A Comparative Analysis of the Orchestral and Piano ...

APPROVED: Steven Harlos, Major Professor and Chair of

the Division of Keyboard Studies Elvia Puccinelli, Co-Major Professor Paul Leenhouts, Committee Member Jaymee Haefner, Director of Graduate Studies

in the College of Music John Richmond, Dean of the College of Music Victor Prybutok, Dean of the Toulouse

Graduate School

Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

May 2021

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ORCHESTRAL AND PIANO VERSIONS

OF FINLANDIA BY JEAN SIBELIUS IN RELATION TO HIS

COMPOSITIONAL STYLE, 1899–1904

Ruusamari Teppo, B.M., M.M.

Teppo, Ruusamari. A Comparative Analysis of the Orchestral and Piano Versions of

Finlandia by Jean Sibelius in Relation to His Compositional Style, 1899–1904. Doctor of

Musical Arts (Performance), May 2021, 54 pp., 48 musical examples, 3 appendices,

bibliography, 28 titles.

While he was composing his important orchestral tone poem Finlandia in 1899–1900,

Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) made his own piano arrangement of it. The purpose of this study is to

compare the piano arrangement and orchestral version and to see further the similarities with

Sibelius’s other piano compositions from the same time period (1899-1904). Through this study I

have found compositional patterns, which are typical for the composer and defined his

composition style for piano during his “Kalevala-Romantic” phase. Sibelius’s piano style was

characterized as unpianistic and bulky by some. However, through my research I can show that

with an analysis of certain harmonic structures, subtle use of pedal and correct voicings, his

piano texture is indeed very thoughtful and transparent with a clear focus on counterpoint while

remaining pianistic and comfortable to play. In order to fully understand the idiosyncrasies of the

two versions of Finlandia, a detailed comparative analysis of the piano and orchestral scores is

necessary. For this purpose, I primarily used the printed scores of both the piano and orchestral

versions. In addition, the manuscript of the piano version of Finlandia was consulted as an

important resource. From the orchestra manuscript, only one page has been found. The analysis

focuses on the comparison between the textures of both versions, the score and the piano

arrangement. I also applied the results of the comparison to the other scores of Sibelius’s piano

compositions from that time period to show his consistency in his use of the described

arrangement techniques. With using the orchestration possibilities of the piano Sibelius’s writing

allows the instrument to stand completely on its own using all the possibilities of the piano sound

while maintaining a highly pianistic texture. The goal of my research is to provide insight to

understanding Sibelius’s early piano style, introduce some performance practice ideas

appropriate to this period, and highlight his smaller-scale works such as the character pieces and

songs of this period.

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Copyright 2021

By

Ruusamari Teppo

iii

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

I am most grateful to my major professors, Dr. Steven Harlos and Dr. Elvia Puccinelli,

for supporting my doctoral work and giving me valuable feedback during the course of the

research and writing for this dissertation.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my committee member Professor Paul

Leenhouts, who has stood behind me like a rock and supported me to bring out the best of

myself.

My deepest appreciation goes to my mentors, Professor Vladimir Viardo and Professor

Konstantin Bogino, for our long journeys together.

Grateful acknowledgements to Professor Paavali Jumppanen and Professor Frank

Heidlberger, for inspiration for the dissertation, and Dr. Folke Grasbeck for wonderful co-

operation.

Special thanks to Dr. David Lasocki for his editing work and wonderful suggestions, Dr.

Katri Ervamaa for notation samples, Janna Herron for endless hours of help, and Pastor Dr.

Jarmo Tarkki for supporting my spirit.

I also would like to express my deepest gratitude to the UNT libraries and their

wonderful staff and the National Library of Finland, especially Petri Tuovinen.

Many thanks to Breitkopf & Hartel for generously giving me permission to use musical

examples based on their publications.

I would like to thank the Sibelius family for their wonderful support on this journey.

Last but not least, my parents Kaarina and Pentti Teppo, who have been a constant source

of support and advice for my whole life.

I would like to dedicate this work to my darling daughter, Annabel.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS .............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ................................................................................................. v

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER 1. HISTORICAL CONTEXT ...................................................................................... 2

CHAPTER 2. SIBELIUS, LISZT, AND BUSONI ........................................................................ 5

CHAPTER 3. COMPARISON OF TEXTURE IN THE ORCHESTRAL AND PIANO VERSIONS OF FINLANDIA ....................................................................................................... 11

3.1 Tremolos and Trills ............................................................................................... 12

3.2 Thirty-Second Note Passages ............................................................................... 14

3.3 Chordal Patterns, Octaves, and Martellatos .......................................................... 20

3.4 Chorale Section ..................................................................................................... 24

CHAPTER 4. COMMON MUSICAL IDIOMS OF SIBELIUS’S PIANO TEXTURE AROUND THE CREATION OF FINLANDIA (1899–1904) ........................................................................ 31

4.1 Tremolos ............................................................................................................... 31

4.2 Thirty-Second-Note Runs ..................................................................................... 33

4.3 Martellatos, Octaves, and Chordal Patterns .......................................................... 36

4.4 Chorale Sections ................................................................................................... 39

4.5 Similar Thematic Material (Leitmotif, Archetypal Motif) ................................... 40

CONCLUSIONS........................................................................................................................... 44

APPENDIX A. THE TITLE PAGE OF SIBELIUS’S PIANO ARRANGEMENT OF FINLANDIA. ................................................................................................................................. 47

APPENDIX B. GRAPH OF THE TEMPO AND KEY STRUCTURE OF SIBELIUS, FINLANDIA .................................................................................................................................. 49

APPENDIX C. THE SIMILARITY OF SIBELIUS’S MOTIFS ................................................. 51

BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 53

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LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

All examples copyrighted by Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden, are used by their kind permission. All other examples are in the public domain.

Page

Example 2.1: [Left] Franz Liszt, Les Jeux d’eau à la villa d’Este, from Années de pèlerinage III, mm. 1–10. [Right] Jean Sibelius, Impromptu, Op. 5, No. 5, mm. 1–12 ......................................... 6

Example 2.2: [top left] Ferruccio Busoni, Fantasia Contrappuntistica, BV 256, mm. 1–3. [top right] Jean Sibelius, Finlandia, Op. 26, for piano, mm. 1–13. [bottom]C. Liszt, Funérailles, mm. 1–9................................................................................................................................................... 8

Example 2.3: Busoni, Finnländische Volksweisen, Op. 27, mm. 1–20 .......................................... 9

Example 2.4: [top] Trad., “Taalla Pohjantahden alla,” mm. 1–8. [bottom left] Busoni, Kultaselle, mm. 1–25. [bottom right] Sibelius, Finnish Folk Songs for Piano, mm. 1–14 .............................. 9

Example 3.1: Sibelius, Finlandia, Op. 26, for orchestra, mm. 74-82 ........................................... 13

