I thought that it would be facinating to capture all things Sibelius in pictures. I will start with a look at young Janne.

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Above we see Maria Sibelius with her children Linda and Janne [1867]

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Here is Katarina Borg Sibelius's Grandmother [1812-1892]

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Here we see the young Janne during his school days.--kp

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Here is the birth place of Sibelius, Hameenlinna in the south of Finland. Originally the surgery of Dr. Christian Sibelius the composers father. It is now the Sibelius Birthplace Museum.

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Christian Sibelius who had died when Janne was only three.

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Evelina Sibelius, Janne's Aunt. During the summer months he would stay at Loviisa with his paternal Grandmother Katarina and her daughter Evelina.

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Janne's sister Linda.

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Janne's brother Christian.

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In this interesting picture we see teacher Mitrofan Vasiliev [centre] with his violin students, 1886. Sibelius is standing back left.--kp

Nice topic!

Because the birthplace is now a museum, we tend to forget that Sibbe was still an infant when they moved out. Is a miracle that the house is still there. The house in which he spent most of his school years - opposite the present grammar school and Sibelius park, and a place of huge historical interest - was demolished in the 1970s, and replaced by a nondescript concrete lump - a photocopy shop.

Sibelius was plainly very attached to his childhood home. On 4th December 1892 his grandmother Juliana Borg died in Hämeenlinna. He attended the funeral – but that was to be his last visit to the house in which he had grown up, which was subsequently sold. Sibelius’s former teacher Eva Savonius later gave an account which offers us a fascinating glimpse of him at his most vulnerable: ‘I had not seen Janne for a long time… but I did not dare disturb him, for he appeared to be very upset… Apart from deeply missing the departed, we also realized, with great melancholy, that this dear old house, so rich in memories for us all, would soon be just a memory… We ate dinner almost in silence, after which Janne went into the next room, all eyes following him. He stood gazing at the things there. Then he went up to one thing after another, touching them all as if to say farewell and brushing his fingers over the leather spines of the books on the shelves… Then Janne sat down at the harmonium, his fingers began to touch the keys, and the ancient family instrument began to give out amazing melodies. We all knew Janne, and that he was “giving a speech” in music. And certainly no words would have been able to express what those notes did… I can swear that there was not a single dry eye in the room. Then Janne stopped, glanced at his watch, got up suddenly from the chair, bowed and left the house. We knew that he was hurrying to catch the train, and none of us was surprised that he did not say goodbye. We went on crying after he had left, for we knew that this son of Hämeenlinna, Janne Sibelius, would no longer belong to us; we already knew that he belonged to the whole of Finland.’
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A well-deserved Mark of Excellence goes to Andrew B for this truly awesome account ... I had tears in my eyes just reading it ...
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Sibelius's childhood home - photographed 20th May 1965 (photo by Geoff Hayes)

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The site of Sibelius's childhood home - photographed 5th September 2004 (photo by Andrew B)

Thanks for a great contribution, facinating insight into young Janne.
It does seem that Sibelius, like Bach was a great improviser on the keyboard. Apart from jazz this seems to be a dying art. By the way All contributions are welcome to this topic. Sibelius had a rich and fulfilled life--lets celebrate it in style.--kp

You know, when I hear that story, I can't help wondering what the improvisation would have been like - and suspecting that it might have resembled the Andante cantabile for piano and harmonium, JS 30b (1887, Lovisa). Perhaps this is just because I am a sucker for a good tune, and this little piece contains one of the nicest he ever wrote - a wistful, gentle E flat major theme that would bring a tear to anyone's eye; and the ‘wheezy’ tone of the harmonium just makes it all the more poignant.

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A visit to the Sibelius birthplace Museum is an essential part of any Sibelians visit to Finland. I went in 1997 and there is much of interest to see. Above we see a couple of Piano's that the young Janne would have played. Unlike Ainola, Music can be heard at the birthplace. I asked for the Violin Concerto. There is something altogether mystical in listening to the masters music in such a setting.

