Jean Sibelius, one of the greatest composers of all time, was born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius on December 08, 1865 into a Swedish-speaking family in Hämeenlinna in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland. When he was 11-year-old, he was sent to the Hämeenlinna Normaalilyseo, one of the first Finnish language schools in the country. His introduction to the Finnish language unfolded before him the Finnish national epic—Kalevala, which had a profound effect on his compositions. Other important influences included the Swedish lyric poets, Runeberg and Rydberg, and most important of all, Finnish landscape and nature. When he was in his 20s, Sibelius decided to change his first name from Johan to Jean in an attempt to internationalise his name, and then onwards he was known as Jean Sibelius.

On completion of secondary school in 1885, Sibelius studied at the Music Institute of Helsinki, as well as in Berlin and Vienna. He later taught at the Music Institute of Helsinki from 1892 to 1900 and from 1907 to 1910. In 1892, he married Aino Järnefelt, and they had six daughters. They built their home ‘Ainola’ in Järvenpää, and lived there from 1904 onwards.

Sibelius died on September 20, 1957, due to brain haemorrhage. The house where he was born, in Hämeenlinna, as well as Ainola, both now run as museums.

After his last four great compositions, the Sixth and Seventh symphonies, The Tempest and Tapiola, Sibelius’ music fell silent, except for a few minor pieces. Also known as “Silence of Järvenpää”, he maintained this silence until his death.

Sibelius had become a national figure in his lifetime, and in the international arena he was the face of Finland. As a matter of fact, at the banquet on his 70th birthday, which also happened to be his last public appearance, dignitaries present included the prime ministers of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, along with all the past presidents of Finland.

Though, today, Sibelius is better-recognised world over for his Finlandia, the highlight of his body of work consists of the seven symphonies, the first of which was composed around 1899-1900, and the last one in 1924. Apart from the seven symphonies and Finlandia, Valse Triste, the Violin Concerto, the Karelia Suite, The Swan of Tuonela and Tapiola are also some of his famous compositions. Other works include pieces inspired by the Kalevala, more than 100 songs for voice and piano, incidental music for 13 plays, the opera Jungfrun i tornet (The Maiden in the Tower), chamber music, piano music, 21 separate publications of choral music, and Masonic ritual music.

His music is not essentially a reflection of his times; most of the times, they are in a league of their own. As Sibelius once commented about his work, “while others mix cocktails of various hues, I offer pure spring water”. And Richard Strauss, a famous composer and a contemporary of Sibelius, commented about him, “I have more skill, but he is greater”.

Renowned French critic Marc Vignal refers to Sibelius as “the aristocrat of symphonists”, but the true depth of Vignal’s comment is best explained by Robert Layton—an eminent Sibelius scholar, author of Sibelius in J.M. Dent’s Master Musicians series, and the English translator of Erik Tawaststjerna’s five-volume biography of Sibelius. In his monograph on Sibelius, Layton wrote, “It is those composers who are true to their inner vision, who are concerned with what only they can do, that survive. When Marc Vignal spoke of Sibelius as “the aristocrat of symphonists”, he was referring to the sophistication of his symphonic means. The late Sibelius symphonies are aristocratic in another way - in their complete unconcern for the gallery and their total concentration on truth as he saw it. And, of course, the public has found its way to him (and stayed with him) because of this.”