Example 3.2: Finlandia for piano, mm. 74–83 ............................................................................. 14

Example 3.3: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 90–94 ....................................................................... 15



Example 3.6: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 101-3 ........................................................................ 17

Example 3.7: Finlandia for piano, mm. 209–15 ........................................................................... 18

Example 3.8: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 209–14 ..................................................................... 19

Example 3.9: [left] Finlandia piano, m. 74. [right] m. 90 ............................................................. 20

Example 3.10: Finlandia orchestra, mm. 107–10 ......................................................................... 21

Example 3.11: Finlandia for piano, mm. 107–10 ......................................................................... 21

Example 3.12: Finlandia orchestra, mm. 112–20 ......................................................................... 22


Example 3.14: Finlandia piano, mm. 123–25 .............................................................................. 24

Example 3.15: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 130–40 ................................................................... 25

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Example 3.17: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 155-59 .................................................................... 27


Example 3.19: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 190–93 ................................................................... 29


Example 4.1: Sibelius, “Svarta rosor,” Op. 36, No. 1, mm. 17–20 .............................................. 32

Example 4.2: Sibelius, “Sav Sav Susa,” Op. 36, No 4, mm. 9–16 ............................................... 32

Example 4.3: Sibelius, “Hostkvall,” Op. 38, No. 1, mm. 36–42 .................................................. 33

Example 4.4: Sibelius, Malinconia, Op. 20, mm. 85–86 .............................................................. 33

Example 4.5: Finlandia piano manuscript, mm. 210–12 .............................................................. 34

Example 4.6: Finlandia for piano, mm. 211–12 ........................................................................... 34

Example 4.7: Malinconia, mm. 9–10............................................................................................ 34

Example 4.8: Sibelius, Idyll, Op. 24, No. 6, mm. 46–48 .............................................................. 35

Example 4.9: Sibelius, Barcarola, Op. 24, No. 10, mm. 170–71 .................................................. 35

Example 4.10: “Sav Sav Susa,” mm. 1–4 ..................................................................................... 36

Example 4.11: Sibelius, Caprice, Op. 24, No. 3, mm. 24–30 ...................................................... 36

Example 4.12: Sibelius, Nocturno, Op. 24, No. 8, mm. 35–37 .................................................... 37

Example 4.13: Sibelius, Romance, Op. 24, No. 9, mm. 51–52 .................................................... 37

Example 4.14: Sibelius, “Flickan kom ifran sin alsklings mote,” Op. 37, No. 5, mm. 32–33 ..... 37

Example 4.15: Caprice, mm. 34–38 ............................................................................................. 38

Example 4.16: Sibelius, Romance, Op. 24, No. 9, mm. 53–57 .................................................... 38

Example 4.17: Sibelius, Andantino, Op. 24, No. 7, mm. 12–15 ................................................... 39

Example 4.18: Malinconia, mm. 68–69........................................................................................ 40

Example 4.19: Sibelius, Kyllikki, Op. 41, mm. 5–10 .................................................................... 40


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Example 4.21: Romance, mm. 1–8 ............................................................................................... 41

Example 4.22: Romance, mm. 54–57 ........................................................................................... 42

Example 4.23: “Flickan kom ifran sin alsklings mote,” mm. 1–5 ................................................ 42

Example 4.24: Sibelius, Andante Cantabile (1887), mm. 1–4 ..................................................... 43

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INTRODUCTION

While he was composing his important orchestral tone poem Finlandia (see Appendix A)

in 1899–1900, Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) made his own piano arrangement of it. The purpose of

this study is to compare the piano and orchestral versions. The first orchestra version was written

for The Press Days, a patriotic event following the February Manifesto, which took place in

Helsinki in November 1899. Finlandia, originally called “Finland Awakens,” was the final

movement of six tableaux. After several performances in 1900, Sibelius turned the tableau into

an individual symphonic poem. The piano version was published in February 1900. Finally, in

February 1901, both versions were named Finlandia.

This dissertation examines how Sibelius transformed the textures and sonorities of the

work from one instrumentation to another. In general, the composer applied certain

compositional patterns and musical ideas and made use of the piano’s sustain pedal to suggest a

kind of orchestral hum and the rich palette of overtones created by a symphony orchestra. He

clearly aimed to make the piano arrangement function as an independent concert piece. The

arrangement succeeded in doing that, but also surpassed its initial standing and rose to the level

of an independent and fully established fantasy for the piano. Sibelius used similar patterns and

musical idioms in other compositions with piano during the same time period, including 10

Pieces for Piano, Op. 24; songs, Op. 36 and 37; and Malinconia for Cello and Piano, Op. 20.

These works demonstrate that his process of making the arrangement gives us new insights for

interpreting Sibelius’s piano works from the points of view of timbre, passagework, and

pedaling.

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CHAPTER 1

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The writer who set the standard for significant Sibelius study and research was the

Finnish musicologist, pianist, and pedagogue Erik Tawaststjerna (1916–1993). In addition to his

dissertation, he wrote numerous books, articles, and essays about Sibelius. He was also a friend

of the composer. Tawaststjerna’s magnum opus and a true masterpiece was his five-volume

biography of Sibelius, which, along with profound study and analysis of the composer’s music,

discussed a vast quantity of personal materials, such as letters and diaries, not all of which had

been available before. Tawaststjerna’s scholarship, his love and passion for Sibelius’s work, and

his brilliant writing set a standard for Sibelius studies that has not been exceeded to the present

day.

In my research, I draw information mostly from part two of Tawaststjerna’s biography of

Sibelius,1 which deals with the time period of the composition of Finlandia, along with the first

and second symphonies, the Op. 24 for piano,2 Malinconia, Op. 20 for cello and piano, and the

songs opp. 36 and 37 for voice and piano. Tawaststjerna’s volume provides excellent insight into

this repertoire. However, a detailed study of the piano arrangement of Finlandia and a

comparative study of the piano and orchestra scores found in this dissertation have not been

made before.

A major platform for current Sibelius research is the conferences organized by the

Sibelius Society that take place every four to five years. The ensuing conference proceedings are

1 Erik Tawaststjerna, Jean Sibelius, Biography, Part 2 (Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otavan painolaitokset, 1967), 121–251. 2 Tawaststjerna, The Pianoforte Compostitions of Jean Sibelius (Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otavan kirjapaino, 1957), 7–49.

