Sibelius: Vocal Works

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Explore the complete catalog of Vocal compositions by Sibelius. This curated list includes composition years, historical Wikipedia context, and interactive audio to add specific tracks directly to your listening queue.

Title Year Actions
2 Partsongs, for male chorus, op. 108

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

2 Songs, op. 35

In music, Op. 35 stands for Opus number 35. Compositions that are assigned this number include: Arensky – Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky Barber – A Hand of Bridge Beethoven – Eroica Variations Brahms – Variations on a Theme of Paganini Chausson – String Quartet Chopin – Piano Sonata No. 2 Fauré – Madrigal Hába – Mother Korngold – Violin Concerto Madetoja – Symphony No. 2 in E-flat major (1918) Rachmaninoff – The Bells Reger – Sechs Lieder, Op. 35 Rieding- Concerto in B minor for Violin and Piano Op. 35 Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade Rubinstein – Piano Concerto No. 2 Schumann – 12 Gedichte Shostakovich – Piano Concerto No. 1 Sibelius – Two Songs, Op. 35, collection of art songs (1908) Strauss – Don Quixote Szymanowski – Violin Concerto No. 1 Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto

3 Choral Songs, for chorus and orchestra, op. 31

Kullervo (sometimes referred to as the Kullervo Symphony), Op. 7, is a five-movement symphonic work for soprano, baritone, male choir, and orchestra written from 1891 to 1892 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Movements I, II, and IV are instrumental, whereas III and V feature sung text from Runos XXXV–VI of the Kalevala, Finland's national epic. The piece tells the story of the tragic hero Kullervo, with each movement depicting an episode from his ill-fated life: first, an introduction that establishes the psychology of the titular character; second, a haunting "lullaby with variations" that portrays his unhappy childhood; third, a dramatic dialogue between soloists and chorus in which the hero unknowingly seduces his long-lost sister; fourth, a lively scherzo in which Kullervo seeks redemption on the battlefield; and fifth, a funereal choral finale in which he returns to the spot of his incestuous crime and, guilt-ridden, takes his life by falling on his sword. The piece premiered on 28 April 1892 in Helsinki with Sibelius conducting the Helsinki Orchestral Association and an amateur choir; the baritone Abraham Ojanperä and the mezzo-soprano Emmy Achté sang the parts of Kullervo and his sister, respectively. The premiere was a resounding success—indeed, the definitive breakthrough of Sibelius's nascent career and the moment at which orchestral music became his chosen medium. The critics praised the confidence and inventiveness of his writing and heralded Kullervo as the dawn of art music that was distinctly Finnish. Sibelius's triumph, however, was due in part to extra-musical considerations: by setting the Finnish-language Kalevala and evoking—but not directly quoting—the melody and rhythm of rune singing, he had given voice to the political struggle for Finland's independence from Imperial Russia. After four additional performances—and increasingly tepid reviews—Sibelius withdrew Kullervo in March 1893, saying he wanted to revise it. He never did, and as his idiom evolved beyond national romanticism, he suppressed the work. (However, individual movements were played a few times during his lifetime, most notably the third on 1 March 1935 for the Kalevala's centenary.) Kullervo would not receive its next complete performance until 12 June 1958, nine months after Sibelius's death, when his son-in-law Jussi Jalas resurrected it for a recorded, private concert in Helsinki. Kullervo eschews obvious categorization, in part because of Sibelius's indecision. At the premiere, program and score each listed the piece as a symphonic poem; nevertheless, Sibelius referred to Kullervo as a symphony both while composing the piece and again in retirement when reflecting on his career. Today, many commentators prefer to view Kullervo as a choral symphony, due to its deployment of sonata form in the first movement, its thematic unity, and the presence of recurring material across movements. Such a perspective conceptualizes Kullervo as Sibelius's "Symphony No. 0" and thereby expands his completed contributions to the symphonic canon from seven to eight. Kullervo has been recorded many times, with Paavo Berglund and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra having made the world premiere studio recording in 1970. A typical performance lasts about 73 minutes, making it the longest composition in Sibelius's œuvre.

3 Introductory Antiphons, for chorus and organ, op. 107

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

3 Songs for American Schools, for children's chorus and piano

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

5 Christmas Songs, op. 1

The Five Christmas Songs, Op. 1, is a collection of Swedish-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written from 1897 to 1913 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

5 Partsongs, for male chorus, op. 84

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

5 Songs, op. 37

The Five Songs, Op. 37, is a collection of Swedish-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written from 1900 to 1902 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

5 Songs, op. 38

The Five Songs, Op. 38, is a collection of Swedish-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written from 1903 to 1904 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

6 Partsongs, for male chorus, op. 18

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

6 Songs, op. 36

The Six Songs, Op. 36, is a collection of Swedish-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written from 1899 to 1900 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. As a group, Op. 36 is Sibelius's most popular song set; indeed, "Svarta rosor" is arguably the best-known song in his entire oeuvre. "Säv, säv, susa", too, is oft-performed.

