Piano compositions

Few great composers have received as much

criticism as Sibelius for writing miniatures -
especially small-scale piano and violin pieces -
instead of concentrating on large orchestral works,
and above all on symphonies. But for Sibelius
himself there was no aesthetic problem. He wrote
in his diary (16th May 1910): "One has to combine
things great and small. Symphonies and songs."
Anyway, it seems absurd to blame a professional
composer for trying to maintain his family in the
only way he could, by writing music for money.
One wonders if he was supposed to write only
symphonies and let his large family starve.

Those who have found fault with Sibelius's piano

music have usually been music writers or critics.
On the other hand, pianists who have taken the
trouble to study the music itself have without
SEARCH exception praised Sibelius's piano style for its
originality and its suitability for the instrument.
Go
Pianists such as Ilmari Hannikainen, Glenn Gould,
Erik Tawaststjerna and Eero Heinonen have seen
Sibelius's personal way of writing for the piano as
an interesting challenge, and none of them has
doubted Sibelius's mastery of the instrument.
According to Gould "Sibelius never wrote against
the grain of the keyboard. ... In Sibelius's piano
music everything works, everything sings - but on
its own terms." Gould's conclusion was absolutely
positive: "Sibelius was able to make a significant
addition to the far too limited piano repertoire of
late Romanticism." According to Eero Heinonen
"there are technical difficulties, to be sure, but
generally the piano texture is melodious and
colourful - but unlike any other piano style".

Sibelius seemed to provide ammunition for the

views of his critics by a few careless remarks. He
said to his pupil Bengt von Törne (1937): "I write
piano pieces in my spare moments ... as a matter
of fact the piano does not interest me because it
cannot sing."

On the other hand, according to his secretary

Santeri Levas (1960), "Sibelius himself had a
completely different view of his piano pieces. He
appreciated them to the full and considered the
opinion of the musical world unfair. .... 'I know that
they have a secure future, I know it despite the
fact that they have completely fallen into oblivion.'
.... Sibelius added that one day his piano pieces
might become as popular as those of Schumann."
Sibelius' statement to Levas must come closest to
the truth. Otherwise he would scarcely have used
the piano throughout his life as a practical
instrument, one on which he improvised and
gained new ideas. According to contemporaries
Sibelius had considerable pianistic skills, charming
his audience with his improvised fantasies, even if
he was not a professional pianist. Besides, if he
had not liked the instrument it would have been
quite strange for him to "masochistically" compose
a huge amount of music where the piano is either
the solo instrument or part of a chamber music
ensemble. Overall, Sibelius wrote works for the
piano as follows: - over 150 piano works, about
115 of which were published with an opus number,
plus approximately 35 more that remain
unpublished;- several dozen piano arrangements of
his orchestral works;- approximately 110 songs
with piano accompaniment; - over 50 chamber
music works with a piano part (works for violin and
piano and for cello and piano; also piano trios,
piano quartets and a piano quintet).Altogether, we
find that the piano is included in more than half of
Sibelius's compositions, i.e. in approximately 350
works.

Writing in 1931 (actually before all Sibelius's piano

works had been published) Cecil Gray claimed that
there was no development in the piano works -
apart from their insignificance - and that the last
piano compositions were clearly inferior to earlier
works. However, Erik Tawaststjerna (1955) took a
different view: "Many of Sibelius's piano
compositions are quite remarkable both as regards
their form and their musical material, and they
have a personal piano style which is well-suited to
the character of the instrument. As a whole they
show the same general development as the
composer's larger works."

One can certainly agree with the latter view. Like

the rest of his output, Sibelius's piano music
follows the pattern of his stylistic development. It
can be divided into six parts. The first of these
belongs to the young Sibelius's "chamber music
period" (around 1881-1891), when he adopted a
classical-romantic style of form and expression.
During the second, "national romantic" period
(around 1891-1902) Sibelius's music became more
chromatic and created an interesting synthesis of
Central European and Finnish elements. During his
third, "neoclassical" period (around 1902-1908)
Sibelius made more use of classical idioms,
although his output was also strongly influenced by
Kalevala romanticism and symbolism. During his
fourth period of "modern classicism" (around
1908-1919) he wrote sonatinas and rondinos,
while at the same time impressionist and
expressionist tendencies made their way into his
music. The fifth and last active creative period
(around 1919-1929) was the time of a "synthetic
universal style". Now there was a plasticity that
combined notions from classical antiquity, modal
tonality, nature mysticism and tonal meditation;
now he incorporated both traditional elements and
radical modernism. Beyond this, even during his
period of "silence" (1929-1940s) he composed
works, small in number but original.

Early piano works

During the first period Sibelius's works were mainly
of the kind one would expect from music written
for the needs of his immediate circle, including his
brother and sister and his friends. Yet its scope has
turned out to be larger as the early manuscripts
have been become objects of serious study. Almost
all of the piano works from this period (over 50 of
them) remain unpublished. They include harmonic
and thematic exercises as well as sonata
fragments.

