Sibelius at home - listening to radio

Jean Sibelius, Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22: IV Lemminkäinen's Return Jean Sibelius was extremely precise with his own compositions and eager to hear their latest renditions. However, he avoided performing in public and stayed home regardless of requests. In the 1930s, after Sibelius had stopped composing almost entirely, he began spending more time in the Ainola library, seated in his armchair, smoking a cigar and listening to his beloved Telefunken 7001 WK radio. Aino Sibelius described her husband’s pastime in a letter: 'At this very moment, his first symphony is being performed in Switzerland. Audibility is not too good, but the familiarity of the composition allows him to block out disruptive noises and focus on the music. Right now it is playing beautifully. You can imagine the enjoyment. Being able to sit here at home in the middle of the woods listening to his favourite music.' The radio and the gramophone were Ainola’s centre. Every time there was a radio concert or Sibelius listened to his records, Ainola’s silence transformed into a pummelling force of music – the tones emptied the room of all elements that could disrupt the listening. Once Sibelius was so immersed in his maximum-volume enjoyment that he missed his guests subtly retreating to the yard, holding their ears. One bold guest, conductor Sir Thomas Beecham, finally had the courage to awaken Sibelius from his cloud of smoke and sound and get him to return to earth from his personal space of music. ‘I want to hear every semiquaver of the composition,’ was Sibelius’s explanation for his gramophone’s maximum volume. He would usually resume his listening session after saying this. DID YOU KNOW … that the ten-member Radio Orchestra’s first performance was on 1 September 1927, from 8 to 9:45 P.M? All that is known of the evening’s programme is that the orchestra performed Finnish music with violinist Hugo Huttunen as the soloist. … that the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra began experimenting with radio broadcasts in 1926 and made them a regular activity in 1927? … that in 1934, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra played a concert, led by the American conductor Werner Janssen, which was broadcast live via radio in North America? Sibelius’s third and fourth symphonies were performed together with the symphonic poem, Pohjola's Daughter. … that Musiikkitalo’s website has a list of future broadcasts? Access the list by clicking on “Concerts and events” and then on “Musiikkitalo recommends. “ Read more: http://bit.ly/1YbzMIS Jean Sibelius, Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22: IV Lemminkäinen's Return The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra & Radio Orchestra, Georg Schneevoigt (1945) The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu (2015) (Ondine)

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