On Wednesday we celebrated the birthday of our national composer Jean Sibelius. He was born on 8th of December 1865 in Hämeenlinna and lived in this elegant town house the first three years of his life. Sibelius' father was city doctor of Hämeenlinna, but he died of typhoid when Janne was less than three years old. The father left great debts, and as a result the mother Maria Charlotta had to sell the house and move with Linda and Janne to her widowed mother elsewhere in Hämeenlinna while she was still pregnant of the youngest son Christian.
Sibelius' birthplace is a charming little museum in Hämeenlinna, which I visited in the autumn. The rooms are decorated in the style of the 1860s - 1880s, and the museum exhibition illuminates little Janne's childhood. Chamber concerts are held regularly in the museum hall. The atmosphere of the museum was calm and Sibelius' music was playing in the background - a charming visit!
When young he was a very handsome man. There were many photos to be seen.
I visited also The Sibelius Museum in Turku, that showed his family tree with Aino Järnefelt.
Beautiful Aino came from a very well known cultural family of the Järnefelts.
Her brothers were painter Eero, composer Armas, writer Arvid and critic Kasper.
Here you can read more about Sibelius and his multiple travels abroad.
Sibelius loved Christmas and the advent season eased his depressions. At the Sibelius Museum in Turku, I saw this wall-sized enlargement of a crane with a citation from Sibelius' diary from September 1916. I think it aptly breathes the composer's humility before nature and the depression he experienced when autumn arrived.
On all these days I have seen cranes;
full of music moving to the south.
Have been the willing pupil once again.
Their calls are my life thread.
Get increasingly close to heaven.
My heart full of melancholy and nature worship.
- Sibelius' diary the 10th of September 1916
There exist six Christmas carols composed by Jean Sibelius. They are not jolly and bright, more like slow psalms, but they are very popular in Finland and belong to every Christmas. I seek not Power or Glory, 1909 (lyrics Zacharias Topelius) starts like this and HERE you can listen to it interpreted by the acappella group Rajaton.
I seek not power or glory
Nor do I long for gold
I ask but for the light of heaven
And for peace on earth
I seek not power or glory
Nor do I long for gold
I ask but for the light of heaven
And for peace on earth
It brings us Christmas joy
And lifts our spirits towards God
Not power nor even gold
Just peace on earth
I seek not power or glory
Nor do I long for gold
I ask but for the light of heaven
And for peace on earth
It brings us Christmas joy
And lifts our spirits towards God
Not power nor even gold
Just peace on earth
I seek not power or glory
Nor do I long for gold
I ask but for the light of heaven
And for peace on earth
It brings us Christmas joy
And lifts our spirits towards God
Not power nor even gold
Just peace on earth
Sibelius' daughter Margareta Jalas has said that the carol I Seek not Power or Glory had a special place in Ainola's Christmas celebration. While Christmas songs were usually accompanied on the piano by Sibelius himself, this song was always accompanied by the mother of the family, Aino Sibelius. Its words are so easy to agree with in this global situation. I am especially fond of the carol Over Hill and Dale - it has an unusually beautiful melody. HERE you can listen to it interpreted by the opera singer Jorma Hynninen.
❤︎❤︎❤︎
Have a blessed Advent Season!
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