6 Songs, op. 50

The Six Songs, Op. 50, is a collection of German-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written in 1906 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. "Die stille Stadt" ("The Silent City") generally is considered the best of the set.

6 Songs, op. 72

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

6 Songs, op. 86

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

6 Songs, op. 88

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

6 Songs, op. 90

In music, Op. 90 stands for Opus number 90. Compositions that are assigned this number include: Beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 27 Brahms – Symphony No. 3 Dvořák – Piano Trio No. 4 Klebe – Die Fastnachtsbeichte Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 4 Schubert – Impromptus Schumann – 6 Gedichte und Requiem Sibelius – Six Runeberg Songs, collection of art songs (1917)

7 Songs of Runeberg, op. 13

The Five Songs, Op. 37, is a collection of Swedish-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written from 1900 to 1902 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

7 Songs, op. 17

The Seven Songs, Op. 17, is a collection of five Swedish-language and two Finnish-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written from 1891 to 1904 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

8 Songs, op. 57

The Symphony No. 8, JS 190, was the final major compositional project of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, occupying him intermittently from the mid-1920s until around 1938, though he never published it. During this time Sibelius was at the peak of his fame, a national figure in his native Finland and a composer of international stature. A fair copy of at least the first movement was made, but how much of the Eighth Symphony was completed is unknown. Sibelius repeatedly refused to release it for performance, though he continued to assert that he was working on it even after he had, according to later reports from his family, burned the score and associated material, probably in 1945. Much of Sibelius's reputation, during his lifetime and subsequently, derived from his work as a symphonist. His Seventh Symphony of 1924 has been widely recognised as a landmark in the development of symphonic form, and at the time there was no reason to suppose that the flow of innovative orchestral works would not continue. However, after the symphonic poem Tapiola, completed in 1926, his output was confined to relatively minor pieces and revisions to earlier works. During the 1930s the Eighth Symphony's premiere was promised to Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, but as each scheduled date approached Sibelius demurred, claiming that the work was not ready for performance. Similar promises made to the British conductor Basil Cameron and to the Finnish Georg Schnéevoigt likewise proved illusory. It is thought that Sibelius's perfectionism and exalted reputation prevented him ever completing the symphony to his satisfaction; he wanted it to be even better than his Seventh. After Sibelius's death in 1957, news of the Eighth Symphony's destruction was made public, and it was assumed that the work had disappeared forever. But in the 1990s, when the composer's many notebooks and sketches were being catalogued, scholars first raised the possibility that fragments of the music for the lost symphony might have survived. Since then, several short manuscript sketches have been tentatively identified with the Eighth, three of which (comprising less than three minutes of music) were recorded by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in 2011. While a few musicologists have speculated that, if further fragments can be identified, it may be possible to reconstruct the entire work, others have suggested that this is unlikely given the ambiguity of the extant material. The propriety of publicly performing music that Sibelius himself had rejected has also been questioned.

8 Songs, op. 61

The Seven Songs, Op. 17, is a collection of five Swedish-language and two Finnish-language art songs for vocal soloist and piano written from 1891 to 1904 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

9 Songs for Chorus, op. 23

The Songs for Mixed Chorus from the 1897 Promotional Cantata (in Finnish: Lauluja sekaköörille 1897 vuoden promotiooni kantaatista; sometimes abbreviated as the Nine Songs), Op. 23, is a song cycle of a cappella pieces for soprano, baritone, and mixed choir a cappella arranged in 1898 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Sung in Finnish to words by the poet A. V. Koskimies, the songs were originally part of a larger orchestral work: the Cantata for the University Graduation Ceremonies of 1897 (Kantaatti tohtorinja maisterinvihkijäisissä 1897), JS 106. It is chronologically the third of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas, and belongs to a series of three such pieces—along with the Promotional Cantata of 1894 (JS 105) and the Coronation Cantata (JS 104, 1896)—that he wrote on commission from his employer at the time, the Imperial Alexander University (today the University of Helsinki). The complete score, however, is lost, although—in addition to the Op. 23 songs—some orchestral parts, as well as a rehearsal score with piano accompaniment, are extant.

9 Songs, op. 23

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

A Child Is Born Unto Us, JS 142

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Arioso, for voice and orchestra, op. 3

"Arioso", Op. 3, is an art song for vocal soloist (typically soprano) and accompaniment written in 1911 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, who appears to have worked simultaneously on two versions of the song: one with strings and the other with piano. The piece, which is a setting of the Swedish-language poem Flickans årstider ("The Maiden's Seasons") by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Sibelius's favorite poet, premiered on 18 September 1913 in Helsinki with the Finnish soprano Ida Ekman as soloist, accompanied by her husband, Karl Ekman, on piano. The next year in Turku on 30 March, the version of the piece for string orchestra was first performed, again with Ekman as soloist; her husband this time conducted the Turku Orchestral Society. Sibelius infamously gave "Arioso" an artificially low opus number to avoid a contractual dispute with his publisher, Breitkopf & Härtel. (Sibelius had sold both versions of "Arioso" to the Helsinki-based publisher A. Apostols Musikhandel, who then tried to sell the rights to Breitkopf & Härtel. When Breitkopf & Härtel protested, Sibelius fibbed, claiming that the song was an older piece that dated to 1890.) Apostle never published the version for strings, and in 1917 his holdings transferred to R. E. Westerlund oy, who subsequently issued the first edition of this version in 1951.

