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Here is an extract from a letter that Aino Sibelius wrote to her mother Elisabeth Jarnefelt on 4th July, 1900 about Sibelius going on the European tour with Kajanus's orchestra.

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In November of 1899 Sibelius had contributed music for a three day festival to raise money for the Press pension fund. From the historical tableaux, the finale 'Finland awakes' was the stirring patriotic conclusion.

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Baron Axel Carpelan.

In March Sibelius recieved a letter from an unknown admirer, urging him to write an Overture for the European tour and suggesting that it be given the title 'Finlandia'. His name was Axel Carpelan.

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In its revised 1900 version, 'Finlandia' would feature in the European tour, although it appeared for some years under various titles including 'Vaterland' or 'La Patrie' and even 'Impromptu' Sibelius's music fearured prominently on the tour. Works included The first Symphony, Lemminkainen's return and King Christian 11. In Stockholm Sibelius met Composer and Pianist Wilhelm Stenhammar who was to become a firm friend and admirer.--kp

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Wilhelm Stenhammar.

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Sibelius's Passport

It was Axel Carpelan who suggested to Sibelius that he should write a Violin concerto, another symphony and music to Shakespeare. All this would transpire.

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Berlin at the turn of the 19th Century.

Carpelan raised sufficient funds to allow Sibelius to give up teaching for a year and take his family abroad. He stayed a few weeks in Berlin. He spent the winter in Italy returning to Germany by way of Prague where he met Antonin Dvorak.

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Antonin Dvorak

During the Autumn of 1901 Sibelius rented a Villa at Rapallo [Italy] where he wrote much of his second symphony.

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Rapallo and the birth of Sibelius's mighty D major symphony.--kp

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Letter from Axel Carpelan [October, 1901] who had made his first visit to the Sibelius's in Kerava. Written to his cousin Lydia Rosengren. He writes about the second symphony which was under preparation. 'The work which will be dedicated to me is a great new symphony in five movements inspired by Italy and the Mediterranean, exultant joy. It has just been drafted, and copying will take five to six days'.

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In Mattila house Sibelius put the finishing touches to his second symphony and 'The origin of Fire'.

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Drawing of Sibelius by Albert Edelfelt [1854-1905]
Sibelius gave the triumphant premiere of his second symphony at the University Hall in Helsinki on 8th March, 1902.

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The great theme of the finale.

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In 1903 Sibelius wrote one of his most powerful songs 'Hostkvall' [Autumn Evening' to a poem by Rydberg

'The sun is setting, and the clouds are wandering mournfully across the sky low over the windswept lake while murmuring forests grow dusky....Alone in desolate nature among the rocks and spindrift, a wanderer stands transfixed, rapt and exultant. He feels his soul at one with the song of the wind in the starless night. Does his sorrow die like a cry lost in the autumns mighty lament?
kp

A deft touch to mention Edelfelt's portrait of JS in the same breath as the University Hall, Pete . The picture is from 1904 (as memory serves), the same year as Edelfelt's great mural in that very same hall, in which Sibelius is depicted in the encaenia procession… note the similarities!

Here's the version in the hall - snivelling apologies for the poor quality picture!

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On the 12th January, 1903 Aino Sibelius gave birth to their fourth daughter Katarina.

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In that year Sibelius completed music for Kuolema [Death] a drama by his brother-in-law Arvid Jarnefelt.

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Because of the publishing contract Sibelius only recieved royalties from his own versions and as Valse triste travelled around the tea rooms of the world in a variety of guises, he lost a small fortune.

Sibelius continued to work on his violin concerto between extended drinking bouts.

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Aino Sibelius described how her husband played while he was composing. 'He stays awake all night, plays extremely beautifully. He cannot tear himself away from these delightful melodies-he has so many ideas that it is hard to believe it. And all the themes have so much potential, so much life'.

During 1903 Sibelius borrowed funds and bought a plot of land at Jarvenpaa near lake Tuusula. Architect Lars Sonck was asked to design a house.

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Lars Sonck [1870-1956]

Sibelius originally intended to dedicate his violin concerto to Willy Burmester who had promised to play it in Berlin. For financial reasens, Sibelius decided to engage Victor Novacek who tought violin at Helsinki Conservatory. The original version was premiered on 8th February, 1904. Novacek was nor really up to the fiendishly difficult solo part and amid much criticism Sibelius withdrew it and the revised version was given in Berlin in 1905 with Richard Strauss conducting and Karel Halir, leader of the orchestra as soloist. Sibelius re-dedicated the concerto to Ferenc von Vecsey who was just 12 at the time.

