Sibelius’s 90th birthday

Sibelius reached the age of 90 in 1955. Among the celebrations were joint concerts by the Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic during the summer Sibelius Weeks. That year, the two orchestras further got together to perform all the Sibelius symphonies and on December 8 – his birthday – the Violin Concerto. The soloist was Anja Ignatius and Tauno Hannikainen conducted.

In the autumn, members of the HPO paid Sibelius a visit at Ainola, his home. He reminisced about the orchestra’s earlier days and admitted: “I’ve heard performances of works of mine by various orchestras, but it seems to me that those by the Helsinki Philharmonic best correspond to my own ideas.” (Source: Matti Vainio – Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri 1882-1982.)

Source: Einari Marvia & Matti Vainio – Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri 1882-1982
Picture: Helsingin kaupunginarkisto / Helsingin kaupunginorkesterin kokoelma