Birthday Song for Grandmother

Jean Sibelius (; Finland Swedish: [ˈʃɑːn siˈbeːliʉs] ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often credited with having helped Finland develop a stronger national identity when the country was struggling from several attempts at Russification in the late 19th century. The core of his oeuvre is his set of seven symphonies, which, like his other major works, are regularly performed and recorded in Finland and countries around the world. His other best-known compositions are Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, the Violin Concerto, the choral symphony Kullervo, and The Swan of Tuonela (from the Lemminkäinen Suite). His other works include pieces inspired by nature, Nordic mythology, and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over a hundred songs for voice and piano; incidental music for numerous plays; the one-act opera The Maiden in the Tower; chamber music, piano music, Masonic ritual music, and 21 publications of choral music. Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s, but after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the incidental music for The Tempest (1926), and the tone poem Tapiola (1926), he stopped producing major works in his last 30 years—a retirement commonly referred to as the "silence of Järvenpää" (the location of his home). Although he is reputed to have stopped composing, he attempted to continue writing, including abortive efforts on an eighth symphony. In later life, he wrote Masonic music and re-edited some earlier works, while retaining an active but not always favourable interest in new developments in music. Although his early retirement has perplexed scholars, Sibelius was clear about its cause — he simply felt he had written enough. The Finnish 100 mark note featured his image until 2002, when the euro was adopted. Since 2011, Finland has celebrated a flag flying day on 8 December, the composer's birthday, also known as the Day of Finnish Music. In 2015, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sibelius's birth, a number of special concerts and events were held, especially in Helsinki, the Finnish capital.

Cantata for the Coronation of Nicholas II, for chorus and orchestra

The Cantata for the Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II (in Finnish: Kantaatti ilo- ja onnentoivotusjuhlassa marraskuun 2 päivänä 1896; sometimes referred to as Coronation Cantata (in Finnish: Kruunajaiskantaatti) for short), JS 104, is a two-movement cantata for mixed choir and orchestra written in 1896 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It is chronologically the second of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas, and belongs to a series of three such pieces—along with the Promotional Cantata of 1894 (JS 105) and the Promotional Cantata of 1894 (JS 106)—that he wrote on commission from his employer at the time, the Imperial Alexander University (today the University of Helsinki). Sibelius composed the cantata in honor of Nicholas II's accession to the Russian throne, because the University, as a state-financed institution, was required to pay its respects to the new sovereign. (At the time, Finland was a grand duchy in the tsar's possession.) The piece premiered on 2 November 1896 during a ceremony in Helsinki, with Sibelius conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Society and an amateur chorus. In 1896, Sibelius arranged for orchestra a section of Movement I as the Coronation March (Kröningsmarsch). Finally, in 1913, he arranged a portion of Movement I (bars 115–153) as Hail, O Princess (Terve ruhtinatar), for female choir (or children's choir) a cappella.

Cantata for the Helsinki University Ceremonies of 1894, for chorus and orchestra, JS105
Cantata for the Helsinki University Ceremonies of 1897, for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 23

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Cantata, for female chorus

The Songs for Mixed Chorus from the 1897 Promotional Cantata (in Finnish: Lauluja sekaköörille 1897 vuoden promotiooni kantaatista; sometimes abbreviated as the Nine Songs), Op. 23, is a song cycle of a cappella pieces for soprano, baritone, and mixed choir a cappella arranged in 1898 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Sung in Finnish to words by the poet A. V. Koskimies, the songs were originally part of a larger orchestral work: the Cantata for the University Graduation Ceremonies of 1897 (Kantaatti tohtorinja maisterinvihkijäisissä 1897), JS 106. It is chronologically the third of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas, and belongs to a series of three such pieces—along with the Promotional Cantata of 1894 (JS 105) and the Coronation Cantata (JS 104, 1896)—that he wrote on commission from his employer at the time, the Imperial Alexander University (today the University of Helsinki). The complete score, however, is lost, although—in addition to the Op. 23 songs—some orchestral parts, as well as a rehearsal score with piano accompaniment, are extant.

Carminalia, 3 songs for chorus and piano

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Christmas Song, for children's chorus

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas is a 1997 direct-to-video animated Christmas musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation and Disneytoon Studios, as a sequel to Disney's 1991 animated feature film Beauty and the Beast. The film was released by Walt Disney Home Video on November 11, 1997. While a frame story is set after the events of the original film, the main narrative is a flashback recounting Belle and the Beast's first Christmas together. The film sold 7.6 million VHS tapes in 1997.