The earliest datable piano work, Con moto, sempre

una corda, contains the subscription "Minne af J. S.
1985". It is a pianistically demanding and
adventurous salon work which combines mazurka,
waltz and scherzo characteristics. In it there are
brilliant explicit fermata in the style of Liszt. The
three piano pieces from the summer of 1887 -
Andante in E flat major, Aubade and Au crépuscule
- are charming and colourful fantasies; they are
possibly based on improvisations and (pointing to
later developments) on contemplations of nature.
Trånaden in five movements, a work for narrator
and piano lasting almost 20 minutes, is from the
same summer. It is one of Sibelius's most
extensive piano works; it contains an impressive
storm scene and hints of a more mature style,
even of the fifth symphony. Valse à Betsy Lerche
(1889) is an exciting work containing several
episodes, dedicated to the girl the composer was
smitten with at the time. The work describes the
stages of a love affair: the name of the episodes
after the "Introduction" are "douce", "avec force",
"à la Betsy", "avec passion" - and "adieu!".
Florestan (1889) is a large-scale four-movement
work influenced by Schumann. Its demands vary
between easy and fairly difficult. The music is
imaginative with romantic elements and Sibelian
idiosyncrasies. While he was in Berlin Sibelius
wrote several sonata expositions and also an E
major sonata allegro (1889-1890) - a work which
is not only pianistically impressive but also
indicative of the future Sibelian style, with its
harmonic resting-points and its nature-based
figures .

Six impromptus op. 5 (1890-93)

The creation of a Karelian/Karelianistic piano style

may well have loomed large in Sibelius's thinking
during the first period of his career (1891-1902).
In the Six Impromptus (1890-93) we find
reminiscences of Sibelius's journey to collect
traditional runes in Karelia. Kantele influences and
dance tunes from eastern Finland and Karelia can
be observed in the pieces. In this connection it is
well to remember that Sibelius could play the
kantele and that his performances have actually
been documented. Intimate knowledge is shown by
the Waltz/Berceuse for violin and kantele in E
minor (1899) and by two pieces for solo kantele:
Moderato A minor (1896-98) and Dolcissimo A
minor (1897-98).

Impromptu no. 1 in G minor (Moderato). This is an

unaffected and melodious opening piece. Its theme
has been regarded as "the musical symbol of
Finland, Sibelius's native country" (Ostrowsky).
Impromptu no. 2 in G minor (Lento-Vivace). After
the opening chords we hear a trepak dance with a
fast middle section (Più vivo) in G major.

Impromptu no. 3 in A minor (Moderato/Alla

marcia). This is a fairy-tale march slightly
reminiscent of Grieg with a middle section which
was very dear to Sibelius. According to Ernst
Lampén "Sibelius had just composed his six
Impromptus ... He was playing them on the piano
… every once in a while he played the middle part
of the third Impromptu, with the motto
'dolcissimo'. Sibelius was very pleased with this
section; we found it extremely lovely and could not
get enough of it. In those days his music was new
and strange, but we immediately understood these
Impromptus and enjoyed them enormously."

Impromptu no. 4 in E minor (Andantino).

Here we have a melancholy fairy tale based on the
alternation and repetition of two motifs. Note the
left hand imitation of the second theme, which first
appears in the treble.

Impromptu no. 5 in B minor (Vivace).

This is sparkling arpeggio music, written as if for
the lute, harp or kantele, and bringing to mind
Liszt’s piano piece Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este.
This and the following movement are
arrangements based on a play with music called
Svartsjukans nätter (1888).

Impromptu no. 6 in E major (Commodo). A

sweetly rocking salon waltz with a second section
in E minor.

Sonata in F major, op. 12 (1893).

First performance by Oskar Merikanto, 17th April

1895 (Helsinki).
Sibelius's only piano sonata has often been
condemned as being essentially a piano
arrangement of an orchestral work. But in the
opinion of one of the founders of the Finnish piano
school, Ilmari Hannikainen (a student of the
Russian master Alexander Siloti, who in turn was a
student of Liszt), "the F major Piano sonata is a
splendid work. Fresh, refreshing and full of life. … I
have sometimes heard people mention the
orchestral tone of the sonata (the left-hand
tremolos) … In my opinion the sonata shows
Sibelian piano style at its most genuine. There is
no question of there being any tremolos in it.
Everything that looks like that is really to be played
in quavers or semi-quavers, in the manner of, say,
Beethoven's piano sonatas. … When it is well and
carefully rehearsed - and performed - the F major
sonata is truly a virtuoso piece."

1st movement (Allegro).

The opening movement is powerfully orchestral,
indeed Brucknerian. It brings to mind Kullervo, En
Saga and the Karelia music. Sostenutos, tremolos
and ostinatos play a significant role. The
movement represents Sibelius's Karelianistic
pianism.

2nd movement (Andantino).

The main sequence of the movement, which is
repeated three times, is based on an unfinished
song for male choir in B flat Dorian mode, Heitä,
koski, kuohuminen (Kalevala, poem 40). The music
is lyrical, sorrowful and expansive. It is interrupted
twice by a quietly tinkling kantele dance marked
Presto (in C sharp and the F Aeolian mode).

3rd movement (Vivacissimo).

The riotous finale is based on an alternation
between two motifs, one a trepak and one lyrical.
It has a wild kinetic energy. The forte
recapitulation of the second, lyrical motif takes the
movement to a dizzying conclusion. In the end
Sibelius was able to create an unusual and virtuoso
Karelian style in his sonata, which has no obvious
models - though perhaps Grieg and Tchaikovsky
are lurking in the background.

Ten piano pieces op. 24 (1895-1903).

