Jean Sibelius

Continuing the series on Scandinavian classic music composers, I will complete with Jean Sibelius. Simply said, this finnish composer, who was born in 1865 and died in 1957, was the best Scandinavian composer ever. In fact, in my opinion, he is among the top 10 classical composers of all times. I will soon post this list (that obviously reflects my opinions only).

Sibelius's music combines a passionate romanticism with highly intelligent novel concepts and intense ideas. The combination is really shocking and magnetizing. It should be also pointed out that his music played a key role in the formation of the Finnish identity. His 7 symphonies are simply amazing. And so is everything else he composed

As Ture Rangström, a Finnish conductor, said in 1925 at the unveiling of the composer's statue on his 6oth birthday: “Meeting Sibelius is like being confronted by a power of nature. He looks like an eagle in a storm, like a towering pine or an emperor hewn from granite,” “Marble is far too soft a material for his portrait.”