Come my Sweetheart

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Contrapuntal Exercises, for chorus
Dreams

Jean Sibelius (; Finland Swedish: [ˈʃɑːn siˈbeːliʉs] ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often credited with having helped Finland develop a stronger national identity when the country was struggling from several attempts at Russification in the late 19th century. The core of his oeuvre is his set of seven symphonies, which, like his other major works, are regularly performed and recorded in Finland and countries around the world. His other best-known compositions are Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, the Violin Concerto, the choral symphony Kullervo, and The Swan of Tuonela (from the Lemminkäinen Suite). His other works include pieces inspired by nature, Nordic mythology, and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over a hundred songs for voice and piano; incidental music for numerous plays; the one-act opera The Maiden in the Tower; chamber music, piano music, Masonic ritual music, and 21 publications of choral music. Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s, but after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the incidental music for The Tempest (1926), and the tone poem Tapiola (1926), he stopped producing major works in his last 30 years—a retirement commonly referred to as the "silence of Järvenpää" (the location of his home). Although he is reputed to have stopped composing, he attempted to continue writing, including abortive efforts on an eighth symphony. In later life, he wrote Masonic music and re-edited some earlier works, while retaining an active but not always favourable interest in new developments in music. Although his early retirement has perplexed scholars, Sibelius was clear about its cause — he simply felt he had written enough. The Finnish 100 mark note featured his image until 2002, when the euro was adopted. Since 2011, Finland has celebrated a flag flying day on 8 December, the composer's birthday, also known as the Day of Finnish Music. In 2015, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sibelius's birth, a number of special concerts and events were held, especially in Helsinki, the Finnish capital.

En visa, JS 71

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Ensam i dunkla skogarnas famn

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Festive March

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Fridolin's Folly, for male chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

God's Blessing, JS 95

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Have You Courage?, for male chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Herr du bist ein fels, chorale for chorus and orchestra

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Herr erzeige uns deine Gnade, chorale for chorus and orchestra

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

How pale it all is

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Hymn in Praise of the Lord, for chorus and orchestra

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Hymn of the Earth, cantata for voices and orchestra, op. 95

Hymn of the Earth (in Finnish: Maan virsi), Op. 95, is a single-movement, patriotic cantata for mixed choir and orchestra written from 1919 to 1920 by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which is a setting of the Finnish author Eino Leino's Finnish-language poem of the same name, is chronologically the eighth of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas; in particular, it belongs to the series of four "little known, but beautiful" cantatas from the composer's mature period that also includes My Own Land (Op. 92, 1918), Song of the Earth (Op. 93, 1919), and Väinämöinen's Song (Op. 110, 1926). Hymn of the Earth premiered on 4 April 1920 in Helsinki, with Heikki Klemetti conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and his choir, Suomen Laulu.

Hymn to Thaïs, the Unforgettable

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Hymnus: Natus in curas, for male chorus, op. 21
Imagine, see how the bird swoops

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Impromptu: 'Thou who guidest the Stars', for female chorus and orchestra, op. 19
In the Moonlight, for male chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

In the Morning Mist, for children's chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Jonas' Journey, for male chorus

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008. Neil Diamond was honored as the 2009 MusiCares Person of the Year on February 6, two days prior to the Grammy telecast. Lil Wayne received the most nominations, with eight. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, winning five awards, including Album of the Year for their critically acclaimed album Raising Sand. Krauss became the sixth female solo artist to have won 5 awards in one night, joining Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Beyoncé and Amy Winehouse. The awards broadcast won an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.

Karelia's Fate, patriotic march for male chorus and piano

Jean Sibelius (; Finland Swedish: [ˈʃɑːn siˈbeːliʉs] ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often credited with having helped Finland develop a stronger national identity when the country was struggling from several attempts at Russification in the late 19th century. The core of his oeuvre is his set of seven symphonies, which, like his other major works, are regularly performed and recorded in Finland and countries around the world. His other best-known compositions are Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, the Violin Concerto, the choral symphony Kullervo, and The Swan of Tuonela (from the Lemminkäinen Suite). His other works include pieces inspired by nature, Nordic mythology, and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over a hundred songs for voice and piano; incidental music for numerous plays; the one-act opera The Maiden in the Tower; chamber music, piano music, Masonic ritual music, and 21 publications of choral music. Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s, but after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the incidental music for The Tempest (1926), and the tone poem Tapiola (1926), he stopped producing major works in his last 30 years—a retirement commonly referred to as the "silence of Järvenpää" (the location of his home). Although he is reputed to have stopped composing, he attempted to continue writing, including abortive efforts on an eighth symphony. In later life, he wrote Masonic music and re-edited some earlier works, while retaining an active but not always favourable interest in new developments in music. Although his early retirement has perplexed scholars, Sibelius was clear about its cause — he simply felt he had written enough. The Finnish 100 mark note featured his image until 2002, when the euro was adopted. Since 2011, Finland has celebrated a flag flying day on 8 December, the composer's birthday, also known as the Day of Finnish Music. In 2015, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sibelius's birth, a number of special concerts and events were held, especially in Helsinki, the Finnish capital.