This somewhat heterogeneous opus, which was

composed over a long period, contains those piano
pieces of Sibelius that are perhaps most popular
and most frequently played. In this opus Sibelius
does not so much continue to develop the Karelian
idiom as combine it with an impressive and more
traditionally romantic piano style. The result is
nevertheless exciting and unique.

No. 1, Impromptu in G minor (Vivace; 1895).

This massive and dramatic impromptu to some
extent continues to move in the landscape of opus
5, but adds to it a progression which brings to
mind Schubert's Erlkönig, and the fatefulness of
the orchestral ballad Skogsrået (The Wood Nymph)
(1895). In places the work shows interesting
anticipations of Valse triste (1904).

No. 2, Romance in A major (Andantino; 1895).

This is a dramatic (love) scene which opens with a
duet between the treble and the middle range of
the instrument. The expressive style of the
movement is orchestral, even Wagnerian, although
the climax also brings to mind Brahms's orchestral
style. This is the most extensive movement of the
opus. It used to be part of repertoire of the pianist,
Siloti.

No. 3, Caprice in E minor (Vivace; 1898). A

favourite piece with a virtuoso character, bringing
to mind violin techniques, even Paganini. It is
based on repetitions, octaves, broken chords and
rapid scale figures. As a counterbalance we hear in
the middle section a simple, folk-like melody. Its
syncopating accompaniment associates it with
Souda, souda, sinisorsa.

No. 4, Romance in D minor (1895)

No. 5, Valse in E major (Vivace; 1898?). A

Chopinesque waltz which is popular among piano
students. The particular feature of the main
sequence is the 2/4 time left-hand accompaniment
which is set against a waltz rhythm.

No. 6, Idyll in F major (Andantino; 1898?). The

first and last sequences are in a gently rocking 6/8
time which resembles Chopin's ballad in F major.
In the middle of the piece a fierce storm breaks
out, with the right hand imitating a virtuoso violin
solo. In a later version (1904) the middle section is
in part transposed one octave lower.

No. 7, Andantino in F major (1899). A catchy,

melodic miniature, which could very well exist also
in an arrangement for string orchestra. There is
also another version (1899) which is very similar
to the previous version.

No. 8, Nocturno in E minor (Andante; 1900). This

contains a passionate cello-like melody which rises
to a splendid climax. The work would also be very
well suited to a string orchestra.

No. 9, Romance in D flat major (Andantino; 1901).

This work is much loved by Finnish pianists. It is a
melodically radiant favourite, whose climax is an
example of genuine virtuoso writing à la Liszt.

No. 10, Barcarola (1903)

Kyllikki, three lyrical pieces op. 41 (1904)

This may well be Sibelius's best large-scale piano

work of more than one movement. There is no
absolute certainty of its connection with Kalevala,
but it can be analysed and interpreted on the basis
of such a connection. The work can be seen as a
triptych portraying the principal character's three
successive states of mind. Even the harshest critics
of Sibelius have admitted the excellence of the
work. Glenn Gould, who recorded it, valued Kyllikki
despite its quasi-virtuoso character and traditional
limitations, seeing it as a significant addition to the
piano repertoire. Kyllikki can be regarded as the
principal and final work of Sibelius's Kalevala-
inspired piano period.

1st movement: Largamente-Allegro. The Allegro

episode, which starts after the heavy introduction,
is in a masculine, bellicose and fully-textured piano
style, which can easily be associated with
Lemminkäinen's abduction of Kyllikki. The main
theme resembles the opening of Beethoven's
Waldstein sonata, and its lyrical variant occupies
the place normally taken by a secondary theme.
However, it is difficult to grasp the traditional form,
as the listener's attention is taken up by powerful,
chordal, octave progressions in contrary motion,
which bring in the recapitulation very brutally. The
final Pesante is a more merciless version of the
opening Largamente, while the B flat Dorian/D flat
major has been turned into C sharp major.

2nd movement: Andantino. This gives us a

melancholy inner landscape with a static main
theme, which doubles in tenths both a tonic (B
flat) and a dominant (F) pedal point - and also the
theme itself. In the middle section the music for a
time becomes nocturnal. It includes a wistful
"adieux" motif (in the manner of Beethoven's
sonata "Les adieux") and proceeds through a
surprisingly impressive climax until it once again
falls into a brooding mood, i.e. the mood of
Kyllikki.

3rd movement: Comodo. The finale has sometimes

been considered too light and short compared with
the previous "deep" movements. On the other
hand, the function of the finale of a classical multi-
movement work is to provide relaxation and a
sense of closure, often in a dance rhythm. The
polka-type rhythm of the finale suits the work as a
whole and is programmatically linked with Kyllikki
going dancing without permission. Moreover, the
contrasting Tranquillo episode links the movement
with the more serious character of the previous
movement. In the finale one also finds a quality of
pastoral lucidity which tends to counteract the
high-spirited nature of the movement.

