Jean Sibelius: Life, Music, Silence

by Daniel M. Grimley

Few composers have enjoyed such critical acclaim—or longevity—as Jean Sibelius, who died in 1957 aged ninety-one. Always more than simply a Finnish national figure, an “apparition from the woods” as he ironically described himself, Sibelius’s life spanned turbulent and tumultuous events, and his work is central to the story of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century music. This book situates Sibelius within a rich interdisciplinary environment, paying attention to his relationship with architecture, literature, politics, and the visual arts. Drawing on the latest developments in Sibelius research, it is intended as an accessible and rewarding introduction for the general reader, and it also offers a fresh and provocative interpretation for those more familiar with his music.

Genres: Music, Biography

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2021

Reviews

[Mark Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stellar on the music... less so on the life or the silence

The book's subtitle is misleading. Sibelius' life is covered in its essential details, but less comprehensively than biographical entries easily found in a Google search. But that is perhaps beyond the author's intended scope. As he himself notes, there are several valuable and complete biographies available.

Still, Sibelius' early life of dissipation in his citcle in Helsinki is hinted at but not explored. The immediate impact of WWI on his career and prospects is noted succinctly but only briefly. The impact of the Russian Revolution and the ensuing civil war in Finland gets fuller treatment, but still relatively sparse. So, too, WWII. Just enough to establish context, not to explore it.

Sibelius' famous (or perhaps infamous) retreat into silence in the final decades of his life gets slightly fuller (and certainly insightful) consideration, but still fewer pages than are often devoted to the description and analysis of any the major works.

It is really in its treatment of Sibelius' music that the volume excels. As a survey of the works, major and minor, it is comprehensive. Though it sometimes reads along the lines of "and then he wrote...." the analysis is always deep and insightful. Although the musicology is sometimes beyond the grasp of the non-expert, it is clear and accessible enough for all to understand what is going on in the music, and why it is significant.

Read with recordings at hand, it is immensely rewarding. You will come away with a deeper and fuller appreciation of the range, variety and originality of a body of work that disputes the still all too common dismissal of Sibelius as a minor composer of limited, geocentric significance.

[Christopher Gould · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sibelius is a favorite composer of mine, but I knew very little about him so I thought I’d give the book a read. The prose here is very good, and I appreciated the analysis of the composer’s work in the context of events in his life. My only real complaint is that sometimes it felt like the writing jumped around a bit and was hard to follow. Otherwise, it was a book well worth reading and insightful.

[Alastair Broadley · Rating 4 out of 5]

More about the music than the man, but nonetheless engrossing. A depressive self critical composer, but that’s just a composer…

[OldBrad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This look at Sibelius was reasonably well researched, but Grimley's presentation of material was just okay--not nearly as engaging as other biographers such as Alan Walker and Jan Swafford. For me, the single chapter that Alex Ross wrote on Sibelius in "The Rest is Noise" is preferable to this book.