Kullervo's Lament

Kullervo (sometimes referred to as the Kullervo Symphony), Op. 7, is a five-movement symphonic work for soprano, baritone, male choir, and orchestra written from 1891 to 1892 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Movements I, II, and IV are instrumental, whereas III and V feature sung text from Runos XXXV–VI of the Kalevala, Finland's national epic. The piece tells the story of the tragic hero Kullervo, with each movement depicting an episode from his ill-fated life: first, an introduction that establishes the psychology of the titular character; second, a haunting "lullaby with variations" that portrays his unhappy childhood; third, a dramatic dialogue between soloists and chorus in which the hero unknowingly seduces his long-lost sister; fourth, a lively scherzo in which Kullervo seeks redemption on the battlefield; and fifth, a funereal choral finale in which he returns to the spot of his incestuous crime and, guilt-ridden, takes his life by falling on his sword. The piece premiered on 28 April 1892 in Helsinki with Sibelius conducting the Helsinki Orchestral Association and an amateur choir; the baritone Abraham Ojanperä and the mezzo-soprano Emmy Achté sang the parts of Kullervo and his sister, respectively. The premiere was a resounding success—indeed, the definitive breakthrough of Sibelius's nascent career and the moment at which orchestral music became his chosen medium. The critics praised the confidence and inventiveness of his writing and heralded Kullervo as the dawn of art music that was distinctly Finnish. Sibelius's triumph, however, was due in part to extra-musical considerations: by setting the Finnish-language Kalevala and evoking—but not directly quoting—the melody and rhythm of rune singing, he had given voice to the political struggle for Finland's independence from Imperial Russia. After four additional performances—and increasingly tepid reviews—Sibelius withdrew Kullervo in March 1893, saying he wanted to revise it. He never did, and as his idiom evolved beyond national romanticism, he suppressed the work. (However, individual movements were played a few times during his lifetime, most notably the third on 1 March 1935 for the Kalevala's centenary.) Kullervo would not receive its next complete performance until 12 June 1958, nine months after Sibelius's death, when his son-in-law Jussi Jalas resurrected it for a recorded, private concert in Helsinki. Kullervo eschews obvious categorization, in part because of Sibelius's indecision. At the premiere, program and score each listed the piece as a symphonic poem; nevertheless, Sibelius referred to Kullervo as a symphony both while composing the piece and again in retirement when reflecting on his career. Today, many commentators prefer to view Kullervo as a choral symphony, due to its deployment of sonata form in the first movement, its thematic unity, and the presence of recurring material across movements. Such a perspective conceptualizes Kullervo as Sibelius's "Symphony No. 0" and thereby expands his completed contributions to the symphonic canon from seven to eight. Kullervo has been recorded many times, with Paavo Berglund and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra having made the world premiere studio recording in 1970. A typical performance lasts about 73 minutes, making it the longest composition in Sibelius's œuvre.

Les trois soeurs aveugles, op. 46, no. 4

Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck (29 August 1862 – 6 May 1949), also known as Count/Comte Maeterlinck from 1932, was a Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist who was Flemish but wrote in French. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911 "in appreciation of his many-sided literary activities, and especially of his dramatic works, which are distinguished by a wealth of imagination and by a poetic fancy, which reveals, sometimes in the guise of a fairy tale, a deep inspiration, while in a mysterious way they appeal to the readers' own feelings and stimulate their imaginations". The main themes in his work are death and the meaning of life. He was a leading member of the group La Jeune Belgique, and his plays form an important part of the Symbolist movement. In later life, Maeterlinck faced credible accusations of plagiarism.

Listen to the Water Mill, for unison chorus, JS 122
March of the Jaegers, for male chorus and piano, op. 91a
March of the Workers

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Masonic Ritual Music, for male chorus and organ, op. 113

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Narcissus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Nejden andas, for children's chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Nostalgia, for female chorus

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. It is the resident orchestra at Symphony Hall, Birmingham in Birmingham, which has been its principal performance venue since 1991. Its administrative and rehearsal base is at the nearby CBSO Centre, where it also presents chamber concerts by members of the orchestra and guest performers. Each year, the CBSO performs more than 150 concerts in Birmingham, the UK and around the world. The CBSO has four choirs – the CBSO Chorus, Youth Chorus, Children's Chorus and SO Vocal (its un-auditioned community choir). The CBSO Choruses are directed by Simon Halsey, Chorus Director, who celebrated his 40-year anniversary with the CBSO in the 2023 season. The Children's and Youth Chorus are led by Julian Wilkins, Associate Chorus Director. SO Vocal is conducted by Lucy Hollins. The current music director of the CBSO is Kazuki Yamada, who became chief conductor and artistic adviser in April 2023, and music director in May 2024.