Ten pieces op. 58 (1909)

Whereas Kyllikki combines Sibelius's Kalevala

Romanticism (1st and 2nd movement) and a more
classical tendency (the "jeu" character of the 3rd
movement), Ten pieces (1909) represents a period
of modernity, introversion and experimentation.
Traditional elements still occasionally appear, as
Sibelius never entirely gave up the vocabulary of
Romanticism. At the same time, in the wake of the
third symphony (1907), the classical approach
becomes increasingly dominant. The most
essential factors in opus 58 are a new polyphonic-
linear way of writing, with economical and
graphical textures, concise and concentrated
expression and experimental harmony employing
exciting dissonances. The music is bold and
innovative, and should definitely not be labelled as
domestic or salon music. For the pianist the music
poses challenges both in terms of intellectual grasp
and technique. Sibelius was conscious of the
progress he had made, since he wrote in his diary
(28th September 1909) that he felt that the
technique "would be better than in other similar
works".

Ilmari Hannikainen understood the uniqueness of

the opus earlier than many others. In 1935 he
wrote: "10 piano pieces op. 58 is my latest great
discovery and infatuation. The whole suite is like a
string of pearls in which every pearl glistens
brightly. And the style of these pieces! Sibelius is
always Sibelius from start to finish, but in op. 58 it
is as though he were embarking on an entirely new
piano style, which - one cannot say resembles -
but is rather spiritually related to Beethoven's last
style. The first piece, Rêverie, is one of the most
sparkling gems in this precious sequence." The
composer Joonas Kokkonen, too, was an early
admirer of Sibelius's new style when he asked
(1955): "Who else but Jean Sibelius wrote in a
two-voiced polyphonic piano style at that time, or
handled the instrument in a melodic-linear fashion,
and created a lyrical atmosphere with extremely
restricted but nevertheless efficient means?"

No. 1, Rêverie (Lente). The French title of the work

and the tempo marking reveal the impressionistic-
expressionistic starting point (Debussy, Scriabin).
The opening piece is excitingly modern. The
texture, which is mainly two-voiced, is based on
considerable independence of the hands: as a
counter to the cello-like, rising melody on the left
hand we have flowing sextuplet rhythms and tonal
allusiveness; the atmosphere is mysterious and
enigmatic. Although the middle section and the
denser repeat of the opening also contain more
traditional elements, the innovative character of
the piece as a whole satisfies both the musical and
the intellectual curiosity of the listener.

No. 2. Scherzino (Con moto). The piece makes an

exciting impression with its hint of bi-modalism
and its vivacity. The composer saw in it "a touch of
Benvenuto Cellini", referring perhaps to the lively
character and capriciousness of that sharp-witted
Renaissance artist.

No. 3. Air varié (Andante). The piece is a

remarkable achievement with its tonal adventures
and Northern salutes to Bach: its two-voiced
inventiveness with its surprises in rhythm and pitch
makes the movement an almost neoclassical box
of delights.

No. 4. Der Hirt (Vivacetto). "The Shepherd" is a

briskly neoclassical piece. It has a quality of
innocence, in the spirit of the French Baroque of
the 18th century. A special feature of the middle
section is an accompaniment ostinato which recalls
the Passepied movement of Debussy's Suite
bergamasque. It provides a contrast to the 3/4
time signature and is repeated in 2/4 time.

No. 5. Des Abends (Andantino). The title "In the

Evening" refers to Schumann. Indeed, the
composer described the movement as "(his) best
piece as far as the atmosphere is concerned". Its
apparent simplicity conceals unpredictable changes
of key.

No. 6. Dialogue (Allegro grazioso). A dialogue

between the bass and the treble, digressing to
surprising key areas.

No. 7. Tempo di Minuetto. According to the

composer the piece is "in E flat minor and
melancholy in the style of bygone days". Here
Sibelius juxtaposes a brooding minuet episode with
a music-box texture. This excellent piece is
distanced ("entfremdet") in a way that might
reflect nostalgic reveries of the composer at a
particular moment.

No. 8. Fischerlied (Allegretto). In "The Fisher

Song" the long, assertive accompaniment figure on
the left hand supports Italianate melodic material,
which is combined with harp-like arpeggio figures.

No. 9. Ständchen (Moderato). A distancing effect

similar to that in the Menuetto (no. 7) can also be
found in this serenade; the violinistic trills of the
middle section disturb the serene atmosphere
which is more characteristic of the genre.

No. 10. Sommerlied (Largo).The "Summer Song"

in E flat major is pervaded by a solemn or even
religious atmosphere. The chorale-type melody is
accompanied by powerful harmonies.

Three sonatinas op. 67. Two rondinos (1912)

Sibelius's new, modern classicism is considerably

deepened in the sonatinas and rondinos. The use
of these genres is connected with the general
neoclassical aspirations of the era, as is evident in
Ravel's piano sonatina (1903-05) and in the
sonatinas of Reger (1905-08) and Busoni (1910-
21). Sibelius's endeavours in this direction, written
to revive Classicism, were more retrospective than
other contemporary works, and his own Classicism
was generally far-removed from "cubist"
neoclassical adaptations (Bach with "wrong" bass
lines, capricious and broken rhythms). The
sonatinas and rondinos were Sibelius's first "pure
water" pieces, to be distinguished from the
"cocktails" served by his contemporaries. They are
short and pithy but their content is important - in
short, they are classical.

Sonatina no. 1 in F sharp minor.