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Hameenlinna was very much quiter in the 19th Century.

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Janne, Linda and Christian plaing in a Trio at the Spa Casino of Loviisa.--kp

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The house at Loviisa as it was in the 19th Century. During the summer months Janne and his brother and sister spent happy times at the paternal family home.

Originally Janne had intended to study law, but music drew him, At the Conservatoire [Now named the Sibelius Academy] Martin Wegelius was the director and took a great interest in his student. Janne spent several weeks at Wegelius's summer house studying muical theory and playing violin pieces.

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Martin Wegelius.

Well Sibelius was still a student, Ferrucio Busoni joined the staff as Proffesor of piano and a close friendship developed between the two men.

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Ferrucio Busoni

On 7th September 1889, Sibelius started his studies in Berlin. Here he heard much music including Richard Strauss's tone poem 'Don Juan'. This made a great impression on him and within a few years Sibelius himself would be rivaling his great German contempory.

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Richard Strauss

In the spring of 1890 following a visit to Busoni in Leipzig, Sibelius returned home. He spent much of the summer with the Jarnefelt family.

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Standing, the author Arvid, composer-conductor Armas, painter Aero and his wife Saimi Jarnefelt. Sitting, Aino Sibelius, Elisabeth Jarnefelt, Jean Sibelius, Emmy [Arvids wife] and Eero [Arvids son] Elli Jarnefelt [Aino's sister] Mikael Clodt [Elisabeths brother] and Kasper Jarnefelt.

In the Autumn Sibelius became engaged to their daughter Aino.

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Soon Sibelius was off to Vienna armed with a letter of introduction to Brahms who refused to see him, though they did meet by chance at the Leidingco cafe.

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Johannes Brahms

For years the commemorative plaque which the Vienna Phil. dedicated to Sibelius in 1951 was on the wrong building. It has now been moved to the correct building on the corner of Waaggasse 1 and Wiedner Hauptstrasse 38. The new plaque was unveilled 0n 15th May, 2004.

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Waaggasse-1 were Sibelius stayed in Vienna.--kp

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Sibelius's leaving certificate from his Hameenlinna school [1885]

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Sibelius around the time of his studies in Vienna.

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In Vienna Sibelius became a private student of Robert Fuchs. Sibelius had missed the deadline for registration at the Vienna Conservatoire, so sadly his works were not heard at the students concerts.

Sibelius also recieved tuition from Karl Goldmark.

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Karl Goldmark.

During his stay in Vienna Sibelius heard the third Symphony of Anton Bruckner and it made a deep impression on him.

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Anton Bruckner.

Sibelius also partied into the night, gambled and after visiting a brothel he composed his 'Scene de Ballet'. The piano quartet in C minor and two overtures also date from this time. But more importantly, Sibelius began the first sketches for his Kullervo Symphony.-kp

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Here is a love letter that Sibelius sent to Aino [29th December, 1891] in which he wrote down the theme of the second movement of Kullervo 'Kullervo's youth' which I think is one of Sibs most deeply felt melodies.

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Vainamoinen with sword.
Sibelius was now deeply immersed in the Finnish National epic 'Kalevala'.

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Sibelius conducted the premiere of Kullervo on the 28th April, 1892. This was a landmark in the history of Finnish music.

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Here is the first page of the manuscript of the Fifth movement of Kullervo.--kp

kullervopete wrote:

two overtures also date from this time.

One in E major - which is the other one?

Ah Andrew, you are trying to catch me out!
It was possibly an earlier version of the E major overture. We do know that Fuchs was scathing over an orchestral piece that he found 'crude' and 'barbaric'. It seems that after much revision Fuchs was rather impressed and he wrote Sibelius a testimonial which enabled him to secure a second Nylands Nation Scholarship.
Lets remember that much of Sibelius's time in Vienna is still shrouded in mystery. Lets not be too pedantic over these orchestral pieces.--kp-

OK, I see what you mean – I was just checking that you didn't mean the earlier (1889) brass overture. As nothing has survived of an earlier version of the E major piece, though, I would be inclined not to count it.
I wonder what happened to the Circus March and Fencing Music from that year… festering in some mouldy Viennese cellar, maybe? The titles are most intriguing and, given the adventurousness of his writing during the Vienna year – in virtually all genres – they might have been quite good fun.

