. At the institute, Sibelius became friends with the famous pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni, who was a piano teacher in 1888-1889. In the autumn of 1889, Sibelius went to complete his education in Berlin. A two-year stay in Germany and Austria brought many interesting impressions. In Berlin, he took lessons from the famous theorist Albrecht Becker. New acquaintances were made there: with young musicians with German and Finnish, with their music; he listened to "Don Giovanni" by Richard Strauss and the symphony "Aino".

Sibelius' stay at home in 1890 was marked by an important event in his life - he became engaged to Aino Jarnefelt. During this happy period of his life, the young composer became one of the central figures in the artistic life of Finland. He communicates with its major figures, gets acquainted with the famous playwright Minna Kant, continues to meet with his patron and adviser R. Kayanus, pianist-composer O. Merikanto and others. A talented artist, who attracted the attention of all Europe with his paintings, Axel Galen, became his close friend - Callela. Friends spent whole hours in lively conversations on burning issues of art somewhere in a cafe or restaurant in Helsinki. All of them were ardent adherents of the national trend in art, the images of the Kalevala were an inexhaustible source of their inspiration.

Sibelius took many interesting impressions from his trip to Italy. Having visited Rome, Venice and other cities, he was, by his own admission, "in the highest degree captivated by nature, amazing historical sights and the population of the country." Thanks to the friendly help of Cajanus, Sibelius got the opportunity to improve his orchestral skills through self-education.

Almost all of his works of this period are directly related to the images of his native country, its history, folk poetry, especially Kalevala. Sibelius remains an adherent of music associated with poetic text, vocal and program. In a letter to the poet Yu. Kh Erkko, he says: “I believe that music in itself, so to speak, absolute music, cannot satisfy. It causes certain sensations, emotions, but at the same time, some kind of dissatisfaction ... Music can fully show its effect only when it is given direction by some poetic plot, in other words, when the sphere of creation by music becomes clear, and words, no matter how beautiful they are in themselves, acquire even greater meaning " . Soon he left again for further improvement, this time to Vienna. The Austrian capital, which was the largest musical center, had a huge attraction for everyone involved in the arts.

When the 26-year-old composer returned home in 1891, he was convinced that some of his compositions were readily performed and enjoyed recognition. Soon Sibelius came up with a great work, which for the first time widely revealed his talent - a symphonic poem "Kullervo" for two soloists, a male choir and an orchestra. The first sketches of it were made during the years of stay abroad.

K. Flodin wrote: "... He strove to create Finnish music from beginning to end. In the peculiar character of the tunes of runes, in the rhythms of folk dances, in the melodies of shepherd's horns, he found moods close to him. In the scales he used, in the use of five beats, he completely followed ancient runes..." The appearance of a work of such magnitude and significance after purely school experiences and a few published or publicly performed chamber works and orchestral pieces, after the unproductive "years of wandering" abroad, is a mystery to the biographer.

In the autumn of 1892, Sibelius began teaching at the Musical Institute in Helsinki. He teaches a composition class and simultaneously takes part in the work of the institute's string quartet, playing the part of the second violin. At this time, an orchestral school was opened in Helsinki at the Philharmonic Society on the initiative of Kajanus. Sibelius was invited there as a teacher of composition.

“And this was not the only evidence of the active interest of Kayanus in me,” the composer said. “It was of great importance for me that he completely put his orchestra at the service of my art, giving it to me when I wanted to try the effect of some timbre combinations or to hear the real sound of my score.Kajanus's encouragement contributed greatly to my development as an orchestral composer during the last decade of the nineteenth century.I am indebted to him for all that he did for me, not only in my youth, but also later for the art was quite small."

Despite the fact that the Institute and the school took away from Sibelius up to thirty hours a week, he managed to compose a lot. .

The summer months of 1893 gave life to other works of Sibelius. Apparently, back in the spring, the student society of Vyborg asked him to write musical accompaniment to a series of "living pictures" that tell about some moments of the historical past of Karelia. The composer readily accepted this proposal. The coming years pass in tireless and fruitful work. Sibelius completes the Lemminkäinen Suite and composes his only one-act opera, The Girl in the Tower.

The last years before the end of the century turned out to be a time of great creative upsurge for Sibelius. As before, the composer works in different genres.

The winter of 1903/04 turned out to be the last Sibelius spent in Helsinki. Life in the capital began to burden him more and more. There were a number of reasons - both personal and public. The aggravated political situation in the country, national oppression, especially felt in the cities, caused severe moral suffering to the composer - a patriot. Physical ailments were also added to this: the ear disease that had begun back in 1901 intensified and caused serious concern. In addition, life in Helsinki constantly prevented him from concentrating all his spiritual strength on creativity, in which Sibelius saw both his vocation and the fulfillment of his social duty.