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important sources. With reference to my specific topic, I wish to point out a few of the relevant

articles. In his article “Finlandia Awakens,” the musicologist James Hepokoski provides a

thorough analysis of Finlandia based on Schenkerian analysis: an in-depth insight into the tonal

structure and motivic development of the work. He writes:

Considered as a whole, this unusual, blunt-cut structure is doubtless marked by the influence of Liszt’s revolutionary formal ideas of 1855, which were in full resonance among early modern composers around the turn of the century. Most fundamentally, the piece that came to be retitled Finlandia illustrates a process of tonic- and structure-building. As such, in Schenkerian terms the entire composition may be heard as a large auxiliary cadence in A-flat. From an only slightly shifted perspective, though, the entire piece suggests the forging of a single, ever-clarifying idea.3 Another important article by Juhani Alesaro discusses Sibelius’s refined counterpoint that

employs a sophisticated use of the sustain pedal of the piano. Through understanding the

composer’s true intention behind his pedal markings and seeing the layered harmonic

development and counterpoint, the true idea of the sound becomes clear for the pianist.

Referring to a phrase in op. 75 no.4, Blom says that “one almost feels sure of having heard the very typically Sibelian phrase, from The Birch Tree in some orchestral work, scored for flute and two bassoons with violas or a horn sustaining the B flat in the middle.” Yet this impression—as striking as it may be—is only visual; the role of the sustaining pedal has not been taken into consideration by Eric Blom. It is true that in bars 9–13 quoted by Blom there are no pedal markings, but at the beginning of The Birch Tree stands the instruction con Ped. (with pedal). This marking is enough to make every accomplished pianist use the pedal in such a way that bars 9–13 are tied up to the double pedal point Eb–Bb begun three bars earlier. With the aid of the pedal used appropriately the quasi-orchestral visual character vanishes in favor of truly pianistic writing. Such devices are not exceptional in Sibelius’s counterpoint. On the contrary, a new kind of dissonance treatment, and voice-leading utilizing parallel motion, are essential features of it. The core of the contrapuntal aspect of Sibelius’s counterpoint is the combination of melodic line and pedal-point. This fundamental adjustment can be enriched by thickening either the line or the pedal-point, or both (a double pedal-point is a form of thickening).4

3 James Hepokoski, “Finlandia Awakens,” in The Cambridge Companion to Sibelius, ed. Daniel M. Grimley (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 137. 4 Juhani Alesaro, “Sibelius’s Op. 75 No. 4— ‘Hardly Pianoforte Music at All’?”, in Sibelius Forum: Proceedings from the Second International Jean Sibelius Conference, ed. Veijo Murtomäki, Kari Kilpeläinen, and Risto Väisänen (Helsinki: Sibelius Academy, 1998), 180.

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In another article, “Sibelius and his ‘Free Moments’ at the Piano,” Alesaro discusses the

importance of the piano in Sibelius’s compositional process, in which he used the instrument as a

working tool and often used piano compositions as drafts for the large-scale works.

Sibelius usually worked at the piano when composing, especially when shaping the first ideas. Exceptions from this practice were rare, although sporadically the composer found it necessary to work without the aid of the piano. This constant association with the piano has deeply affected Sibelius’s instrumentation. This does not mean orchestrating in terms of pianistic writing, which was a feature which he criticized, but rather, adopting devices typical of the sound production of piano. This association with piano reveals itself, e.g., in the composer’s well-known characterization of a non-existent instrumental ideal which he had: “The orchestra, you see, is a huge and wonderful instrument that has got everything—except the pedal.”5

In providing a comparison between the orchestral and piano versions of Finlandia, this

study introduces a new point of view about Jean Sibelius’s piano writing. The compositional

techniques are investigated as they unfold in the different sources of the various versions of the

Finlandia. Along with a more informed understanding of the compositional process and aspects

of the musical texture of this work, important insight into the performance practice of Sibelius’s

piano music will be gained.

5 Juhani Alesaro, “Sibelius and his ’Free Moments’ at the Piano,” in Sibelius Forum II: Proceedings from the Third International Jean Sibelius Conference, ed. Matti Huttunen, Veijo Murtomäki, and Kari Kilpeläinen (Helsinki: Sibelius Academy, 2003), 294.

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CHAPTER 2

SIBELIUS, LISZT, AND BUSONI

The piano works of Jean Sibelius are less known to the general public than his orchestral

works. However, he composed more than 150 solo piano works and a vast number of individual

character pieces for violin and piano as well as cello and piano, and songs for voice and piano.

According to Veijo Murtomaki, “Sibelius’s achievements in large-scale symphonic forms are

widely recognized, but his miniatures have often been neglected or misunderstood and demand

critical re-evaluation.”6 In particular, Sibelius’s piano works have been criticized for being

unpianistic. Although Sibelius was primarily a violinist, he loved to improvise at the piano. As

noted above, Sibelius also often used the piano for sketching his compositions and experimented

with compositional ideas in small-scale works that later blossomed in his symphonies.7

The years 1893–1903 in Sibelius’s compositional life are referred to as the “Kalevala-

Romantic period.”8 His piano music of this time was particularly virtuosic. He employed rich

and varied texture with arpeggios, thick chords, multi-layered harmonies, brilliant martellatos

and runs in octaves, and alluring, singing melody lines. The influence of Franz Liszt on Sibelius

at this time was notable—not merely in his piano writing, but especially in his use of the tone

poem (a genre fully developed by Liszt), of which Finlandia is a prime example. Sibelius wrote

to his wife Aino from Munich in 1894: “I am really a tone painter and poet. Liszt’s views about

6 Murtomaki, “Sibelius and the Miniature,” 137. 7 Alesaro, “Free Moments,” 295. 8 “The first, the Romantic phase, is coloured by the mental climate of the 1890s and the turn of the century in his own country—the Finland of patriotic enthusiasm, nationalism, Romanticism and, as one particular form of this, ’Karelianism,’ later also of Czarist oppression.” Tawaststjerna, “Phases of Sibelius’s Art,” in his The Pianoforte Compositions of Jean Sibelius (Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otavan kirjapaino, 1957), 13.

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music are most closely related to my own.”9 The orchestral piano sound, rippling scale patterns,

and virtuosic passages were typical of both of these masters. Example 2.1 shows similar writing

in works of Sibelius and Liszt. The brilliant runs of Liszt’s Les Jeux d’eau à la villa d’Este from

Années de pèlerinage III, written in 1877, are closely related to the texture in Sibelius’s

Impromptu, Op. 5, No. 5, written in 1893.

Example 2.1: [Left] Franz Liszt, Les Jeux d’eau à la villa d’Este, from Années de pèlerinage III, mm.

1–10. [Right] Jean Sibelius, Impromptu, Op. 5, No. 5, mm. 1–12

Another strong influence on Sibelius was the great Italian pianist Ferruccio Busoni,10

who was closely connected to Liszt, and who moved to Finland in the fall of 1888 to teach at the

Helsinki Conservatory. Sibelius and Busoni became close friends: opposite personal

characteristics must have drawn them towards each other. Busoni can be described as an

9 Tomi Mäkelä, “Influence and Resistance from 1880 to 1929,” in his Jean Sibelius, trans. Steven Lindberg (Woodbridge, Suffolk & Rochester, NY: Boydell Press, 2011), 156. 10 Tawaststjerna, Jean Sibelius, Biography, Part 1 (Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otavan painolaitokset, 1965), 110–15.