Andrew B wrote:

I wonder what happened to the Circus March and Fencing Music from that year… festering in some mouldy Viennese cellar, maybe? The titles are most intriguing and, given the adventurousness of his writing during the Vienna year – in virtually all genres – they might have been quite good fun.

What an intriguing thought Andrew, might some of these pieces one day see the light of day. I wonder just how Sibelius's 'Circus March' might go. Pure speculation I know, but maybe Sibbe used the theme in later works--though not I would suggest in his Fourth Symphony -kp

Ha! Well said!

Before the pictorial history gets too far advanced for these to be relevant (I ought to have sent them before you reached Lovisa), here are a couple more:

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Hafträsk on the island of Norrskata (Korpo district) in the Turku archipelago. This is where Sibelius and family spent the summer of 1886. Principal work: the ‘Hafträsk’ Trio, where – especially in the first movement – the music acquires an almost Beethovenian sweep and grandeur. Note: this is the actual house in which Sibelius stayed, but it has been rebuilt so extensively that little if anything remains of the structure as it was in 1886.

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Korpo gård, on the main island of Korpo just a few kilometres (and a stretch of water) from Hafträsk. The following year, 1887, Sibelius and family rented a small cottage (now gone - a hundred years or so behind where this picture was taken) but spent much of their time at the big house itself, playing music with friends – e.g. Beethoven trios and Sibelius’s own pieces, often written at night in a coffee-fuelled adrenalin rush and tried out the following day. Main work: the ‘Korpo’ Trio, one of the finest and most important of all his early chamber pieces. He had commenced formal composition studies only a few months earlier and this is perhaps the last big work in which he showed a true youthful lack of inhibition. It also contains many elements that he later incorporated into his national romantic and/or Symbolist style. The music room in which they played is on the upper floor on the left-hand side.

According to Aino, it was the great success of Kullervo that persuaded her parents to allow the couple to marry.

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General Alexander Jarnefelt, Aino's Father.

They were married at the Jarnefelts Summer residence at Tottesund on 10th June, 1892.

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The Honeymoon was spent by the lakes of Karelia.

Sibelius had cemented his relationship with conductor Robert Kajanus.

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Robert Kajanus.

Kajanus had asked Sibelius for a new orchestral piece and the result was En saga. 'The voice of the far North became fully articulate in music for the first time' wrote Cecil Gray.--kp

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Part of the score of En saga opus 9

On returning from Karelia the Sibelius's set up home in a rented flat in Helsinki.

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Helsinki around 1900.

We know that Sibelius was a highly self-critical composer and he decided to withdraw Kullervo, not until 1935 was the third movement played during the Centenary of the Kalevala'a publication. En saga was subject to revision [1902]

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During this time an interlectual drinking circle was formed including Sibelius, painter Axel Gallen, Oskar Markanto, Kajanus, Armas Jarnefelt and Adolf Paul. Gallen later exhibited a painting of the group 'The Problem' as seen above.

On March 14th, 1893, Aino gave birth to their first child, Eva'

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Eva.

One of my favourite Sibelius songs dates from 1891-92 'Since then I have questioned no further' Op 17. This was to words by Runeberg, one of Sibelius's favourite Poets.

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Runeberg.--kp

In 1893 Sibelius completed his Karelia music, JS 115 written to accompany a tableaux depicting Karelian history. From the score Sibelius published the well known Suite and Overture.

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In 1894 Sibelius completed 'The Wood Nymph' [Melodrama] with words by Victor Rydberg.

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Victor Rydberg

A purely orchestral version followed [1894-95] For some unknown reason The Wood Nymph remained unpublished until it was 'rediscovered' in the 1990's and recorded by Osmo Vanska.

