Posts by: Leon
2012 is the year I am going to Finland. It may be surprising, but although I have loved Sibelius’ music for more than two decades, and championed it for more than one, I have never been to Finland.
It all begins with a painting.
I came across this video while looking for Sibelius on YouTube. It is titled simply, “Sibelius Pictures” but the thumbnail gives a clue why it seems unusual. As you start the video, the video explains that these are “Drawings by 6th Grade Children After Listening to Sibelius”. The video is credited to Escola [...]
Ten days ago in the middle of March I received an email from Gerry Henkel, the Editor of New World Finn, a quarterly journal on Finnish culture in the New World. The approximately 30-page journal features Finnish newsmakers, musicians, artists, writers and more, in North America. To my pleasant surprise, Gerry asked for permission to reproduce my 13-year-old article on Tapiola, which I published on Earth Day (April 22) 1999.
“We were all enthralled by the dark pine forests and the shadowy gods and wood-nymphs who dwell therein. The coda with its icy winds sweeping through the forest made us shiver.” On the Sibelius tone poem ‘Tapiola’. From a letter to the composer by Walter Damrosch, who conducted the premiere of that work in 1926.
Before going to this concert, I scanned through my entire collection of CDs looking for an album by Marc-André Hamelin for him to autograph. I could not find a single one. I was thoroughly disgusted with myself.
During the days at the Flying Inkpot (or go to flyinginkpot.com [...]
I ran for the Fourth Symphony. I sprinted for the tritone. I was running late, simply because I stopped for dinner right after knocking off from office, before heading to the Esplanade Concert Hall, and the meal took much longer than expected. Burned my tongue.
7pm and I was at Queenstown Station. On the way [...]
Jean Sibelius
I have traversed the forests of Tapio, I have heard tales from Kullervo's blade. I have scored the chorus of tempests, and transcribed the scent of drying hemp into song. I have caressed the smooth shell of Luonnotar's egg, and I have wept farewell for Runeberg's bard.
This blog belongs to the Inkpot Sibelius Nutcase. He writes about the Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius.- Why so many conducting Finns? http://t.co/U5TTDGK9
- RT @ABCClassic: Ever wondered just what a conductor does? Fascinating video from @NYTimes. http://t.co/uN5P6msD
- Which is the best musical instrument? http://t.co/WMgrV7eU
