Sibelius initially aimed to be a violinist and only later pursued composition, studying in Helsinki, Berlin, and Vienna.
Composer Biography
Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer, was born into a Swedish-speaking family but learned Finnish at school and developed an interest in Finnish legends.
Composer Biography
Jean Sibelius ceased composing in 1926 and spent the last 25 years of his life in silence, isolated from contemporary musical trends.
Recording & Production
This album is the first volume in a new Naxos series featuring Pietari Inkinen conducting the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Sibelius's symphonies.
Performer Biography
Pietari Inkinen, the conductor on this album, was appointed Music Director of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 2008 and Principal Guest Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in 2009.
Performer Biography
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1946, is the leading professional orchestra in New Zealand, performing over a hundred concerts annually and having sold over one million CDs internationally.
Composition History
Sibelius received a government stipend for ten years, later converted to a pension for life, after being passed over for a professorship at the University of Helsinki.
