Who is Jean Sibelius - Finland's Colorful Composer

"Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been erected to a critic."-Jean Sibelius

"Our conversation darted about like a hare in the undergrowth. Before we knew where we were, Sibelius was juggling colors and sounds like glass balls, making colors resound and sounds glow, so that A major became blue and C major red, F major green and D major yellow..." Karl Ekman about his friend composer Jean Sibelius

While much of the music composed by Sibelius has a heavier hand, his Symphony #2 is lighter and more optimistic. It grew in response to his visit to Italy and at times you can hear the Mediterranean influence in the rhythmic flow. Sibelius wrote of the experience to a friend:

"It is as though the Almighty had thrown the pieces of a mosaic down from the floor of heaven and told me to put them together."

I attended the Houston Symphony performance of this work and was quite taken by it. There is something in the way the music flows and even pauses that made me wonder how much his synesthesia played into its composition. It's as though there are moments left for the audience to breathe and experience the tone before moving on. It was a wonderful afternoon and solidified my appreciation for this composer.

Thirty Years of Silence
Many say Sibelius stopped writing music the last thirty years of his life. While it is true there are no major works, some small pieces survive from that time period. Still, it is sad that such a gifted composer shut down for so many years. One can only wonder what great musical adventures we would have today had he continued to work.

I am not a music major, a student of classical works, a person with any great musical knowledge but I know what I like, what I enjoy, what I want to share. My appreciation for Sibelius continues to grow and that is my reason for sharing Jean Sibelius with you. I hope you enjoy this page, take a few moments to experience the work of Finland's favorite son, and share what you know and think. Perhaps this will even open a new musical door.