Jean Sibelius: Life, Music, Silence

Few composers have enjoyed such critical acclaim - or longevity - as Jean Sibelius, who died in 1957 aged 91. Always more than simply a Finnish national figure, an `apparition from the woods' as he ironically described himself, Sibelius lived through many turbulent and tumultuous events, and his work is central to the story of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century music. Now in paperback, this book situates Sibelius within a rich interdisciplinary environment, paying attention to his relationship with architecture, literature, politics and the visual arts. Drawing on the latest developments in Sibelius research, it is an accessible and rewarding introduction for the general reader, and offers a fresh and provocative interpretation for those more familiar with his music.