The composer

Without a doubt Finland's greatest composer and one of the greatest symphonists of the 20th century, Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957) is still something of an enigma. He excelled in the “pure” musical logic of the symphony, but also brought to a peak of perfection the descriptive Lisztian symphonic poem, with works that powerfully translate Finnish folk legends into sound, as well as writing incidental music for many stage works. His career could be said to show similarities with that of Beethoven in many respects, for, alongside these intensely serious works (including a large choral symphony), he also wrote countless pieces of occasional light music and salon trifles. The greatest mystery of Sibelius's career, though, was reserved for the last 30 years or so of his long life. Having reached the summit of his compositional powers and international fame with his masterful and highly original seventh symphony and the dark brooding tone poem Tapiola, he abruptly stopped producing music, although it seems clear that he completed and then destroyed an eighth symphony.

The work

The Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39, was written in 1898 and was an immediate success at its first performance the following year. Although Sibelius had been trained in Berlin and Vienna, his early music was greatly influenced by the Russian romantic composers, particularly Tchaikovsky. His extra-musical influences were mainly formed by the rise of Finnish nationalism and the revival of interest in Finnish folk culture, particularly the great epic folk poem The Kalevala. Although the first symphony sounds at times as though it could be incidental music to one of the heroic legends, it has no programme, as is the case for all his symphonies.

The first movement (Andante ma non troppo – Allegro energico) opens with a long mournful clarinet solo over a quiet roll on the timpani before the strings present the first subject of a conventionally structured symphonic allegro movement. Here, for the first time, we are introduced to Sibelius's genius for concealing incredibly subtle thematic development in music that sweeps the listener along through changes of pace and mood without ever revealing the underlying intellectual processes.

The second movement Andante (ma non troppo lento) is in ternary form, beginning and ending with a poetic and warmly-scored theme for strings. The third movement Scherzo(Allegro) is powerful and driving, with a prominent part for the timpani. By contrast, the central trio section is, unusually for Sibelius, almost static.

Perhaps as a tribute to Tchaikovsky, the Finale (Quasi una fantasia) opens with the strings restating the work's opening clarinet theme at full volume before the music quietens and then gradually gains in pace and excitement. Eventually, a long slow noble melody is introduced by the clarinets and taken up by the full orchestra. While this might seem to herald a triumphant and consoling finish to a stormy work, Sibelius refuses to indulge in crowd-pleasing effects and the symphony ends seriously and resolutely in the minor key in which it started.