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intellectual while Sibelius was more intuitive. Busoni enjoyed observing nature, while Sibelius

immersed himself in physically experiencing the natural world. Busoni had great respect for

Sibelius as a composer and he conducted Sibelius’s symphonies at various venues in Europe and

the United States, introducing them to new audiences. Sibelius and Busoni also shared the stage

together a few times, including playing the Schumann Quintet with Busoni at the piano and

Sibelius on second violin at Helsinki University on February 14, 1889. Busoni also performed

movements of Sibelius’s new piano quintet on May 5, 1890, along with his own piano quartet.11

In addition to the more formal interaction, the two composers spent together numerous

evenings improvising, “fantasizing,” and inventing themes, something that inspired Sibelius

greatly in his compositional work.12 Together with Busoni and a few other friends, they formed a

group called Leskovits, named after Busoni’s dog Lesko. They improvised on the piano for each

other and exchanged musical ideas.13 Busoni’s refined virtuosity at the piano set the standard for

Sibelius’s piano texture, and of course they were both developing their orchestral writing.

Example 2.2 compares the beginning of Busoni’s Fantasia Contrappuntistica, BV 256, with that

of Finlandia, composed ten years before, showing the similarity in thinking of the two

composers. Looking closely at the beginning of Liszt’s Funérailles (Ex. 2.2, bottom), we see

similarities to the beginning of Finlandia: the bass line progressing into the tremolo figure

combined with the chord progressions and rhythmic figures in the right hand.

11 Fabian Dahlström, Sibelius-Akademin 1882–1982, Sibelius-Akademins publikationer 1 (Helsinki: Sibelius Academy, 1982), 344, 357. 12 Tawaststjerna, Jean Sibelius, Part 1, 113. 13 Ibid., 112.

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Example 2.2: [top left] Ferruccio Busoni, Fantasia Contrappuntistica, BV 256, mm. 1–3. [top right]

Jean Sibelius, Finlandia, Op. 26, for piano, mm. 1–13. [bottom]C. Liszt, Funérailles, mm. 1–9

. Sibelius and Busoni also wrote arrangements of Finnish folk songs. Busoni’s charming

Finnländische Volksweisen, Op. 27, for piano four hands was composed in 1888 while he lived

and taught in Finland (see Ex. 2.3).

Both composers wrote an arrangement of the Finnish folk song “Kultaselle” (To My

Darling), also known as “Taalla Pohjantahden alla” (Here Under the North Star). Busoni

arranged the melody for cello and piano as a theme and ten variations, composed around 1889.

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Sibelius composed his set of six Finnish Folk Songs for Piano in 1903, the first of which an

arrangement of the same folk melody (Ex. 2.4).

Example 2.3: Busoni, Finnländische Volksweisen, Op. 27, mm. 1–20

Example 2.4: [top] Trad., “Taalla Pohjantahden alla,” mm. 1–8. [bottom left] Busoni, Kultaselle,

mm. 1–25. [bottom right] Sibelius, Finnish Folk Songs for Piano, mm. 1–14

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According to the Finnish musicologist Veijo Murtomaki:

The six Finnish Folk Songs for piano are the most fascinating demonstration of how Sibelius’s compositional technique derived from his experiences with folk music. Anyone who wishes to become familiar with Sibelius’s very individual modal tonality and ways of constructing textures should study these arrangements carefully. The basic textural elements are line, pedal point and ostinato. Without an awareness of these parameters, Sibelius’s music remains incomprehensible.14

We will see these exact elements—line, pedal point, and ostinato—in the next chapter in the

comparison between the two versions of Finlandia.

14 Murtomaki. “Sibelius and the Miniature,” 137.

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CHAPTER 3

COMPARISON OF TEXTURE IN THE ORCHESTRAL AND PIANO VERSIONS OF

FINLANDIA

In order to fully understand the idiosyncrasies of the two versions of Finlandia, a detailed

comparative analysis of the piano and orchestral scores is necessary. The analysis here focuses

the textures of the two versions; for this purpose, I primarily referred to the printed scores of the

piano15 and orchestral16 versions. In addition, the manuscript of the piano version of Finlandia

has been consulted as an important resource from the National Library of Finland,17 although

from the orchestra manuscript only one page has survived.

Reductive analysis is not necessary, since neither formal nor harmonic changes separate

the two versions, although there are a few exceptions. First, at the beginning of the Allegro assai

(this is the tempo indication of the piano version; the orchestral version says Allegro moderato),

the piano tremolo is cut short by one measure, probably in the interest of making the passage

more feasible for the pianist. Second, in the piano version there are first and second endings at

the end of the repeated section before the chorale section. Finally, there are some alterations in

the coda, including one extra measure in the orchestral part.

After having outlined the differences between the two versions of Finlandia, similar

passage work from the other piano works of the Kalevala-Romantic period are compared with

Finlandia, to demonstrate that its piano texture is not unique but in fact typical writing for

Sibelius during that period. Perhaps his Valse triste (1903–04), with its significant differences in

texture and style, marks the end of this period. According to Erik Tawaststjerna, the three-

15 Jean Sibelius, Finlandia, Op.26. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1905. 16 Sibelius, Finlandia: Tondichtung für Orchester (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1987). 17 Jean Sibelius archive, The National Library of Finland, HUL 0843.

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movement piano cycle Kyllikki, Op. 41, written at the same time as the piano arrangement of

Valse Triste, is “Sibelius’s farewell to Romanticism.”18

In Sibelius’s piano texture there are moments of expression that relate explicitly to his

orchestral writing, without compromising his pianistic style. This is well expressed in the

following quote from Finnish pianist Eero Heinonen, who made a complete recording of

Sibelius’s piano works:

The sonorous power of expression and peculiar colours require the performer to explore. For instance, in the use of pedal Sibelius can be unconventional: his piano sound sometimes includes an orchestral, “philharmonic” hum and a spectrum of overtones that does not detract from the clarity of the counterpoint. There are many ideas that seem orchestral, but these do not make the music any more unpianistic or difficult than that of Beethoven or Brahms.19

3.1 Tremolos and Trills

Tremolos and trills are a part of piano writing in orchestral arrangements. One of the

most obvious elements to compare is the manner in which Sibelius maintains an extensive use of

orchestral trills in the piano version, expanding them octave tremolos. Played on the piano, the

physicality of the tremolos becomes emphasized. At the opening of the piece, in the Andante

section, the left-hand octave tremolos reflect the continuing crescendos played by the strings and

also imitate the sound of timpani (see Ex. 3.1). These two different instrumentations are

represented by an octave piano tremolo throughout the introductory Allegro section and return at

the beginning of the coda in this same format (see Ex. 3.2). Varying the attack, touch, and weight

in the tremolos allows them to serve as a great tool in creating a range of different dynamics,

agogic accents, and timbres.

