Published on Sep 22, 2014 Jean Sibelius died on 20 September, 1957. 9 days later, on Sunday 29th September, there was a small memorial service in Ainola, in which Jussi Jalas played The Song of My Heart and Prosperos music from The Tempest. After the ceremony the composers coffin was transported to Helsinki. The musicians of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Radio Symphony Orchestra carried the coffin into Helsinki Cathedral while Tapani Valsta played Bach on the organ. Before 9pm the cathedral was opened to the public, and it remained open until midnight. During this time 17,000 people filed past the coffin to pay their final respects. Students held vigil all through the night for Finlands greatest composer. The funeral took place on Monday, 30th September 1957. The funeral music consisted of two hymns by Sibelius, three sections from the music for The Tempest, The Swan of Tuonela, Il tempo largo from the Fourth Symphony, and In Memoriam. After the funeral service, Aino Sibelius and President Urho Kekkonen laid their wreaths. Influential musical figures, including composers Uuno Klami and Einojuhani Rautavaara, carried the coffin to the hearse. The people formed a guard of honour at the roadside from the centre of Helsinki to Järvenpää. At Ainola, relatives carried the coffin to the terrace which had been chosen as the burial place. The composer Erik Bergman conducted the choirs who again sang The Song of My Heart. Aino Sibelius laid her last greeting on the grave. The funeral ribbon read simply: From your own wife, in gratitude for a life dedicated to your great art. Info adapted from sibelius.fi/english/elaman...
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 20:38:46 +0000
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