In celebration of Sibelius’s 150th birthday anniversary, the New York Philharmonic performs Sibelius’s The Oceanides and Violin Concerto, Feb. 26–28, and presents Sibelius at Home: Images from the Aho Family Films in the Bruno Walter Gallery at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.
The exhibit, which opens today, includes stills and commentary from a documentary film capturing Sibelius at home in 1927 and 1945, along with archival material from the New York Philharmonic Archives tracing the Orchestra’s relationship with Sibelius and his music.
The film (above) is a rare glimpse of Sibelius and his family in their summer home on Lake Tuusula, in Southern Finland. Shot by Sibelius’s neighbors Heikki Aho and Björn Soldan, sons of author/journalist Juhani Aho and founders of the documentary film studio Aho & Soldan, the film exhibits an intimate behind-the-scenes view of the notoriously camera-shy composer.
Sibelius’s wife, Aino, and daughters also appear in the film, posing readily for the cameramen they knew so well. The daughters Margareta and Heidi pick apples in the garden and play the piano, and Margareta plays the violin. Jean reads the paper and plays and composes at the piano, cigar always at hand.
Sibelius at Home: Images from the Aho Family Films is in the Bruno Walter Gallery on Avery Fisher Hall’s Grand Promenade and is open to ticket-holders through March 31.
Music:
Sibelius, arr. Jussi Jalas: Symphony No. 3, Finale
Sibelius: Impromptu, Op. 5 for string orchestra
Sibelius: Romance in F, Op. 78 for violin and piano
Helsinki Theater Orchestra
Eero Bister, violin
