Two sides of Sibelius, probably not a good idea to pick a fight with him...
I recently had to play and introduce the only original work Sibelius ever wrote for cello and piano "Malinconia" or "Melancoly", a piece he wrote in just three hours, in distressing circumstances. His wife and young family had departed suddenly, leaving him alone in their house "Ainola" He urged them to go as they were fleeing a typhus epidemic, in which his youngest daughter Kirsti, had tragically died. Kirsti was his favourite and this, his only cello piece, was the result of this time alone. It is hard to associate the speed with which he wrote this piece, with the tortuous writer's block he endured later in life, from the age of sixty until his death,thirty years later. When the family returned to Ainola, he would not allow Kirsti's name to be spoken aloud ever again.
When you read about Sibelius' life, all ninety one years of it, it has an epic quality to it. As his life spanned the last half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, he witnessed many great events, not least of which was the struggle for Finnish independence from Russia, which was finally won in 1917. Sibelius' music helped support the national cause in all sorts of ways. His Kullervo suite from 1892, was ground breaking in that it set parts of the national epic poem the Kalevala and used the finnish language for the settings, which was unusual for the time. Sibelius was also proud when his composition teacher in Vienna, Robert Fuchs,described his music as "barbaric and raw" . Sibelius answered his criticism with the declaration " So let's be barbarians!" He was keen to invent a style that would include "that melodious, strangely melancholic monotony which is in all Finnish melodies" In 1891 he was very inspired after hearing Larin Paraske, a Finnish singer of runes, and studiously noted down the melodies and rhythms of her song.
For me personally, his unique appeal is that of someone who has found a way of translating the natural world and it's structures into sound. Sibelius himself said that when he heard the opening of his sixth symphony, he smelt fresh snow. The experience of playing and listening to Sibelius' symphonies for me , is a bit like being outside in an open landscape and watching weather systems pass over you. How the music is structured is a mystery to me and ideas seem to occur rather than develop but at the same time, it forms a coherent whole. Sibelius was a life long nature lover, and took long walks to help allieviate his depressions by being outside. He had a special look out built for watching birds around his home. His house is now a museum and you can visit, (which I have actually done ) It feels a bit voyeuristic to be in his carefully preserved kitchen, but interesting nonetheless!
I finish this post with the sound of the outdoors even in the middle of summer.It is one of my favourite recordings, by the master Sibelius interpreter- Paavo Berglund
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX_J7ZSUmts
Link to Sibelius' house now a museum
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