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Ferenc von Vecsey

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Part of the score of Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor, opus 47 which has become highly popular.--kp

You can definitey see the ressemblance Katarina has to her father.

Tapkaara wrote:

You can definitey see the ressemblance Katarina has to her father.

I wonder if JS ever had regrets at not having a son.--kp

kullervopete wrote:

Tapkaara wrote: You can definitey see the ressemblance Katarina has to her father. I wonder if JS ever had regrets at not having a son.--kp

He did have his share of daughter, didn't he?

He probably felt very much at home with so much feminine influence around him. After all, look at how he was raised.

Thats very true and all his five daughters married and had children so eventually there were many grandchildren and great grandchildren, so quite a family.--kp

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Sibelius's music was now making headway in Europe. Arturo Toscanini conducted En saga and The Swan of Tuonela in Milan [March 1904]

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Arturo Toscanini

On 24th September the Sibelius's moved into their new home 'Ainola' and these idylic surroundings provided Sibelius with the piece and quite he needed in pursuit of his art.

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Villa Ainola.

Also in September Sibelius produced a wonderful Piano Suite 'Kyllikki'. The master denied that the music was related to the Kalevala but it certainly conjures up the story of Lemminkainen and the young maiden Kyllikki.

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In 1905 Sibelius made the first of his five visits to England. He was the guest of conductor-composer Sir Granville Bantock

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Sir Granville Bantock

On his arrival in Dover Sibelius was roped into Customs and fined for carrying with him an illegal quantity of cigars.--not the best of starts!--kp

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The white cliffs of Dover.

In 1905 Sibelius completed one of his finest scores for the Theatre. Music to Maurice Maeterlincks play 'Pelleas and Melisande'.

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Maurice Maeterlinck [1862-1949]

The main themes in Maeterlincks work are death and the meaning of life. Pelleas was therefore an ideal subject for Sibelius. Other composers who wrote music around this play were Debussy [an Opera] a symphonic poem by Schoenberg and an orchestral suite by Gabriel Faure.

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Gabriel Faure [1845-1924]

At Ainola, Sibelius was moving into a new creative phase with a third symphony making slow but momentus progress.

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The Sibelius's had two servants, Helmi Vainikainen and Aino Kari and both these ladies served the family for over fifty years.--kp

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Aino Kari

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Helmi Vainikainen.

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Autographed music quotation signed by Sibelius [3 bars]

Sibelius's most important work of 1906 was his Symphonic Fantasia 'Pohjola's Daughter'.

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Old Vainamoinen sees the beautiful 'Daughter of the north' seated on a rainbow [Picture by E. W. Ekman] Vainamoinen is on his way home from the Northland when he meets the seductive maid of Pohjola. She declines his amorous intentions and to bring an end to his wooing she sets him a number of impossible tasks, such as making a boat from the fragments of her spindle and tying an egg in invisible knots. Despite his efforts Vainamoinen fails his tasks and is forced to continue his journey alone.

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Excerpt from the score of Pohjola's Daughter, opus 49

The first performance was in St Petersburg, Russia in December, 1906 with Sibelius conducting.

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St Petersburg around 1906

Pohjola's Daughter was widely praised, even that caustic Swedish critic and composer Wilhelm Peterson--Berger spoke of the works 'radiant and new beauty'.--kp

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Wilhelm Peterson--Berger

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Here is a cartoon by the young Sibelius [1870] depicting himself observing a family outing from a hot-air balloon. Even at five years of age Sibelius had a vivid imagination.

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The third Symphony was one of the first works of genius to be written at Ainola.

Sibelius premiered his third Symphony in Helsinki, 25th September, 1907. Attention has been drawn to the thirds 'junge Klassizitat' [young Classicism] indeed almost a Haydnesque symphony. But the third displays a quiet radicalism, turning Classical proceedure on its head!.

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Gustav Mahler.

In october, Gustav Mahler visited Helsinki and he and Sibelius debated the nature of the symphony. Mahlers recently completed 8th is a vast excercise in over-indulgent late romanticism calling on huge forces. It stands in stark contrast to Sibelius's third, a model of restraint and economy.

