Sibelius

One of the twentieth century's greatest composers, Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) virtually stopped writing music during the last thirty years of his life. Recasting his mysterious musical silence and his undeniably influential life against the backdrop of Finland's national awakening, "Sibelius" will be the definitive biography of this creative legend for many years to come. Glenda Dawn Goss begins her sweeping narrative in the Finland of Sibelius' youth, which remained under Russian control for the first five decades of his life. Focusing on previously unexamined events, Goss explores the composer's formative experiences as a Russian subject and a member of the Swedish-speaking Finnish minority. She goes on to trace Sibelius's relationships with his creative contemporaries, with whom he worked to usher in a golden age of music and art that would endow Finns with a sense of pride in their heritage and encourage their hopes for the possibilities of nationhood. Skillfully evoking this artistic climate - in which Sibelius emerged as a leader - Goss creates a dazzling portrait of the painting, sculpture, literature, and music it inspired. To solve the deepest riddles of Sibelius' life, work, and enigmatic silence, Goss contends, we must understand the awakening in which he played so great a role. Situating this national creative tide in the context of Nordic and European cultural currents, "Sibelius" dramatically deepens our knowledge of a misunderstood musical giant and an important chapter in the intellectual history of Europe.

ISBN 0226304779   Pages 496 ISBN13 9780226304779 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher The University of Chicago Press   Weight (grammes) 1406 Imprint University of Chicago Press   Published in Chicago, IL Format Hardback   Height (mm) 254 Publication date 17 Nov 2009   Width (mm) 177 Library of Congress 2009013833   Spine width (mm) 46 DEWEY 780.92   Academic level General DEWEY edition DC22

		List of Illustrations
		Preface: Methods and Miracles, Debts and Confessions
		Practical Questions: Names and References
		Abbreviations
		Towns and Place-Names
		Introduction		3
Pt. I		A Window to the World: The Autonomous Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire		7
Pt. II		Heraa Suomi! - Awake, Finland!		113
Pt. III		Taide Kuuluu Kaikille - Art Belongs to All		321
		Notes		445
		Bibliography		499
		Index		517

"Until now, classical music listeners have not had an adequate context in which to place Sibelius's well-known and much-performed works. With Sibelius, Glenda Goss treats us to a panoramic view of the relevant Finnish background. This is idiosyncratic music from an idiosyncratic place, and Goss provides a generous overview of both. Unabashedly interpretive, this is a comprehensive and compelling look at a major composer and the culture he both influenced and drew upon. Essential reading for all Sibelians." - James Hepokoski, Yale University"

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