Not with Lamentations, for chorus, JS 69

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Oh do you hear, Miss Gyellengborg?
Orgies

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Our Native Land, cantata for chorus and orchestra, op. 92

The Songs for Mixed Chorus from the 1897 Promotional Cantata (in Finnish: Lauluja sekaköörille 1897 vuoden promotiooni kantaatista; sometimes abbreviated as the Nine Songs), Op. 23, is a song cycle of a cappella pieces for soprano, baritone, and mixed choir a cappella arranged in 1898 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Sung in Finnish to words by the poet A. V. Koskimies, the songs were originally part of a larger orchestral work: the Cantata for the University Graduation Ceremonies of 1897 (Kantaatti tohtorinja maisterinvihkijäisissä 1897), JS 106. It is chronologically the third of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas, and belongs to a series of three such pieces—along with the Promotional Cantata of 1894 (JS 105) and the Coronation Cantata (JS 104, 1896)—that he wrote on commission from his employer at the time, the Imperial Alexander University (today the University of Helsinki). The complete score, however, is lost, although—in addition to the Op. 23 songs—some orchestral parts, as well as a rehearsal score with piano accompaniment, are extant.

People of Land and Sea, op. 65a

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Play, pretty maiden, for voice and chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Primary School Children's March, for children's chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Resemblence

Jean Sibelius (; Finland Swedish: [ˈʃɑːn siˈbeːliʉs] ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often credited with having helped Finland develop a stronger national identity when the country was struggling from several attempts at Russification in the late 19th century. The core of his oeuvre is his set of seven symphonies, which, like his other major works, are regularly performed and recorded in Finland and countries around the world. His other best-known compositions are Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, the Violin Concerto, the choral symphony Kullervo, and The Swan of Tuonela (from the Lemminkäinen Suite). His other works include pieces inspired by nature, Nordic mythology, and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over a hundred songs for voice and piano; incidental music for numerous plays; the one-act opera The Maiden in the Tower; chamber music, piano music, Masonic ritual music, and 21 publications of choral music. Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s, but after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the incidental music for The Tempest (1926), and the tone poem Tapiola (1926), he stopped producing major works in his last 30 years—a retirement commonly referred to as the "silence of Järvenpää" (the location of his home). Although he is reputed to have stopped composing, he attempted to continue writing, including abortive efforts on an eighth symphony. In later life, he wrote Masonic music and re-edited some earlier works, while retaining an active but not always favourable interest in new developments in music. Although his early retirement has perplexed scholars, Sibelius was clear about its cause — he simply felt he had written enough. The Finnish 100 mark note featured his image until 2002, when the euro was adopted. Since 2011, Finland has celebrated a flag flying day on 8 December, the composer's birthday, also known as the Day of Finnish Music. In 2015, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sibelius's birth, a number of special concerts and events were held, especially in Helsinki, the Finnish capital.

Row, Row Duck

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Sailing

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Sandels, improvisation for male chorus and orchestra, op. 28

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

School Song

Aino Sibelius (née Järnefelt; 10 August 1871 – 8 June 1969) was the wife of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. They lived most of their 65 years of marriage at their home Ainola near Lake Tuusula, Järvenpää, Finland. They had six daughters: Eva (1893–1978), Ruth (1894–1976), Kirsti (1898–1900), Katarina (1903–1984), Margareta (1908–1988) and Heidi (1911–1982).

Scout March, op. 91b

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Serenad, JS 167

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Snöfrid, improvisation for reciter, male voices, and orchestra, op. 29
Song of Exile, for male chorus

The following list contains scores or songs which are the primary theme music of a television series or miniseries. They are sorted alphabetically by the television series' title. Any themes, scores, or songs which are billed under a different name than their respective television series' title are shown in parentheses, except in cases where they are officially billed as "Theme from [Series' Name]", "[Series' Name] Theme", etc., which are omitted. This list does not include television series whose broadcast run was less than ten episodes (i.e. a "failed" series) unless officially designated as a television miniseries. In cases where more than one piece of music was used for the main theme during the broadcast run of a television series (Baywatch, Happy Days, Starsky & Hutch, for example), only the most widely recognized score is listed.

Song of the Athenians, op. 31, no. 3

The Song of the Athenians (Athenarnes sång) is a work for boys chorus, male chorus, and orchestra by Jean Sibelius, the last of his Op. 31. The song runs approximately 3 minutes.

Song of the Earth, for chorus and orchestra, op. 93

Song of the Earth (in Swedish: Jordens sång; subtitled "Cantata for the Inaugural Ceremonies of Åbo Akademi University 1919"), Op. 93, is a single-movement, patriotic cantata for mixed choir and orchestra written in 1919 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which is a setting of the Finnish author Jarl Hemmer's Swedish-language poem of the same name, is chronologically the seventh of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas; in particular, it belongs to the series of four "little known, but beautiful" cantatas from the composer's mature period that also includes My Own Land (Op. 92, 1918), Hymn of the Earth (Op. 95, 1920), and Väinämöinen's Song (Op. 110, 1926). Song of the Earth premiered on 11 October 1919 in Turku, Finland, with Sibelius conducting the Turku Musical Society and an amateur choir.