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Sibelius began to have thoughts about writing an Opera. He went to the Wagner Festival at Bayreuth.

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Richard Wagner.
Sibelius soon realised that Opera was not for him, but some of the music intended for his aborted Opera 'The building of the boat' ended up in his Lemminkainen Legends. The Overture became the haunting 'The Swan of Tuonela', a work throughout fully worthy of his genius.
On 23rd November, 1894 Sibelius's second daughter Ruth was born.--kp

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A. Federleys cartoon of the composer of The Swan of Tuonela [1898]

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Lemminkainens Mother, painting by Akseli Gallen-Kallela [1897]
The first of the four legends 'Lemminkainen and the maidens and its companion 'Lemminkainen in Tuonela were withheld after the first performance and both revised as late as 1939.

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Caricature of young Sibelius

In 1894 Sibelius wrote his 'Rakastava' suite, are rather the first version. It was entered in a competition set by the Helsinki student singers but came second! the winner was a patriotic song by one of his former teachers Emil Genetz. A version for mixed choir from 1898 proved popular but in 1911 Sibelius forged another version for strings, triangle and timpani--a work of astonishing beauty.-kp

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Emil Genetz.

Few problems downloading images today. --kp

During the 1890's Sibelius continued to produce some fine songs including 'Arioso', 'Spring is flying' and 'Black Roses' Many of Sibelius's best songs were written for Finnish Soprano Ida Ekman [1875-1942]

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Husband and Wife Ida and Karl Ekman.

In the Autumn of 1896 Sibelius composed a one act Opera 'The Maiden in the Tower' to a rather poor libretto by Rafael Herzberg. According to Oskar Merikanto the performance was 'pretty much a mess' but it was enthusiastically recieved and contains some good music. Sibelius never did get round to revising it but he did conduct the Overture in April, 1900 at a concert in Turku.

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Sibelius later remarked 'The Maiden has to stay in her tower'.

While working on his Opera Sibelius had high hopes of succeeding Richard Faltin who was retiring from his University professorship. The two other contenders were Robert Kajanus and composer Ilmari Krohn. Sibelius was at first sucessful but Kajanus appealed against the decision, principly citing that Sibelius should be left free to create. In the event Kajanus got the post and this resulted in some friction between the two friends for some years.

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The Helsinki Music Institute was founded in 1892 and is now the Sibelius Academy.

In 1897 a promising young Finnish composer Ernst Mielck completed a symphony in F minor which the Berlin Philharmonic performed in 1898. Mielck died of tuberculosis at the age of 21. Welcoming the new symphony, Karl Flodin urged Sibelius to take up on the symphonic challenge.

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Ernst Mielck

During 1898 Sibelius's beloved daughter Kirsti was born.-kp

In December 1898 Sibelius wrote to Adolf Paul saying 'Life here [in Helsinki] is terrible, I would rather go and work in the country'. A few weeks later Sibelius left the family in Helsinki and took a room at a Villa near the railway station in Kerava, north of Helsinki. Here he found the peace he needed to finish his first symphony.

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The railway station at Kerava.

Sibelius had been awarded a 3,000 mark per annum pension in part recompense for being rejected for Faltin's Professorship, but he still continued to live somewhat beyond his means.

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A diary entry showing a list of bills for payment.

Sibelius's first symphony was heard on 26th April, 1899 and very well received. Also on the programme were the Tone poem 'The Wood Nymph' and 'Song of the Athenians'. However the symphony was subject to major revision in 1900 and Sibelius was awarded a Finnish State grant of 2,500 marks.

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The Helsinki Philharmonic under Robert Kajanus.

In 1900 the great sadness was the death of 15 month old Kirsti due to Typhus. In his grief Sibelius wrote his moving Fantasia for cello and piano 'Malinconia'. But Sibelius's fame was about to open up with the Helsinki Philharmonics tour of Europe culminating with a concert in Paris as part of Finlands contribution to the 1900 World Fair.

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The City of Paris in 1900.--kp