18 Erik Tawaststjerna, “Phases of Sibelius’s Art,” in his Pianoforte Compositions of Jean Sibelius, 49. 19 Eeero Heinonen, liner notes for Sibelius’s Published Original Works for Piano, performed by Heinonen, Finlandia CD8573-80776-2, 2000, compact disc.

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Example 3.1: Sibelius, Finlandia, Op. 26, for orchestra, mm. 74-82

Orchestral tremolos may be of different kinds, as shown in Ex. 5 from the beginning of

the Allegro section. Here timpani and low strings play an extended tremolo over the main

motive, which is juxtaposed with the tremolos like a motto in this introductory section, which

gradually builds towards the presentation of the work’s main theme. (See Appendix B for a

graph of the structure of Finlandia, as well as James Hepokoski’s analysis.). A closer look at the

piano score (see Ex. 3.2) reveals an interesting rhythmic detail that sets this version apart from

14

the orchestral version: in the orchestra, two layers of tremolo exist: the rhythmically undefined

timpani trills and the sixteenth-note tremolo in the low strings. These two layers are unified into

a single layer in the piano version in a passage played by the left hand in the low register. The

rhythmic appearance is that of sixteenth-note triplets, with a total of twenty-four sixteenth notes

per measure. In contrast, the orchestral version has only sixteen sixteenth notes. In the low

register of the piano, the increased rhythmic density leads the passage to have a timbral rather

than a motivic effect.

Example 3.2: Finlandia for piano, mm. 74–83

3.2 Thirty-Second Note Passages

In Ex. 3.3, we see a more elaborate level of the arrangement, as the texture of the

arpeggiated patterns has been changed. Here both the pitches and the rhythmic pattern have been

modified, most likely in order to create an orchestral effect within pianistic means. Eero

Heinonen refers to Sibelius’s manner of applying the sustain pedal to create an orchestral

“hum,”20 and, as mentioned in the quote from Alesaro above, Sibelius himself also spoke about

20 Heinonen, liner notes.

15

the orchestra containing everything except the sustain pedal.

Example 3.3: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 90–94

In m. 90, the first note in the piano part is A (see Ex. 3.4), which the cellos and basses

hold as a long-sustained note along with the G-flat in the cello part in the orchestral version. The

changed pitches help the overtones of the piano resonate and, with a subtle use of pedal, the

overall sound effectively imitates the orchestral hum. The slurs are written differently in the two

versions: in the orchestral version, the slurs separate each group of triplets, whereas in the piano

arrangement, the whole measure is covered with one slur. This sequence occurs several times in

the piece.

16


There are two other thirty-second-note patterns of interest: first, in m. 102, Sibelius

transcribes the spiccato pattern of the strings as a rapid descending thirty-second-note run,

omitting a melodic pattern played by the cellos. This is another example where he clearly

changes the orchestra score and pitches in order to transcribe the text more effectively for the

piano.

Even though Sibelius would not get his first Steinway grand piano with all three pedals

until 1915, and therefore did not have this specific pedal use in mind, the middle pedal can be

effectively used in this passage. It is possible to capture the bass note with the middle pedal and

change the sustain pedal during the runs, emphasizing the orchestral effect of timpani and strings

brilliantly while using the acoustic characteristics of the piano. This is an excellent example of

how Sibelius transcribes the texture so that it serves the characteristics of the piano in the best

possible way.


17

Example 3.6: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 101-3

18

This passage is scored with tremolos in various instruments in the orchestra and the important

forte leading pattern in the orchestra, which Sibelius totally omits from the piano score, replacing

it with a virtuosic, descending thirty-second-note run. This gesture, when played with refinement

and clarity, brings a refreshing illusion to wind to the transition back to the theme of the Allegro

section. This is a wonderful example of Sibelius’s personal piano style, which is different from

what the orchestra does here. See Ex. 3.5 and 3.6.

We see a similar pattern at the end of the work, in m. 209. This time the passage is

ascending. Sibelius adds a measure for the piano part in order to create a majestic ending, using

the whole keyboard with a descending broken-sixteenth-note chordal pattern, followed by a

thirty-second-note run back up to the top of the keyboard, reflecting the fortissimo trills in the

woodwinds and fortissimo tutti chords (with timpani) in the orchestra. The timpani function

wonderfully as tension-builders in the orchestral version of the work, and Sibelius transforms

that vibrating sonority into a brilliant pianistic expression. Here the bursting, wind-like virtuosic

pattern, which again serves as a bridge to the arrival point of the piece, is a great example of

Sibelius’s way of elaborating the power of Nature through his piano writing. Sibelius added a

measure here to prolong the tension over this transition in a brilliant way, compensating for the

piano’s inability to make a crescendo by sustained notes. Here the passage carries us like a

strong wind to the harbor. See Ex. 3.7 and 3.8.


19


20

3.3 Chordal Patterns, Octaves, and Martellatos

In the arrangement, Sibelius treats the chordal patterns in various ways. In m. 74, at the

beginning of the Allegro assai section, Sibelius transcribes the repeated sixteenth notes played by

the strings as repeated chordal patterns. By contrast, in m. 89, when the strings are playing

repeated sixteenth notes, Sibelius transcribes them as broken chordal patterns. This is much more

comfortable to play and reduces the percussive sound of the piano. It is interesting that Sibelius

uses the version seen in Ex. 3.9 [left] only in the beginning of the Allegro assai section, when it

comes three times in exactly the same position. In the orchestra version, this pattern is played by

brass and timpani. Later, when the flutes join the pattern in the orchestra, Sibelius modifies the

piano text as seen in Ex. 3.9 [right]. Here he treats the chords differently: instead of repetition,

Sibelius breaks the chord so that the lowest note is alternating with the rest of the chord. This

also softens the impact of the chordal pattern, both creating a more lyrical effect and making it

more comfortable to play.

Example 3.9: [left] Finlandia piano, m. 74. [right] m. 90

In mm. 107–10, Sibelius uses another chordal pattern in the piano; in the orchestra

version, this material is played by the strings. The fast, almost dance-like spiccatos are translated

to another kind of chordal patterns in the piano, divided between the hands in order to create a

21

fast, light, crisp, dry effect. This is another significant example of Sibelius’s subtle, transparent

way of writing for the piano idiom, the possibilities of which he understood thoroughly. See Ex..

3.10 and 3.11.

