The violinist, composer and conductor, Jean Sibelius, was a passionate nationalist whose works interpreted the spirit of Finland at the time the country broke away from Sweden and Russia.

He studied in Helsinki, Berlin and Vienna.

In 1897, the Finnish government granted him a state pension so he could devote all his time to composing.

The early Finnish myths and folk tales had a strong influence on the themes he chose for his music.

His well known Karelia Suite was derived from incidental music for a pageant.

His popular Valse triste was originally written for Jaernefelt's play Death, and in fact accompanies a death-bed scene.

Sibelius wrote seven symphonies, although an eighth was destroyed for reasons unknown.

The first two symphonies enjoy particular popularity.

Symphonic poems by Sibelius, usually inspired by ancient Finnish legends, include En Saga, the Lemminkaeinen Suite, of which the Swan of Tuonela and Lemminkaeinen's Return form a part, Pohjola's Daughter and Tapiola.

Finlandia was adapted from music provided for Press Pension celebrations in 1899.

MIDI FILE - Finlandia (7'28'')

His concerto for the violin, a technically more demanding work than he could have tackled himself, now has a place in standard solo violin repertoire.