Tanken, duo for 2 voices and piano, "The Thought"

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Terve ruhtinatar, for children's chorus, JS 104

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

The Bells of Kallio Church, op. 65b

The Bells of Kallio Church (in Finnish: Kallion kirkon kellosävel; in Swedish: Klockmelodin i Berghälls kyrka; lit. ''The Bell Melody of Kallio Church''), JS 102 (arrangements as Op. 65b) is a brief chorale for mechanized carillon written in 1912 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which the titular institution commissioned, sounds twice daily—at noon and 18 o'clock—in Helsinki on four of the seven German-made, bronze church bells in the brick-and-granite steeple. As such, it is the most frequently performed composition in Sibelius's oeuvre, as well as a notable part of the capital's soundscape. The piece premiered on 1 September 1912 in Helsinki at the Kallio Church's consecration ceremony. For this occasion, the Finnish choral master Heikki Klemetti arranged the chorale (without Sibelius's blessing) for mixed choir a cappella, to a poem by Julius Engström, the priest of the new church. Klemetti's intrusion confused the Finnish press: some newspapers mistakenly credited both men for the tune, while others omitted Sibelius's name entirely. To reclaim sole artistic ownership, Sibelius arranged The Bells of Kallio Church for solo piano a few days after the ceremony, while on 13 September he supplanted Klemetti's arrangement with his own for mixed choir—settling, ironically, for new lyrics penned by Klemetti.

The Breaking of the Ice on the River Oulu, improvisation for reciter, male chorus and orchestra, op. 30

The Breaking of the Ice on the Oulu River (in Swedish: Islossningen i Uleå älv; in Finnish: Jäänlähtö Oulujoesta), Op. 30, is a composition by Jean Sibelius, an "improvisation for narrator, men's chorus and orchestra". Sibelius composed it in 1899 on a poem by Zachris Topelius, a Swedish-language Finnish poet, who had dedicated it to Tsar Alexander II of Russia, thus escaping censorship. The piece was an "explicit protest composition" against a Russia restricting the autonomy of the Grand Duchy of Finland. Sibelius wrote it for a lottery of the Savonian-Karelian Students' Association, where he conducted the first performance on 21 October 1899.

The Bridge Guard, for male chorus

The Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance has been awarded since 1961. There have been several minor changes to the name of the award over this time: In 1961 the award was known as Best Classical Performance - Choral (including oratorio) From 1962 to 1964 it was awarded as Best Classical Performance - Choral (other than opera) In 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977 to 1978 and 1982 to 1991 it was awarded as Best Choral Performance (other than opera) From 1966 to 1968 it was awarded as Best Classical Choral Performance (other than opera) In 1970, 1973 to 1976 and 1979 to 1981 it was awarded as Best Choral Performance, Classical (other than opera) In 1972 it was awarded as Best Choral Performance - Classical From 1992 to 1994 it was awarded as Best Performance of a Choral Work 1995 to the present the award has been known as Best Choral Performance Prior to 1961 the awards for opera and choral performances were combined into a single award for Best Classical Performance, Operatic or Choral. The award goes to the Conductor, and to the Choral Director and/or Chorus Master where applicable and to the Choral Organization/Ensemble. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year. Performers who were not eligible for an award (such as orchestras, soloists or choirs) are mentioned between brackets. From 2017, the choral organization/ensemble does receive an Award.

The Captive Queen, cantata for chorus and orchestra, op. 48

The Captive Queen (in Finnish: Vapautettu kuningatar; sometimes translated to English as The Liberated Queen; subtitled "Cantata in Celebration of Snellman's Birth"), Op. 48, is a single-movement, patriotic cantata for mixed choir and orchestra written in 1906 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which is a setting of the Finnish author Paavo Cajander's Finnish-language poem of the same name, is chronologically the fifth of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas. The Captive Queen was first performed in Helsinki on 12 May 1906 by the Orchestra of Helsinki Philharmonic Society, conducted by the composer; however, it premiered under the title "There Sings the Queen" ("Siell' laulavi kuningatar") in order to avoid the attention of the imperial censors. Sibelius arranged the piece for male choir in 1910; this version was first performed on 28 November 1913 by the Choir of the Students' Union, with Heikki Klemetti conducting.

The Fool's Song of the Spider, op. 27, no. 4

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

The Little Girls

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

The Lofty Heaven, for chorus and organ

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

The Lover
The Origin of Fire, for voice, male chorus and orchestra, op. 32

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

The Rapids-Shooter's Bride, for 2 voices and orchestra, op. 33

The Rapids-Rider's Brides (Finnish: Koskenlaskijan morsiamet; sometimes translated as The Ferryman's Brides or The Rapids-Shooter's Brides), Op. 33, is a song for baritone (or mezzo-soprano) and orchestra, composed in 1897 by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Sibelius later created two arrangements of The Rapids-Rider's Brides: first, a version for voice and piano (1897–1899), and later, an arrangement for male choir and orchestra (1943).