Example 3.10: Finlandia orchestra, mm. 107–10


22

Example 3.12: Finlandia orchestra, mm. 112–20

From m. 111 onwards, Sibelius prepares one of the climaxes of the piece. In the piano

texture, he widens the textural range by adding octaves to the left hand (m. 111), writing the

right-hand chords an octave higher (mm. 112–14), and adding sixteenth-note patterns to the left

23

hand. After the left-hand tremolo and right-hand chords lead us to the climax in m. 116, he

replaces the big tutti sound in the orchestra with descending broken-chord patterns. This time the

chords are wider and the texture is thicker. Finally, he uses fortissimo martellato in descending

chordal patterns with an octave bass as a pedal point. Here, the use of the piano’s middle pedal

aids the texture and sustains the bass. See Exx. 3.12 and 3.13.


Finally, at the end of the Allegro Assai section, right before the repeat, Sibelius

introduces broken-octave runs and a scale played by both hands, replacing the thirty-second-note

pattern seen before in order to bring more variety and buildup for the piano part, as seen in mm.

121–24 (see Ex. 3.14). The same principle is used in the second ending of the Allegro section.

Unlike the piano part, the orchestra part does not have a first and second ending: the repeat is

24

exact. In the piano part, the ascending scale in the first ending is functioning as a bridge, which

leads with focus and direction back to the beginning of the Allegro section.

Example 3.14: Finlandia piano, mm. 123–25

3.4 Chorale Section

The chorale section has become the best-known part of the piece. The theme can now be

found in the chorales of Christian churches all around the world and it was used as the national

anthem of Biafra, Africa. To the Finnish, the tune is loved, intimate, and personal. Many pianists

performing the work in Finland have experienced the entire audience rising to stand up at the

commencement of the chorale.

The orchestral version starts with a chorale-like melody played with woodwinds and

accompanied by pianissimo tremolos in the strings (m. 131). In the piano version, Sibelius

presents the chorale theme with transparent, cantabile-like chords in a higher range of the

keyboard. Looking back to the orchestral version, the texture remains simple and classical, until

the transition, where the theme is repeated by the strings. Sibelius uses the timpani to energize

the transformation of texture. See Ex. 3.15 and 3.16.

25


26


When the texture changes to the strings in m. 156, Sibelius adds a sixteenth-note pattern

in both hands. This reflects the fullness and continuity of the string sound and helps build a

gradual crescendo. It also creates a warmer sound and helps with capturing the intensity brought

in by the Gran Cassa, played with the timpani mallets, in m. 156. All these means create a

unique timbre. In the piano score, the sixteenth-note pattern with the pedal point in A starts

already a measure before (see Ex. 3.17, m. 155) and leads the pattern with the diminuendo into

the return of the chorale theme, setting up a new sonority. With the continuous texture of

sixteenth notes, the intensity builds and leads back to the Allegro section. As a performance-

practice tool, the use of flat fingers and slow impact to strike the keys will help the pianist to

provide a warmer, string like sound.

27

Example 3.17: Finlandia for orchestra, mm. 155-59

28


Sibelius uses this same pattern at the end of the piece, in mm. 190–94, when restating the

noble chorale section at the culmination (Ex. 3.19). At the end, Sibelius uses all the techniques

mentioned above and finishes the piece with the chordal patterns, again employing the whole

range of the keyboard and adding an extra measure to the piano part.

By comparing these two versions of Finlandia, we can see that Sibelius transcribed the

orchestra work brilliantly for piano. Sibelius had an understanding of the deepest essence of

piano sound. By using the various arrangement techniques mentioned in this chapter, he

conceptualized the orchestral sound on the piano in different textures and, in so doing, developed

a singular and individual language for the piano.

29


30


31

CHAPTER 4

COMMON MUSICAL IDIOMS OF SIBELIUS’S PIANO TEXTURE AROUND THE

CREATION OF FINLANDIA (1899–1904)

After his youthful period, where the smaller-scale pieces were salon-like mazurkas,

valses, and scherzos, and after the Karelia-inspired set of six impromptus, Sibelius had arrived at

a more Romantic and traditional type of piano writing by the time of the Finlandia arrangement.

He used some of the same material, ideas, patterns, and techniques in other works that involve

the piano during what has been called his Kalevala-Romantic phase. These include the Op. 24

piano pieces, the Op. 20 character piece for cello and piano, and the songs for voice and piano of

Opp. 36, 37, and 39.

4.1 Tremolos

Tremolos create a texture and a sonority where the soloists can float over the

accompaniment. Tremolos provide countless possibilities to create images with color, while also

offering immense freedom of expression. Also, importantly, and as seen from the comparison of

the two versions of Finlandia, they help to create an image of continuing sound in the percussive

piano, thereby enabling dynamic shading, “breathing” with the instrument.

Sibelius used tremolos prominently in several of his songs from this time period. In the

well-loved song “Svarta rosor,” Op. 36, No. 1, Sibelius uses tremolos in the accompaniment in

order to create a full orchestral sound and a feeling of growing tension (see Ex. 4.1). Almost the

entire poco con moto section in “Sav Sav Susa,” Op. 36, No. 4 is written with piano tremolos in

both hands in order to create continuous sound and orchestral timbre (see Ex. 4.2). In

“Hostkvall,” Op. 38, No. 1, mm. 37–57, the piano accompaniment is written as an octave

tremolo to grow tension and create a crescendo (see Ex. 4.3). At the end of the cello and piano

32

work Malinconia, Op. 20, Sibelius uses the tremolo in the left hand to create a crescendo (see

Ex. 4.4).

Example 4.1: Sibelius, “Svarta rosor,” Op. 36, No. 1, mm. 17–20

Example 4.2: Sibelius, “Sav Sav Susa,” Op. 36, No 4, mm. 9–16

33

Example 4.3: Sibelius, “Hostkvall,” Op. 38, No. 1, mm. 36–42

Example 4.4: Sibelius, Malinconia, Op. 20, mm. 85–86

4.2 Thirty-Second-Note Runs

In Ex. 4.5, we see a pattern from the piano version of Finlandia (m. 210) that is almost

identical with a passage in the piano part of his Malinconia for Cello and Piano, Op. 20. This

34

passage is in fact one of the most important motifs in Malinconia, repeated numerous times in a

rapid and thriving manner throughout the piece.

Example 4.5: Finlandia piano manuscript, mm. 210–12


Example 4.7: Malinconia, mm. 9–10

35

The rippling thirty-second-note pattern is a typical idiom in Sibelius’s piano writing

during this period. This texture and variants of it appear in several pieces from the same era. For

example, in Op. 24, Sibelius uses variants of this pattern in his Romance no. 4, the Idyll no. 6,

and Barcarola no. 10 (see Ex. 4.8 and 4.9).

Example 4.8: Sibelius, Idyll, Op. 24, No. 6, mm. 46–48

Example 4.9: Sibelius, Barcarola, Op. 24, No. 10, mm. 170–71

36

A variant of the pattern appears in the song “Sav Sav Susa,” also repeated throughout.

Example 4.10: “Sav Sav Susa,” mm. 1–4

4.3 Martellatos, Octaves, and Chordal Patterns

During his Kalevala-Romantic phase, Sibelius employed a piano style typical of the

Romantic period, including the thick, tutti-like texture in the piano version of Finlandia.

