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Perhaps kullervopete can tell us more?

It is a draft ending rejected by Sibelius well before the first performance. Interesting in many ways but nobody (not even me )would pretend it is really viable... the music dies away, loses direction, there are reminiscences of the opening and then it ends up on a big C major chord - interestingly configured in a way very reminiscent of the opening chords of the 'Korpo' Trio.

I am glad that you brought this up Kurki as I have recently been in touch with William Pavlak. Having seen a report on the web site regarding his research on Sibelius's Seventh Symphony, I was determined to try and contact him for more information on his facinating work, as I was thinking of writing an article for the UK Sibelius Society on this very subject.
I wrote to Mr. Pavlak before Christmas and last week I recieved a most interesting reply from him.
His work on the Seventh Symphony was related to his Masters thesis 'Sibelius's Seventh Symphony:Genesis, Design, Structure and meaning, which he completed in 2003. His thesis includes numerous transcriptions of sketches from the Helsinki University Library on all phases of the Symphonies genesis, including earlier versions of the conclusion.
Much of his work centred on a detailed Schenkerian approach to the works structure and potential meaning. Mr. Pavlak confirmed to me that the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra performed the original conclusion in 2005. Interestingly Osmo Vanska recorded it for Bis records and Mr. Pavlak wonders what became of that--perhaps Andrew can help?
Mr. Pavlak tells me that the ending is of a very different character than that found in the published score and I am very pleased that he has promised to send me a copy of his thesis, which I await with great interest.
Hope this sheds some light on things.--kullervopete.

Yes, it is recorded and will be issued in due course.

It's important to bear in mind that this ending was rejected by Sibelius before the work was performed or even rehearsed (unlike, say, the original versions of the Fifth Symphony or Violin Concerto). It is fascinating, of course, but don't expect too much.

Thanks Andrew, I have e-mailed Mr. Pavlak. I am certainly looking forward to this recording.

Sibelius's last three Symphonies developed slowly in his mind, often changing form and direction. He was discussing the 7th in 1918 before the 5th had reached its final form.
'It will be in three movements' said Sibelius 'the last an Hellenic Rondo'. But when the Symphony was premiered in 1924 it had become the one movement 'Fantasia Sinfonica'. He later spoke of it as a 'Sinfonia Continua' and finally it became a Symphony.
It is clear that in its compositional history, the work assumed a variety of shapes. As I mentioned earlier. the Helsinki University Library has a substantial collection of Sibelius's manuscripts, some donated by his Heirs. They range from the earliest sketches, to the published work. Some of the material that Sibelius used in the 7th goes right back to 1914-15, when the 5th was in its earliest stages.
The manuscript evidence from the early 20's actually suggests that he may have been planning a four movement structure. As with the endings of a number of works, the conclusion to the 7th was particuarly problematic. Sibelius undoubedly had an almighty struggle with God in trying to assemble the 'mosaic tiles' into a finished work of art--expressing truth in music as he saw it.--kullervopete.

You might be interested to know that I have received William Pavlaks complete Thesis in the form of a Cd rom. 'Sibelius in the wilderness:The Bacchic Topus and The Seventh Symphony'. It is a huge document containing many important music examples. I am now trying to digest what I can, with my own limited technical knowledge.
Just to give you a taste, Bill Pavlak maintains that 'the 7th, its composer and its generative process can best be understood as a series of verges. Verges between the composers nature mysticism and the dramatic circumstances of the period [1914-24] between inspired and reasoned modes of composition, between genres [symphony and fantasy] between various form types, between tragic despair and hopeful yearning, between innovation and classicism, and between a host of other seeming oppositions. All define the 7th symphony and illuminate various facets of Sibelius's life and thought'.
Its facinating stuff.--kullervopete.