The creative activity of the composer was gradually coming to an end. His statements about music are full of deep meaning. They show a great and wise artist, who thought broadly and boldly, never followed the fashion trends. “Having lived such a long life as mine,” Sibelius said, “and watching how one direction was born after another, flourished and died, you take a position less resolutely. You try to find the good where you are looking for. every musical "school" has something good in it in one way or another.If I were young again, but with such experience as now, then I think, for example, that I would be more tolerant of Wagner than I used to be. then. My attitude to Wagner to a large extent, I think, depended on the fact that all my friends, both young and old, succumbed to his influence. And yet I still put Verdi above Wagner ... "

At the request of Jean Sibelius, E. Gilels played two preludes and fugues by Shostakovich. “Sibelius listened half-closed, concentrated, in complete immobility. When the sounds of the piano died down, he was silent for a while and then said, making a wide gesture with his hand: “Here is music, listening to which you begin to feel that the walls of this room have moved apart and the ceiling has become higher…”

Until the end of his life, Sibelius (September 20, 1957, at the ninety-second year of his life) retained a bright, penetrating mind, a wonderful sense of humor, physical strength and vigor, extraordinary smartness.

The Finnish people idolized their great singer.

In 1985, the International Jean Sibelius Prize was established.

The beginning of Sibelius's composing activity coincided with the birth of national music schools in European countries.

The new Russian school, which gave the world such brilliant realist artists as Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, is gaining universal recognition. Remarkable composers Smetana and Dvořák are coming to the fore in the Czech Republic. In Norway - Grieg.

The art of Sibelius was also imbued with a national spirit, but this was expressed differently in him than in his predecessors in Finland.

The peculiar northern flavor of Finnish folk song has always inspired Sibelius. But, as we have already said, in his works the composer did not quote folk melodies, having managed to capture their character, using separate melodic and harmonic intonations, rhythmic features.

The history of the songs of the Finnish people goes back centuries. In the eastern part of Finland, wonderful songs arose - runes. Runes are strophic songs, with a predominance of choreic meter (alternating one long and one short syllable), with a rich, varied melody, with a certain clear rhythm. The most common sizes are 5/4 and 7/4. The art of runes has been preserved. And today, in the more remote areas of Finland, you can meet singer-storytellers who remember many of these tunes by heart, supplementing them with new improvisations. The runes included in the Kalevala collection are genuine folk art.

At the end of the 20th century, a whole galaxy of talented Finnish composers grouped around Martin Vegelius, director of the Helsinki Music Institute, author of symphonic, piano and vocal music, compiler of a number of theoretical works. These were Jean Sibelius, Armas Jernefelt, Erkki Melyartin and others.

The development of Sibelius' national self-consciousness was also facilitated by the environment in which he moved in his youth. The composer's friends, young poets and writers encouraged Sibelius to work in the field of vocal lyrics and theatrical music. It is to this period that the creation of the "Kulervo - symphony" in five parts for a large orchestra, choir and soloists belongs; some episodes of "Kalevala" served as a plot for it.

On the advice of his friend R. Kayanus, Sibelius wrote in 1892 "Saga" a symphonic poem for a large orchestra.

In 1893, during one of his summer stays in Kuopio, in northern Finland, Sibelius, inspired by an episode from Kalevala, decided to write an opera. He enthusiastically set to work, created a large orchestral suite "Lyamminkäinen".

The first poem is a legend - "Lämminkäinen and the girls on the island of Saari". The programmatic content of the second legend - "Lyamminkyanen in Tuonela" is dedicated to the hero's three exploits that he performs in order to win the hand of his beloved girl.

We see that, almost from the very beginning, the work of Sibelius won wide public recognition. This recognition of Sibelius' services to national culture was expressed, among other things, in the fact that by the decision of the Finnish Senate in 1897, Sibelius was awarded an annual scholarship, which gave him the opportunity to significantly reduce his teaching activities.

Sibelius began writing his First Symphony at the age of 34.

Dramatic music has always attracted the composer. But not a single work of Sibelius was as widespread as the "Sad Waltz" from the music for the drama "Death" by Arvid Jernefelt, written in 1903.

Numerous solo songs by Sibelius are a valuable contribution to romance lyrics - they were composed mostly on Swedish texts, as poets of Finland in the 19th century.

Runberg, Rydbeg, Topelius - wrote in Swedish.

The closest chamber instrument to Sibelius is the violin. Sibelius' major violin compositions include his Violin Concerto for Orchestra.

The Russian musical community deeply honors the work of the remarkable Finnish composer. His music is constantly heard in the concert halls of cities and on the radio. Significant dates in the life of Sibelius are always celebrated in our country.

Jean Sibelius is a Finnish composer whose works are among the most precious treasures of classical music. Many of his works are revered by musicians, critics and music lovers around the world. His music belongs to the style of early romanticism and school.

Biography

Jan Sibelius, whose biography is presented in this article, was born in 1865, in Finland. The father of the future composer was a military doctor. When Jan was 3 years old, the head of the family died from the boy's mother. Gustav was left with debts, besides, the funeral was very expensive. The widow could not keep the house. The estate and most of the property were given to creditors on account of debts. The doctor's widow and three children moved to live in their grandmother's house.