Example 4.11 shows the use of martellato in the Caprice, Op. 24, No. 3. Example 4.12

demonstrates chordal patterns in the Nocturno, Op. 24, No. 8. Passages with octave runs are

found in the Romance, Op. 24, No. 9 (Ex. 4.13) and “Flickan kom ifran sin alsklingsmote,” Op.

37, No. 5 (Ex. 4.14).

Example 4.11: Sibelius, Caprice, Op. 24, No. 3, mm. 24–30

37

Example 4.12: Sibelius, Nocturno, Op. 24, No. 8, mm. 35–37

Example 4.13: Sibelius, Romance, Op. 24, No. 9, mm. 51–52

Example 4.14: Sibelius, “Flickan kom ifran sin alsklings mote,” Op. 37, No. 5, mm. 32–33

All these textures can be found in the piano version of Finlandia as well as in other piano

compositions from the same period. Also, a common device for Sibelius is a scale pattern to lead

38

to a culmination in his piano texture, as discussed above in the Finlandia piano version (see Exx.

4.15 and 4.15).

Example 4.15: Caprice, mm. 34–38

Example 4.16: Sibelius, Romance, Op. 24, No. 9, mm. 53–57

The scale runs leading to the culmination points are inspiring and energizing, helping the

performer to bring the focus to the desired point. This pattern also contributes to an illusion of

continuing sound, which the piano does not naturally possess.

39

4.4 Chorale Sections

The broken-chord pattern, found in the chorale section of Finlandia, and variations of it,

also appear in several other pieces; for example, Andantino, Op. 24, and Malinconia, both

composed exactly at the same time as Finlandia. In Andantino, the pattern is notated in eighth

notes and in Malinconia in thirty-second notes, instead of the sixteenth-note pattern in Finlandia.

However, the singing melody line in the top, combined with the lightly played accompaniment

figures, are similar to the texture of the chorale section of Finlandia (see Ex.. 4.17 and 4.18).

Also, in the first movement of his largest work for piano, Kyllikki, Op. 41, composed in 1904,

Sibelius uses this pattern throughout the first movement. (see Ex. 4.19). As mentioned above,

Tawaststjerna described Kyllikki as Sibelius’s farewell to Romanticism. From here, he continued

to his European-Classical phase, which produced the Violin Concerto and Symphonies 3–5,

among other works.

Example 4.17: Sibelius, Andantino, Op. 24, No. 7, mm. 12–15

40

Example 4.18: Malinconia, mm. 68–69

Example 4.19: Sibelius, Kyllikki, Op. 41, mm. 5–10

4.5 Similar Thematic Material (Leitmotif, Archetypal Motif)

In our final examples we see how thematic material itself is used as a tool for expression:

Sibelius takes the main theme of the chorale section of Finlandia and uses it almost identically in

his Romance, Op. 24, No. 9 for piano. The key is moved from A-flat to D-flat, and he changes

41

the main theme played with winds in a quiet (piano) and in a sweet (dolce) manner (see Ex. 4.20)

to a richer, cello-like sound played by the left hand in the Romance (see Ex. 4.21). This theme

develops and builds up to a fortissimo climax, using a melodic motif from the beginning of the

piece. The elements of this theme are found also in his song “Flickan kom ifran sin

alsklingsmote,” Op. 37, No. 5 (see Ex. 4.22). The motif recurs so much that it takes on almost

the character of an archetype. See Appendix C.


Example 4.21: Romance, mm. 1–8

42

Example 4.22: Romance, mm. 54–57

Example 4.23: “Flickan kom ifran sin alsklings mote,” mm. 1–5

An interesting detail about this theme is that, as Folke Gräsbeck has pointed out,21 an

embryo of this theme saw daylight already in 1887, when Sibelius wrote Andante Cantabile for

violin and piano. He spent his summers on Korppoo, an island in a picturesque archipelago in

Finland, playing chamber music with his siblings. He often stayed up at night composing the

pieces they were to practice the following day. Nature was already important for the young Jean.

He often walked outside, playing his violin for Nature and claimed that it was his best audience.

Also, he insisted on carrying a piano to a rowboat, so that the siblings could row to the middle of

21 “Sibelius i Korpo,” IMDb (IMDb.com, October 4, 2015), https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12752816/.

43

the lake and play the new compositions together there. Andante Cantabile was born on one of

these summers, dedicated to young Ruth Ringbom (1870–1949),22 an acquaintance who played

the violin and was admired by Sibelius and his brother. Example 4.24 shows an excerpt from of

the beginning of the piece, which shares pitch material with Finlandia.

Example 4.24: Sibelius, Andante Cantabile (1887), mm. 1–4

Sibelius used and developed his thematic materials in different pieces. The Andante

Cantabile is a great example of how a happy, inspirational summer memory later took multiple

forms and shaped into a melody that became so loved that, not only is it the best known melody

of Finlandia, but it also became a chorale known all over the world and the national anthem of a

country far away from its Nordic origin.

22 World Première Recording: BIS-CD-1022 (1999), performed by Jaakko Kuusisto, violin, and Folke Gräsbeck, piano; reissued in The BIS Sibelius Edition Box 6, BIS-CD-1915/17 (2008).

44

CONCLUSIONS

The piano was Sibelius’s first instrument. He had a close and personal relationship with it

for “fantasizing” and improvising, and very importantly—since early on, wherever he traveled,

he wanted to have a piano at his disposal. The arranging techniques seen in Finlandia developed

further stylistically in his symphonic writing and influenced his piano writing. There is a famous

quote by Glenn Gould:

… Sibelius never wrote against the grain of the keyboard. At its best, his style partook of that spare, bleak, motivically stingy counterpoint that nobody south of the Baltic ever seems to write. And at—not its worst—its most conventional, perhaps, his keyboard manner is still a far cry from the generalized, octave-doubling-prone textures espoused by most of his contemporaries.23

Gould clearly understood the distilled transparency and the Invention-like clear and polyphonic

writing that was at the heart of Sibelius’s piano writing. Sibelius had his own sonority for the

piano, reflecting his symphonic writing, which too had an aura of its own, as is widely

recognized. Recognizing the almost Classical writing beneath all the virtuosity and

understanding the importance of the sustain pedal and the subtle use of it are essential elements

in interpreting Sibelius’s piano works.

After the close comparison between the two versions of Finlandia, we can see that

Sibelius made several choices in his piano arrangement that characterize his unique pianistic

approach. It almost looks as if he found expressive idioms which he then used in different

formats in the other piano compositions. For example, the octave tremolos reflect forward

motion and big orchestral crescendos, whereas the trill-like ones represent softer dynamics and

reflect a floating expression in a transparent color. In the orchestra, the trills would be played by

23 Glenn Gould, The Glenn Gould Reader, ed. Tim Page (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987). 103–7.

45

the upper strings. Outside his orchestral music, these elements are seen most in the

accompaniments of his songs.

