Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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448 SIBELIUS SIBONI
himself says that he does not use Folk-Song.
Still, it is obvious that he does not altogether
break away from the people's song, and that
his mind is in unison with his national trend
of thought. His chief works are the two Symphonies
in E and D, 'The Swan of Tuonela,'
the Overture and Suite 'Karelia,' 'En Saga,'
'Finlandia,' 'Lemminkainen,' Incidental music
to 'Kuolema,' and the Violin Concerto. With
the exception of the two iirst named, and the
last, the works are entirely founded on the
National Legends of Suomi (Finland), in which
Tuonela (Hades) and Kuolema (Death) play a
large and gloomy part ; so that there is naturally
a considerable preponderance of the weird
in the music—for example in The Swan ' ' it is
the strange wild song of the bird swimming on
the black still waters which separate man from
Hades that inspires awe and almost terror.
There is nothing human, but a kind of dark
dream of mysticism. Again, in the music to
Yarnfeldt's drama ' Kuolema, ' the ideas are
those of tragedy, darkness, and horror. The
mother is dying, and in her delirium thinks she
is in the ball-room. Her son cannot detain
her, and she rises and dances with imaginary
men. At the height of her frenzy some one
knocks ; the vision dies ; the music is silent
the mother shrieks, for the visitor is Death.
It must not be thought that Sibelius is morbid
or unmanly from these examples,—on the
contrary his main characteristic is enormous
power. He seems at times to be almost beating
himself to pieces in the struggle to lash out
with his emotions, and gain expression for the
feelings that are bursting within him, while
every now and then he gives touches of indescribably
sad and sweet yearning. He is the
lawful successor of KoUan, Schartz, Faltin, and
Kajanus ; but to his inheritance he brings a
character, colour, and style, which are entirely
his own. Whether composing for the orchestra,
the chorus, or solo voices, Sibelius has much
to say ; much that is liew, and much that no
one else could either imagine or express. No
notice of his work would be complete without
an express mention of his songs, which are truly
remarkable in every way, and, like all his work,
completely foreign to conventional Westei-n
thought and manner. The following is a complete
list of Sibelius's compositions ; many of
the opus numbers omitted refer to arrangements
of works, and are therefore not given here.
Op.
5. 6 Impromptus, FF.
9. Bu Saga. Tone-poem for orcheatra.
lU. Overture Karelia.
11. Suite Karelia.
12. Sonata, PF. Solo.
1:1. 7 Songs.
1.^.
Skogsraet.
16. PrUhlingslied, for Orcheatra.
17. 7 Songs.
18. Part-songs for Male voices.
21. Hymn for Male voices, '
Natus in cui-as.'
22. Legends from the epic 'Kalevala' (Der Schwann von Tuonela
and Lemminkiiuen ziehtheimwjirts).
' 23. Bongs for the Promotions performances,' 1897 (mixed voices).
24. Piano pieces.
26. Finlandia (No, 7). Tone-poem for orchestra.
Op.
27. Incidental Music to King Christian IL
31. AthenianSongs, for boys' voice, solo, Malechorua, Horn septet,
triangle, cymbals, and large drum.
33. Der Fahrmaiins Britute. Scena for Baritone.
86. 6 Songs.
37. 5 Songs.
38. 5 Songs.
39. Symphony No. 1 in E minor.
41. Kylliki (Lyrical pieces).
43. Symphony No. 2 in D major.
44. Valse triate from Kuolenta.
45. Tanz Intermezzo, for orchestra, and for PF, solo,
46. Pelleas and Meliaande. Orcb. Suite.
47. Violin Concerto in D minor,
49. Pohgolas Daughter. Symphonic Fantasia.
51. Balsazars Gastmal. Symphonic Fantasia.
53. Pan and Bcho. D. H.
SIBONI, Giuseppe, bom at Forli.i Jan. 27,
1780, made his d^but as a tenor singer at
Florence in 1797, and after singing in Genoa,
Milan, and Prague, appeared at the King's
Theatre, London, in 1806, and sang for the .
following three seasons. In 1810, 1811, 1812,
1813, and 1814, he was in Vienna, where he
sang at the first performances of Beethoven's
'Wellington's Sieg' and 'Tremate empi.' In
1813 he sang at Prague, and after engagements
at Naples and St. Petersburg (1818) settled at
Copenhagen in October 1819, where he lived
for the rest of his life, occupying the post of
director of the Royal Opera and of the Conservatorium.
He was married three times, his
second wife being a sister of Schubert's friend,
von Schober, and died at Copenhagen, March
29, 1839. Many of Paer's tenor parts were
written for him. His son,
Erik Anton Waldemar, born at Copenhagen,
August 26, 1828, learnt the pianoforte
from Courlander and Goetze, composition from
F. Vogel, and harmony from Prof. J. P. E.
Hartmann. In Sept. 1847 he went to Leipzig,
and studied under Moscheles and Hauptmann,
but on the outbreak of the Schleswig Holstein
insurrection he enlisted as a volunteer in the
Danish army, and took part in the campaign of
1848. In 1851 he went to Vienna, and studied
counterpoint under Sechter until 1853, when he
returned to Copenhagen, visiting Paris oh his
way.
Among his pupils at this time were our
own Queen Alexandra, her sister, the Empress
of Russia, and the Landgrave Frederick William
of Hesse Oassel. In 1864 Herr Siboni was
appointed organist and professor of music at
the Royal Academy of Music of Soro, in Seeland,
a post he resigned on account of health in 1883 ;
he returned to Copenhagen and died there Feb.
22, 1892. The following are his chief compositions:—
1. PrausHEn.
Three Impromptus for PF. for 4 hands (op. 1); Organ Preludes;
Quartet for PF. and Strings (op. 10) ; Tragic Overture in C minor
(op. 14) ;
Songs and PF. pieces.
2. Ukpublibbbd.
Two — Danish operas 'Loreley.'in 1 act; 'Carl den Andens Flugt,'
in 3 acts (Libretto on subject tTom English History by Professor
Thomas Overskou), successfully perfoi-med at the Royiil Theatre of
Copenhagen in 1861 ; Psalm cxi. for Base Solo, Chorus, and Orchestra
'Stabat Mater,' for Soli, Chorus, Orcheatra, and Oi-gan ; Can1»ta,
'TheBattleof Murten,' for Soli, Male Chorus, and Orchestra; 'The
Assault of Copenhagen.' Cantata for Soli, Chorus, and Orchestra;
two Symphonies ; Concert Overture ; PP. Concerto ; String Quartets
PF, Trio ; Duet for 2 PFs., Sonatas for PF. and Violin, and PP,
and Violoncello, etc. , many of them performed at concerts in Copenhagen.
1 FtStis gives his birthplace as Bologna, and the date as 1782, but
the above details are from autobiographical notes supplied by his
son.