1st movement, Allegro. It would be hard to find a
more condensed and noble theme than the one
heard here. Its continuation is short, but it
introduces an exciting, chromatic theme, with
cadences leading to the dominant of the main key,
C sharp minor. In the next stage the chromatic
theme also incorporates the triplet motif of the
main theme. There is no clear boundary between
the exposition and the development section, but
the listener can notice the recapitulation section
from return of the main theme in its original pitch.
2nd movement, Largo. The slow movement is
based on two appearances of a singing, viola-like
theme; on the second occasion it is transposed one
octave higher and harmonised more or less as a
chorale. The movement ends with an F sharp
major chord, a Picardy modification of the main
key.
3rd movement, Allegro moderato. In the finale we
hear a short playful motif under the
orchestral/violinistic octave tremolo of the right
hand. The subsidiary sequences are marked by a
sparkling major-accented motif, first in G major,
then at the end in F sharp major, which also
remains the optimistic final key of the sonatina.

Sonatina no. 2 in E major.

1st movement, Allegro. Sibelius's liking for Bach is
evident in this happy work. The movement is
opened by imitation and an exchange between
voices, and this is also heard in what follows. More
important than the boundary between the
subsidiary theme and the introductory sequence,
(though there is such a boundary if one looks for
it) is the general ellipsis of sonata form, the
obscuration of boundaries and above all the
endless polyphonic play.
2nd movement, Andantino. Once again we hear a
double melody, now in the cello register while the
accompaniment figures on the higher registers
twinkle from a clear sky. Before the recapitulation
there are expressive minor ninth intervals.
3rd movement, Allegro. The dance-like E major
diatonic material of the finale theme is pure joy.
This time the finale is based on early-classical
sonata form.

Sonatina no. 3 in B flat minor.

The B flat minor sonatina is one of Sibelius's most
important experiments in concentrating the multi-
movement form, uniting the movements and
preparing the thematic material of the different
movements from the same material. The sonatina
precedes the masterly fusions found in the first
movement of the fifth symphony and in the
seventh symphony. The sonatina has in theory
three movements, but the last two are fused
together, and the opening movement presents
material used in the finale. The first movement and
the second half of the second movement follow
early-classical sonata form, in which the movement
contains two halves of roughly equal length. The
sonatina is a perfect expression of Sibelius's
masterly control of form.

1st movement, Andante-Allegro moderato. The

short six-bar introduction presents the main theme
of the sonatina, the Db-F-C-F-Bb progression. The
Allegro moderato section adds to the theme an
upwards arpeggio and triplet ornamentation.

2nd movement, Andante-Allegretto. The first half,

Andante, turns the singing progression of the
opening motif into a funeral march and introduces
the 1/16-figure of the closing stage. It also
contains a puzzling, two-voiced contrary motion
passage which reaches to the highest and lowest
registers; it resembles a homage to Beethoven and
is repeated in the Allegretto section. The Allegretto
is based on a Siciliano alteration of the main motif.

Rondino no. 1 in G sharp minor (Andantino).

The first rondino, which contains questioning
pauses and remarkable sighing motifs, resembles
Liszt's "Valse oubliée" (undiscovered until
recently).

Rondino no. 2 in C sharp minor (Vivace).

The tenth tremolos on the right hand make a
violinistic impression. Otherwise the second
rondino is close to the fashionable neoclassicism of
the period, since it is based on a cheerful polka
rhythm and contains several sharp dissonances.
The music of Poulenc and Prokofiev is not very far
from this unusual frolic.

Bagatelles op. 34 (1913-16); Pensées

lyriques op. 40 (1912-16).

These two collections by Sibelius, each containing

ten pieces, could be easily passed over as light
music for domestic purposes only - and they have
indeed been characterised in this way. However,
Guy Sacre, the compiler of the massive French
piano music encyclopaedia (La musique de piano,
1998), ranks these collections as "among the best
of Sibelius's works", adding that they "constitute a
kind of Jugend-Album, which is pleasant to play for
the fingers and mind of a young (and a more
mature!) pianist practising his prima vista playing".
Even if the opuses contain no outstanding works,
they are imaginative and excellent pieces, which
certainly all Finnish piano students find
indispensable. Many of them are charming tributes
to the pianism of Chopin, Schumann, Liszt and
Tchaikovsky.

Valse, op. 34, no. 1 (Con moto; 1914). This is a

kind of miniature Chopin piece, providing excellent
preparatory practice for the more demanding
works of the great master of the piano. The explicit
pause at the end resembles that in Chopin's Minute
Waltz.

Air de danse, op. 34, no. 2 (Allegretto; 1914). A

charming gavotte pastiche.
Boutade, op. 34, no. 5 (Con moto; 1914). This
"Boutade" (caprice) is somewhat Chopinesque. In
its ppp waltz parts the main note of the melody
always strikes a dissonance with the
accompaniment.

Joueur de harpe, op. 34, no. 8 (Stretto-Lento e

dolce; 1916). "The Harpist" is a fine work with
arpeggios. It closely resembles The Bard (1913-
14).

Reconnaissance, op. 34, no. 9 (Vivo; 1916).

"Recognition" is a charming bow in the direction of
Schumann based on alternating repetition on both
hands.

Menuetto, op. 40, no. 4 (Grazioso; 1913). The

movement is a genuine Rococo Dance.

Berceuse, op. 40, no. 5 (Andantino; 1913). This

"Cradle Song" is a small melodic pearl. It has also
been arranged for orchestra. The composer
suffered greatly on hearing a café arrangement of
the piece.

Rondoletto, op. 40, no. 7 (Allegretto; 1914). A

Viennese polka in a moderate tempo. There are
delightful harmonic deviations from the home key.