The thirty-second-note passages illustrate forward momentum and bridge movement

towards an arrival point. In these passages, clarity and refined use of pedal are essential. The

Opus 24 for piano and Malinconia are perfect illustrations of this approach. The thick chordal

sections, octave runs, and martellatos represent the culminations and big tutti sections of the

pieces. In order to bring out the pedal points, it would be beneficial to take in consideration all

the possibilities of modern piano pedals. I would suggest using the middle pedal in sections like

this in order to capture the underlying bass line, combined with the clarity of the rest of the

texture obtained by lifting the sustain pedal at the same time. This layering will enable the

overtones of the piano reach their full potential. Refined voicing of the thick chords is also

important in order to keep the Classical approach to the texture. Many of Sibelius’s piano

compositions from the Kalevala-Romantic period have these characteristics.

In the arrangement of the chorale section we see an example of warm, wonderful string

sound with a sixteenth-note accompaniment pattern, as found in several of Sibelius’s piano

works. It is important to remember the warm, tender timbre, which is never percussive.

In these examples we can observe the independent piano writing style so characteristic of

Sibelius. He offers great pianistic solutions without compromising the essence of the original

source in his arrangement. His piano writing in fact reveals a deep understanding of the

instrument and an excellent transcriptive skill, able to convey a pianistic orchestral sound

combined with his innovative and unique style. These factors were central in the formation of

Sibelius’s own language for piano. He was fully at home with the pianistic style of such masters

of the instrument as Liszt and Busoni, to whom he connected both stylistically and emotionally.

46

We know that he was an intimate colleague of Busoni and the two of them exchanged musical

ideas. His fascination with Liszt, his deep friendship with Busoni, as well as his direct and

undoubtedly improvisational relationship to the piano are key components in his piano writing.

Looking closely at the piano version of Finlandia, it becomes clear that the composition

stands powerfully on its own. When comparing the textures of the two versions, one can see that

some of the changes between the parts were done in the sheer interest of practicality, and at other

moments Sibelius employed pianistic texture that was idiosyncratic to his own piano style. That

can be clearly seen in a different light after we become familiar with his arrangement techniques.

The music of Sibelius’s Kalevala-Romantic period provides a fascinating opportunity to explore

his unique, rich, and virtuosic style for piano, and to dive into the world of his most Romantic

period, with the first two Symphonies, Kullervo, The Swan of Tuonela, and other masterpieces. It

is hoped that through this research, his smaller-scale works such as the character pieces and

songs of this period will reach a wider audience.

47

APPENDIX A

THE TITLE PAGE OF SIBELIUS’S PIANO ARRANGEMENT OF FINLANDIA.

48

From the Jean Sibelius archive, National Library of Finland, HUL 0843.

49

APPENDIX B

GRAPH OF THE TEMPO AND KEY STRUCTURE OF SIBELIUS, FINLANDIA

50

Based on Hepokoski. “Finlandia Awakens,” 86

Graph of Finlandia, mm. 99–end from ibid.

51

APPENDIX C

THE SIMILARITY OF SIBELIUS’S MOTIFS

53

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alesaro, Juhani. “Sibelius and his ’Free Moments’ at the Piano.” In Sibelius Forum II: Proceedings from the Third International Jean Sibelius Conference. Edited by Matti Huttunen, Veijo Murtomäki, and Kari Kilpeläinen, 293–98. Helsinki: Sibelius Academy, 2003.

———. “Sibelius’s Op. 75, No. 4—’Hardly Pianoforte Music at All’?” In Sibelius Forum: Proceedings from the Second International Jean Sibelius Conference. Edited by Veijo Murtomäki, Kari Kilpeläinen, and Risto Väisänen, 180–84. Helsinki: Sibelius Academy, 1998.

Busoni, Ferruccio. Finnländische Volksweisen, Op. 27, for Piano Four Hands. New York: C. F. Peters, 1953.

———. Kultaselle: Ten Short Variations on a Finnish Folksong for Violoncello and Piano. Boca Raton, FL: Masters Music, n.d.

Barnett, Andrew. Sibelius. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017.

Dahlström, Fabian. Sibelius-Akademin 1882–1982. Sibelius-Akademins publikationer 1. Helsinki: Sibelius Academy, 1982.

Goss, Glenda Dawn. Sibelius: A Composer’s Life and the Awakening of Finland. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009.

Gould, Glenn. The Glenn Gould Reader. Edited by Tim Page. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987.

Heinonen, Eero. “Sibelius.” Liner notes for Sibelius’s Published Original Works for Piano, performed by Heinonen. Finlandia CD8573-80776-2, 2000, compact disc.

Hepokoski, James. “Finlandia Awakens.” In The Cambridge Companion to Sibelius. Edited by Daniel M. Grimley, 81–94. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.

Liszt, Franz. Harmonies poétiques et religieuses. Leipzig: Fr. Kistner, [1853].

———. Musikalische Werke, Serie II, Band 6. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1916.

Mäkelä, Tomi. Jean Sibelius. Woodbridge, Suffolk & Rochester, NY: Boydell Press, 2011.

Murtomaki, Veijo. “Sibelius and the Miniature.” In The Cambridge Companion to Sibelius. Edited by Daniel M. Grimley, 137–53. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.

———. “Sibelius’s Symphonic Ballad Skogsrået: Biographical and Programmatic Aspects of his Early Orchestral Music.” In Sibelius Studies. Edited by Timothy L. Jackson and Murtomäki, 95–138. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.

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“Sibelius i Korpo.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12752816/, accessed 4 October 2015.

Sibelius, Jean. 15 Selected Songs for Voice and Piano. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1966.

———. Finlandia, Op. 26. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1905.

———. Finlandia: Tondichtung für Orchester. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1987.

———. 5 Songs, Op. 38. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1904.

———. Jean Sibelius: Complete Youth Production for Violin and Piano, Volume 1. World Première Recording. Performed by Jaakko Kuusisto, violin, and Folke Gräsbeck, piano. BIS-CD-1022 (1999). Reissued in The BIS Sibelius Edition Box 6, BIS-CD-1915/17 (2008).

———. Malinconia, Op. 20. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1911.

———. Piano Music: Finlandia, Valse Triste and 29 Other Works. New York: Dover, 2000.

———. 6 Impromptus, Op. 5. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1923.

———. Ten Pieces, Op. 24, for Piano. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1908.

Tarnow, Volker. Sibelius. Leipzig: Henschel, 2015.

Tawaststjerna, Erik. Jean Sibelius, Biography. 5 vols. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otavan painolaitokset, 1965–88.

———. The Pianoforte Compositions of Jean Sibelius. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otavan kirjapaino, 1957.

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