Sibelius, who was born in 1865 with the decidedly Finnish-sounding name Johan Julius Christian, was known to his loved ones as Janne from an early age. While still a student, he was inspired to use the same French spelling as his uncle Jean, referring to it as his “music name”.¹⁾

Jean, as a child, had a natural talent for music, although he was no musical prodigy. He didn't begin formal piano instruction until he was nine years old. But it was the violin that sparked his interest, and he began by studying composition from books.²⁾

Sibelius became a skilled violinist, but when composing became his primary focus, he was never able to achieve his full potential as a violinist. He even tried out for the Vienna Philharmonic, but didn't make the cut.³⁾

Sibelius' Violin Concerto was the one work he wished he could have performed himself. His performance technique, however, lagged behind his musical talent. It is still regarded as one of the greatest violin concertos ever written. Sibelius actually wrote a letter of praise to violinist Ida Haendel after hearing her performance of the composition.⁴⁾

Sibelius was an avid Wagnerian early in his career. A performance of Parsifal at Bayreuth had a profound impact on him, prompting him to write, “Nothing in the world has made such an impression on me, it moves the very strings of my heart.” Later, Sibelius became dissatisfied with Wagner's music, labeling it arrogant and nasty.⁵⁾