Polonaise. Alla polacca, op. 40, no. 10 (1916).

Every piano student loves this aristocratic and
suitably pompous festive polonaise.

Four lyrical pieces op. 74 (1914)

It may easily seem that in the middle of his

darkest creative period, marked by abstinence
from alcohol and tobacco, Sibelius wrote "too
many" miniatures. Indeed, many writers have
simply lumped together the piano opuses 74-99
(1911-22) and regarded them collectively as
"insignificant, "worthless", "trivial" or
"unrewarding" pieces. However, this has led to a
number of Sibelius's first-rate works being ignored.
For instance opus 74 is definitely one of Sibelius's
best piano suites. Guy Sacre is quite right in saying
that it is "moving and poetic, a collection worth
preserving as a whole".

No. 1, Ekloge (Eclogue) (Andantino). This piece

draws its inspiration from classical antiquity and its
pure and innocent classicism is disarming.

No. 2, Sanfter Westwind (Gentle West Wind) (Con

moto). One Sibelius's most enchanting piano
pieces. It may have influences from Debussy's
L'isle joyeuse and Ravel's sonatina. It points in the
direction of The Oceanides (1914).

Cinq morceaux op. 75 (1914-19)

Sibelius's "tree cycle" is one of the finest examples

of the composer's sensitive, pantheistic way of
feeling: "the trees speak" to him. The popularity of
the opus speaks for itself.

No. 1. När rönnen blommar (When The Rowan

Blossoms) (Allegretto, 1914). This piece brings to
mind Tchaikovsky's piano songs. It is a "chanson
triste" or a "chanson sans paroles".
No. 2. Den ensamma furan (Grave, 1914). "The
Solitary Pine" givens an impression of utter
steadfastness. At the time of its composition it was
interpreted as a symbol of Finland standing firm
against the icy winds from the east.

No. 3. Aspen (Andantino, 1914). "The Aspen"

breathes enigmatic impressionism. The responses
from the baritone register of the left hand and the
bare accompanying chords on the right hand are
Nordic in their taciturnity.

No. 4. Björken (The Birch) (Allegro, 1914). The

birch, the favourite tree of the Finns, "stands so
white". The first two strophes of the piece are in B
flat Mixolydian mode. Their left-hand ostinato
produces the effect of a field, by minimalist means.
The Misterioso closing of the work, the third
strophe, remains strangely open: the scale points
in the direction of A flat Mixolydian, but it can also
be interpreted as striving in the direction of a D
flat centre. The riddle is not solved, since a low D
flat note appears under the concluding open chord
(A flat - E flat).

No. 5. Granen (The Spruce) (Stretto-Lento; 1919).

This is one of Sibelius's indisputable hits, a slow
waltz comparable to Valse triste. The fast
arpeggios in the Risoluto section are truly
stunning.

Treize morceaux op. 76 (1911-19)

The suite is heterogeneous as a whole, but it

contains several extremely popular pieces. Many of
them are short and simple, but there are also
important works among them. In Erik
Tawaststjerna's opinion the opus "contains some of
Sibelius's finest miniatures".

No. 2, Etude (Leggiero, 1911). This violinistic

étude is a popular technique exercise among
pianists, who even try to break speed records
when playing it. It is Sibelius's Für Elise.

No. 9, Arabesque (Vivacissimo, 1914). This

resembles the études of Liszt in its swiftness and
lightness.

No. 11, Linnaea (Twinflower) (Andantino con moto,

1918). This flower (Linnaea borealis) was Linnaeus'
favourite flower and was named after him. To
Sibelius it was the symbol of poetry.

No. 12 Capriccietto (Vivace, 1914). This is an

exciting, tonally meandering piece which
successfully avoids settling into G minor until the
very last bars.

No. 13 Harlequinade (Commodo, 1916). A

whimsical, ever-changing work on par with
Debussy's shortest preludes (e.g. Minstrels).

Cinq morceaux op. 85 (1916-17)

With the "Tree Suite" in mind Sibelius wrote a

corresponding "Flower Suite". It forms a distinctive
series of worthwhile pieces.
No. 1. Bellis (Presto; 1917). "The Daisy" is a
music-box-like virtuoso "Blumenstück" on the
white keys. The style is that of a salon piece.

No. 2. Oeillet (Con moto; 1916). "The Carnation" is

a remembrance of a ball. It was described by Erik
Tawaststjerna as "the most inspired and brilliant of
Sibelius's miniatures in waltz rhythm". The A flat
minor variation in the middle section darkens the
atmosphere a little.

No. 3. Iris (Allegretto e deciso; 1916). This is a

challenging but rewarding work for the pianist. It is
both serious and poetic in its fragility and
determination.

No. 4. Aquileja (Allegretto; 1917). This piece

("Aquilegia" or "Columbine") serves its purpose as
a biedermeier-style work in the manner of Edward
MacDowell.

No. 5. Campanula (Andantino; 1917). "The

Bellflower" rings out with its appoggiaturas and
offers a bright, sparkling finale.

Six pieces op. 94 (1914-19). Six bagatelles

op. 97 (1920). Huit petits morceaux (1922)

In his three "bread and butter" suites Sibelius

comes close to the practical aesthetics of French
composition and in this sense shows a kinship with
Satie and Poulenc. Like many of his predecessors
and contemporaries Sibelius wrote dance pastiches
(cf. Grieg, Paderewski, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev,
etc.). The textures are restrained, yet sensuous
and translucent.