The future composer Jean Sibelius had a very vivid imagination since childhood. He constantly made up stories about fairies. The mother of J. Sibelius played the piano and introduced children to music. They attended concerts with the whole family. From an early age, children in the Sibelius family were taught music. Sister Yana learned to play the piano. Brother - cello. Yang himself first learned to play the piano, but then expressed a desire to change the instrument and switched to the violin. The boy was restless, and in order to make him study diligently, the first teacher beat him on the hands with knitting needles. J. Sibelius wrote his first work at the age of 10. His interest in music increased over time, and he began to study in a brass band. At school, Jan was very absent-minded. In the margins of his notebooks, he constantly wrote down music. But, at the same time, he received good marks in botany and mathematics. Another hobby of the boy was reading.

In 1885, Jean Sibelius entered the university at the Faculty of Law. But he soon dropped out of school, she was not interested in him. He entered the Music Institute. His teacher was Martin Vegelius. Jan really enjoyed studying. He was the best student of his teacher. The works that J. Sibelius wrote in his student years were performed by teachers and students of the institute. In 1889, the young man studied composition and music theory in Berlin. A year later - in Vienna.

creative way

After finishing his studies and returning to Finland, Jean Sibelius made his official debut as a composer. His first publicly performed work was the symphonic poem "Kullervo", which was based on the Finnish folk epic. Yang immediately became popular, he was declared the musical hope of the country. The composer wrote the very first symphony in 1899. It premiered in Helsinki. It was thanks to his symphonies that the composer gained international fame.

J. Sibelius actually completed his creative activity in 1926. In the next thirty years of his life, the world was waiting for his new compositions, but he wrote only minor plays that have no special significance for the cultural heritage. Although there is evidence that he composed, he destroyed most of his manuscripts of that period. Maybe there were significant works among them, but for some reason the author did not complete them. In the 40s of the 20th century, interest in the composer's music in the world was very low. But in Finland it is valued to this day as a symbol of the greatness of the country.

List of works

For those who are just starting to get acquainted with the work of this Finnish composer, the question arises: "Jan Sibelius, how many symphonies did he write?" In total, he composed a lot of works. There were seven symphonies.

Symphonies by Jean Sibelius:

• No. 1, e-moll.
• No. 2, D-dur.
• No. 3, C-dur.
• No. 4, a-moll.
• No. 5, Es-dur.
• No. 6, d-moll.
• No. 7, C-dur

Symphonic Poems:

• "Saga".
• "Finland".
• "Night Ride and Sunrise".
• "Bard".
• "Oceans".
• "Tapiola".
• "Forest Nymph".
• "Daughter of Pohjola".
• "Dryad".

Suites by Jean Sibelius:

• "Karelia".
• Suite for Violin and Piano.
• "Beloved".
• "Little Suite"
• "For violin, viola and cello".
• "Genre Suite".
• "Rural".

Music for plays and dramas:

• "Lizard".
• "Storm".
• "The Feast of Belshazzar".
• "King Christian II".
• "Scaramouche".
• "White Swan".
• "Death".
• "Every".
• "Pelleas and Mélisande".

He also wrote overtures, plays, melodeclamations, concertos, marches, scenes, instrumental serenades, romances for orchestra, legends, humoresques, dances, quartets, impromptu, sonatas, works for choirs, cantatas, ballads, hymns, songs for voice with accompaniment , arioso, variations, opera and so on.

freemasonry

Jean Sibelius was a member of the Masonic order for many years and was one of its prominent figures. He is one of the founders of the lodge in Helsinki. Over time, he became the chief organist of the Finnish Freemasons. In 1927, J. Sibelius wrote nine works, which were combined by the composer himself into a separate collection. It was called "Masonic Music for Rites". The collection was first published in 1936. The works were intended for distribution among Masons. In 1950, the collection was corrected, supplemented with new compositions and published again. It also included the famous symphonic poem "Finland", which was accompanied by a special text during the rituals.

Composer's house

Jean Sibelius in 1904 settled in Järvenpää, next to Lake Tuusula, together with his family. The composer wrote his last works here. J. Sibelius loved his house very much. Creative people with whom the composer was friendly often gathered here. Jean Sibelius died on September 20, 1957 in his beloved home. His wife continued to live there after his death until the early 1970s. In 1972, the composer's descendants sold the house to the state. Now there is a museum there. It was opened to the public in 1974.

J. Sibelius Museum

This is the only music museum in Finland. It was created during the lifetime of the composer. The museum was opened thanks to the efforts of musicology professor Otto Andersson. He donated his collection of musical instruments to the city. In the 30s of the 20th century, the museum became the owner of the manuscripts of the composer J. Sibelius, as well as detailed information about the biography and work of the composer. All this was conveyed by Jan's friend, Adolf Paum. Initially, the museum was called "Abo Academy Musical and Historical Collections". In 1949, it was renamed in honor of the composer, who personally agreed to this. In the museum you can get acquainted with the work of J. Sibelius, see a collection of 350 musical instruments, as well as visit concerts and exhibitions.