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Alexander Siloti

In November Sibelius conducted his third Symphony in St Petersburg at the invitation of Siloti. The reception was mixed, but Prokofiev who was in the audience found much to admire.

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Serge Prokofiev, 1891-1953

However Prokofiev's teacher Rimsky-Korsakov who was also present was somewhat baffled 'God in Heaven,! Sibelius! why listen to Sibelius'.

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Rimsky-Korsakov

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St Petersburg Conservatory. Rimsky tought here from 1871 until his death.

Sibelius went to London in 1908 and conducted his third Symphony at the Queens Hall. It was dedicated to Granville Bantock. The Daily News critic described Sibelius has incredibly calm and he went on to praise the performance of the complex and exceedingly difficult Finale in particular. No doubt J.S. would have downed a bottle before the concert.

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Queens Hall, London. Home of the Promenade concerts for many years. It was destroyed by the Germans during WW2--kp

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During his visit to London, Sibelius stayed at the Langham Hotel.

Sibelius had received strong advocacy from British conductor Sir Henry Wood.

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Henry Wood [1869-1944]

Wood had conducted King Christian at the proms in 1901, The Swan of Tuonela in 1905 and En saga plus Finlandia in 1906, of the latter, Wood remarked 'What a furore that created!' In Manchester, Hans Ritcher had introduced the second symphony at a Halle concert in 1905.

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Hans Ritcher [1843-1916]

Critical opinion from figures such as Ernest Newman also contributed to Sibelius's growing reputation in England.

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Ernest Newman around 1905

In early 1908 Sibelius had spent several weeks at the Deaconess Hospital in Helsinki. He had been suffering from hoarseness [to many cigars!]

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The Deaconess Institute [Ada Thilen, 1885]

The good news however was the birth of Margaretha in September

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Margaretha [left] with sister Heidi. --kp

Are there recordings of Wood conducting Sibelius?

Tapkaara wrote:

Are there recordings of Wood conducting Sibelius?

I'm not aware of anything which is a great shame as I've seen Cd's of Wood conducting Schubert, Rossini, Beethoven, Dvorak, Rodrigo and much more. But you never know, perhaps something might eventually turn up. Maybe some gem is gathering dust at the moment -kp

I'd also very much like to hear 'Wood conducts Sibelius' but I very much fear that Kp is right and nothing has survived. In such cases it is of course always nice to be proved wrong.

Indeed, Wood gave the UK premieres of Symphonies 1, 6 and 7, the violin concerto, Karelia Suite and Tapiola. One can only imagine the atmosphere in Oueens Hall in 1906 when Finlandia was given.--kp

kullervopete wrote:

Indeed, Wood gave the UK premieres of Symphonies 1, 6 and 7, the violin concerto, Karelia Suite and Tapiola. One can only imagine the atmosphere in Oueens Hall in 1906 when Finlandia was given.--kp

To hear how the premieres of the aforementioned symphonies could have sounded like (via a recording) at their UK premieres would (or should I say "Wood") be fantastic.

Perhaps something will bubble up one day.

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On 12th May Sibelius now 42 years old was advised to see a German specialist [A Dr. Frankel] in Berlin. But Sibelius had no funds for the trip and he and Aino visited every Bank in Helsinki for a loan without success, until a music loving Insurance Director emptied the days takings into Sibelius's pocket!

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Helsinki around 1908

With help from his brother Christian who was studying medicine in Berlin, Sibelius was seen by Dr. Frankel.

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Christian Sibelius

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Berlin around 1909

The tumour was not malignant but in the event Frankel operated 13 times to remove the growth, eventually he was successful with the help of a younger colleague.

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A nasty tumour

Fearful that the tumour might return, Sibelius returned back to Finland and abstained from drink and cigars for the next 7 years.

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Sibelius's music was now to enter a period of experiment that would take him to the borders of tonality.

'Teodora' opus 35, No.2 is one of his finest and most sexually explicit songs written following his return from Berlin. Bertel Gripenbergs poem relates a lustful lovers erotic description of the Byzantine Empress Theodora's decadent and sensual nocturnal arrival. This remarkable song shows an expressionist leaning not that far from what was being developed by Schoenberg at this time.

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The Empress Teodora--kp