Nouvellette, op. 94, no. 2 (Allegro; 1914). The

piece resembles Beethoven's bagatelles,
Schumann's novellettes and Sibelius's Karelia
suite.

Mélodie, op. 94, no. 5 (Largamente-Andantino;

1919). The melody is in places briskly
accompanied by tenths on the left hand. The
melody and the piano texture bring to mind
Schumann and Brahms.

Gavotte op. 96, no. 6 (Allegro moderato; 1919).

This is a genuine gavotte adaptation of French
Baroque court ballet music.

Lied op. 97, no. 2 (Andantino; 1920). A tender

song in the spirit of Grieg. It used to be part of the
repertoire of Emil Gilels.

Humoristischer Marsch (A Humorous March), op.

97, no. 4 (1920). The style of the piece ranges
from Beethoven, via Schumann, to Prokofiev.

Animoso, op. 99, no. 6 (1922). A "Reiterstück" in

the style of Schumann.

Petite marche, op. 99, no. 8. A somewhat

orientalist march, which also contains suggestions
of the seventh symphony. (1922).

Five Romantic Compositions op. 101 (1923-

24)
After the light and impressionistic tree and flower
suites (opuses 75 and 85) and the character pieces
and dances (opuses 76, 94, 97, 99) influenced by
French ballet and neoclassicism, Sibelius's last
three piano opuses (op. 101, 105, 114) add depth
to impressions of nature. Instead of a thin and
refined piano texture the last piano works are
marked by orchestral sonorities and by similarities
to the sixth and seventh symphonies. "The linear
style has given way to a more massive, richer
handling of the piano" (Erik Tawaststjerna). The
Five Romantic Compositions "could be played as a
suite," said the composer - in other words, in his
last opuses Sibelius was attempting to unite the
individual pieces more closely than in the earlier
more heterogeneous collections.

No. 1. Romance (Poco con moto). The harmonies

of this work are bolder than in the earlier
romances of opus 24.

No. 2. Chant du soir (Andantino). The "Evening

Song" is a straightforward musical depiction which
shows kinship with the sixth symphony.

No. 3. Scène lyrique (Andante-Vivace). This

"Lyrical Scene" reaches the masterly violinistic
dimension of the sixth symphony in its polka-like
and quick-moving Vivace sequence.

No. 4. Humoresque (Commodo). This Humoresque

could be a mazurka for violin.

No. 5. Scène romantique (Moderato assai). The

"Romantic Scene" has been described by
Tawaststjerna as "perhaps the most perfect piece
in the opus", and by Heinonen as "one of the most
perfect gems in Sibelius's piano output". The piece
has the charm of Schumann's novelettes, spiced
with Fauré-like harmonies.

Five Characteristic Impressions op. 103

(1923-24)

The suite offers Sibelius's most powerful and

orchestral pianism. One can see aspects of the
seventh symphony in the work.

No. 1. The Village Church (Largo). The Village

Church represents Sibelius's late "Olympian" style.
The work is based on Sibelius's Andante festivo for
string quartet (1922), still unknown at the time. It
has something of the breadth of the seventh
symphony. All three works are in C major. The
compositional technique also shows similarities to
Debussy's preludes, especially in the arpeggio
section.

No. 2. The Fiddler (Con moto). This an relaxed and

cheerful work. It may be connected to Sibelius's
playing with folk musicians - a practice which he
continued to indulge in after moving to Järvenpää.

No. 3. The Oarsman (Allegretto). The Oarsman's C

major diatonicity also points towards the seventh
symphony.

No. 4. The Storm (Allegretto molto). The Storm

might be connected with the incidental music for
Shakespeare's The Tempest, which Sibelius wrote
a year or two later.

No. 5. In Mournful Mood (Moderato). In Mournful

Mood is a Mahlerian funeral march in miniature.

Five Esquisses op. 114 (1929)

Sibelius's last piano opus is a masterly farewell to

the instrument. In it he managed to find new
dimensions, finally achieving a kind of pianistic
sound that corresponded to his orchestral works.
The five deep, pantheistic nature impressions also
show Sibelius's late style at its purest. Their pitch-
related and tonal-modal organisation is at times
revolutionary, and it offers a noteworthy
alternative to the chromatic compositional style of
the early 20th century which led to atonalism.

According to the musicologist-pianist Joseph Kon

from Petrozavodsk, the sketches contain "tonal and
harmonic innovations" and "reveal in Sibelius's
thinking an aspiration which surprisingly makes
him a figure resembling Scriabin and Bartók". Kon
refers to a new interpretation of the intervals and
of the exceptional Sibelian outbursts in the pieces.
In addition, the works are marked by two
overlapping pentachords which generate a higher
third-based structure (a concept presented by
Sibelius in his trial lecture of 1896). Unfortunately
the suite was not published until 1973, so it is still
not very well known. The intelligibility of the music
is further obscured by several misprints resulting
from hasty and careless editorial work.

No. 1. Maisema. (Landscape) (Andantino). The

delicacy of the piece is created by simple melodic
elements, their third interval transpositions and
arpeggios. The ninth chord, so dear to Sibelius, is
heard here and there and its occurrence in the B
flat dominant, decorated by a minimalist arpeggio
figuration, leads the piece to an E flat Ionic major
conclusion.