The Song of the People of Uusimaa

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

The Way to School, for children's chorus

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

The World Song of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, for female childrens chorus and piano, op. 91b, no. 2

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

To Thérèse Hahl

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Trettondagsafton, 2 incidental song settings, op. 60, "Twelfth Night"
Up through the air, for chorus and piano

Jean Sibelius (; Finland Swedish: [ˈʃɑːn siˈbeːliʉs] ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often credited with having helped Finland develop a stronger national identity when the country was struggling from several attempts at Russification in the late 19th century. The core of his oeuvre is his set of seven symphonies, which, like his other major works, are regularly performed and recorded in Finland and countries around the world. His other best-known compositions are Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste, the Violin Concerto, the choral symphony Kullervo, and The Swan of Tuonela (from the Lemminkäinen Suite). His other works include pieces inspired by nature, Nordic mythology, and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala; over a hundred songs for voice and piano; incidental music for numerous plays; the one-act opera The Maiden in the Tower; chamber music, piano music, Masonic ritual music, and 21 publications of choral music. Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid-1920s, but after completing his Seventh Symphony (1924), the incidental music for The Tempest (1926), and the tone poem Tapiola (1926), he stopped producing major works in his last 30 years—a retirement commonly referred to as the "silence of Järvenpää" (the location of his home). Although he is reputed to have stopped composing, he attempted to continue writing, including abortive efforts on an eighth symphony. In later life, he wrote Masonic music and re-edited some earlier works, while retaining an active but not always favourable interest in new developments in music. Although his early retirement has perplexed scholars, Sibelius was clear about its cause — he simply felt he had written enough. The Finnish 100 mark note featured his image until 2002, when the euro was adopted. Since 2011, Finland has celebrated a flag flying day on 8 December, the composer's birthday, also known as the Day of Finnish Music. In 2015, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sibelius's birth, a number of special concerts and events were held, especially in Helsinki, the Finnish capital.

Väinö's Song, cantata for chorus and orchestra, op. 110

Väinämöinen's Song (in Finnish: Väinön virsi; sometimes translated to English simply as Väinö's Song), Op. 110, is a single-movement, patriotic cantata for mixed choir and orchestra written in 1926 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which is a setting of Runo XLIII (lines 385–434) of the Kalevala, Finland's national epic, is chronologically the final of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas; in particular, it belongs to the series of four "little known, but beautiful" cantatas from the composer's mature period that also includes My Own Land (Op. 92, 1918), Song of the Earth (Op. 93, 1919), and Hymn of the Earth (Op. 95, 1920). Väinämöinen's Song premiered on 28 June 1926 in Sortavala, Finland.

We Ask for Nothing Rich or Rare, for male chorus, op. 1, no. 4

The 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. The nominations were revealed via a virtual livestream on November 23, 2021. The performers for the ceremony were announced on March 15, 24, and 30, 2022. South African comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted the previous ceremony in 2021, returned as host. The ceremony's location marked the first time the Recording Academy switched host cities for a single ceremony. This also makes it the first Grammy Awards ceremony not to be held in either New York City or Los Angeles since the 15th Grammy Awards in 1973 when it was held at the Tennessee Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee. It marked the first time the telecast took place in Las Vegas. Jon Batiste received the most nominations with eleven, followed by Doja Cat, H.E.R., and Justin Bieber with eight each. Batiste received the most awards with five, and won Album of the Year for We Are. Silk Sonic won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Leave the Door Open", and Olivia Rodrigo won Best New Artist. The ceremony was originally scheduled for January 31, 2022, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles; however, on January 5, 2022, the Recording Academy postponed the ceremony indefinitely due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 Omicron variant. On January 18, 2022, the ceremony was rescheduled to April 3, 2022, and its location was moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, due to resultant scheduling conflicts with the Crypto.com Arena.

We praise Thee, Our Creator, op. 23, no. 6a

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

When spring once more comes to life

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote over 550 original works during his eight-decade artistic career. This began around 1875 with a short miniature for violin and cello called Water Droplets (Vattendroppar), and ended a few months before his death at age 91 with the orchestration of two earlier songs, "Kom nu hit, död" ("Come Away, Death") and "Kullervon valitus" ("Kullervo's Lament", excerpted from Movement III of Kullervo). However, the 1890s to the 1920s represent the key decades of Sibelius's production. After 1926's Tapiola, Sibelius completed no new works of significance, although he infamously labored until the late-1930s or the early-1940s on his Eighth Symphony, which he never completed and probably destroyed c. 1944. This thirty-year creative drought—commonly referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää", in reference to the sub-region of Helsinki in which the composer and his wife, Aino, resided—occurred at the height of his international and domestic celebrity. Today, Sibelius is remembered principally as a composer for orchestra: particularly celebrated are his symphonies, tone poems, and lone concerto, although he produced viable works in all major genres of classical music. While his orchestral works meant the most to him, Sibelius refused to dismiss his miniatures (piano pieces, songs, etc.) as insignificant, seeing them instead as "represent[ative of] his innermost self".

Where the Thrush Toils, JS 129
Why, father, do you kiss my sweetheart here?, for female chorus and piano

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