Is the pride of a nation misplaced - how Finnish was Sibelius after all?
(The Guardian Finland)

As shown at two concerts marking Finnish independence day, Sibelius remains his country´s national composer. But the relationship is complicatedFinland won its independence 100 years ago this week. The new nation in the north of Europe was created by a pragmatic first world wartime agreement between two extremely different socialist governments: Finland´s democratically elected one (the first of its kind in the world) under Oskari Tokoi, and Russia´s new revolutionary regime under Lenin, which would change the world in more violent ways.Classical music likes an anniversary, and Finland´s centenary was marked by two fine concerts on successive days in London, one in the Barbican Hall, the other in the Royal Festival Hall. Two of the most notable of Finland´s many great orchestral conductors presided over the occasions: Sakari Oramo with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the first, Esa-Pekka Salonen with the Philharmonia in the second. Continue reading...