No. 2. Talvikuva (A Winter Scene) (Allegretto). The

alternation between the A major/Ionian and A-
Aeolian-Ionian mode, and the two different kinds
of music connected to them, make the movement
a combination of sweet and sour, joyful and sad.

No. 3. Metsälampi (A Woodland Pond) (Con moto).

The piece is based on modal scale improvisation (D
Dorian mode with a lower B third) and on a central
chord (B-D-F-A-C-E-G) generated by a piling-up of
thirds, together with modifications of this central
chord. Here Sibelius's pitch organisation represents
the state of the art of its time. This is Sibelian
musical thinking at its most ingenious. On the
basis of the technique chosen the composition
could go on forever.

No. 4. Metsälaulu (A Song in the Woods). The

piece is like an endless song telling of the eternity
of the forest. It is based on the Sibelian field
technique, with the propagation of a central chord.
This time the central chord B-D#-F-A-C/C#
contains two tritones (B-F, D#-A) and two
alternative ninths (C/C# ). The result is a modern
and fascinating tonal vision.
No. 5. Kevätnäky (A Vision in Spring). A fleeting
image in which E major is modified by Mixolydian
and Ionian-Aeolian features and an A# tritone.
Sibelius's modal technique is flexible and
surprising.

Piano arrangements of orchestral works

Sibelius's first-rate pianism and knowledge of the

instrument is evident in the numerous piano
arrangements he made of his own orchestral works
and of Finnish folk songs. According to Erik T.
Tawaststjerna "some of Sibelius's arrangements
are most impressive concert pieces" (1990).
Especially performable, successful and frequently
played are the pianistic realisations of Finlandia op.
26 (1900) and Valse triste op. 44, no. 1 (1904).
And indeed, every inhabitant of Helsinki knows The
bell melody of Kallio church, which was published
under the title Die Glockenmelodie in der Kirche zu
Berghäll op. 65b (1912). Its piano arrangement is
easy but impressive. The arrangements of the
three lighthearted pieces of Op. 96 (1919-21) -
Valse lyrique, Autrefois, Valse chevaleresque - are
splendid encore pieces for concerts.

Six Finnish folk songs as piano arrangements

(1902-03)

In his "serious" compositions, Sibelius tended not

to use Finnish folk songs in ways which would
make them immediately recognisable. However,
the main theme of the Kullervo opening movement
has been compared to melodies from the west of
Finland. And in fact, starting from the second
movement of Kullervo, Sibelius used Karelian tunes
throughout his output, making them part of his
musical language. Six folk song arrangements
gains particular interest from the fact that in his
academic trial lecture of 1896 ("Some aspects of
folk music and its impact on the art of music")
Sibelius had openly acknowledged the influence of
the melodies and modality of folk song and rune
singing on his own harmonic principles.

In his folk-song adaptations, too, Sibelius gives a

clear picture of his compositional technique, and he
harmonises melodies in ways that deviate from the
romantic style. He avoids the dominant and
traditional tonal functions. Moreover, instead of the
tonic of the melody he emphasises its lower fifth
(subdominant) and he creates a peculiar ambiguity
by often delaying the disclosure of the keynote
until the very last bar of the piece.

No. 1. Minun kultani (My Sweetheart) (Allegretto).

A simple melody, in places unaccompanied and
played as doubled octaves. The chordal
accompaniment progresses in parallel motion. The
E in the bass and the use of the B Aeolian-Ionian
scale (the 6th and 7th notes are the same in both
upwards and downwards motion: G sharp and A
sharp) add a fascinating touch to this B-centred
piece.

No. 2. Sydämestäni rakastan (I love with all my

heart) (Andante). The most pared-down
arrangement within the collection. The B pedal
point and the Dorian C# note create a beautiful
sense of stasis before the piece comes to an end
with the final E.

No. 3. Ilta tulee, ehtoo joutuu (Evening draws on)

(Andantino). The piece has the key signature of C#
minor/E major. It alternately emphasises the A and
E centres, and the 1/16 ostinato C#-D# twangs
like a kantele, although the end reveals the
surprising F# centricity of the work. One of
Sibelius's most successful single piano pieces as
regards texture and modal ambiguity.

No. 4. Tuopa tyttö, kaunis tyttö kanteletta soittaa

(That lovely girl is playing the kantele) (Moderato).
The most virtuoso piece in the suite. It is the
repeated arpeggios that provide the kantele
dimension. The C and F major arpeggios (with
added notes) on both hands call to mind the
pianistic cembalo technique introduced by Liszt.
The harmonisation and the altered notes of the
piece point in many different directions, even if the
strong C harmonies anticipate the conclusion in F
major.

No. 5. Velisurmaaja (A Brother's Murderer)

(Andante con moto). The most modern piece in the
collection. It has been compared to the works of
Bartók because of its exciting tritone chromaticism
(B# against the F# of the bass). The C#-based
melody, which has been harmonised with parallel
chords based on the C# Aeolian-Ionian scale,
finally gets F# as its centre.

No. 6. Häämuistelma (Recollections of a Wedding)

(Moderato). A touching A flat major melody which
is harmonised in A flat Ionian. It flirts in its turn
with the one fifth lower D flat tetrachord.

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