Sibelius is unquestionably a leader in the front rank of symphonic composers. He has got out of the ruts worn by his predecessors far more completely than Brahms got away from Beethoven, or even Richard Strauss from Wagner. If someone would only burn Finlandia he would come to our young people as an entirely original inventor of a new art form and a new harmony technique.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Sibelius is a top composer who moved far beyond past styles, though burning his famous work would make him seem more original.
- In plain terms
- Sibelius is great and unique, but his famous pieces make people think less of his originality.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize Sibelius as an original composer despite his famous works.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does fame affect artistic perception?
- Is originality more valuable than recognition?
Another view
The suggestion to burn works is hyperbolic and impractical.
More from Jean Sibelius
In his work a means of escape has been found from outmoded romanticism on the one hand and from a barren objectivity on the other.
Permalink to quote #10 Sibelius has an acutely developed sense of identification with nature and a preoccupation with myth that at one and the same time define his unique strength an…
Permalink to quote #12 Art is the signature of civilizations.
Permalink to quote #9
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