Sibelius Monument - "Passio Musicae" by Eila Hiltunen Helsinki,Finland

During the summer of 2008 Ed and John embarked on a Baltic vacation and one among many wonders which they enjoyed together was this sculpture / memorial honoring Finish composer Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957).

See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv79C2FORK0
Organ - Piano Duet performance of Sibelius music by Edward Krynicki and Elaine Reinhardt in Delray Beach Florida (USA) at Church of the Palms.

See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed1JETAwmM4&NR=1
for related Sibelius samples and winter view of monument.

The monument (Passio Musicae) is situated in "Sibelius Park" (Sibeliuspuisto) in the Toolo district of Helsinki just to the north west of the centre, across the road from a large lake. Many bus tours stop at the park each day for "the photo opportunity." As you enter the park you can catch a tantalising glimpse of the sculptures between the trees. The park is not gated so you can visit at any time and there is no admission charge. Nor is the monument fenced off or mounted on a high plinth, you can simply walk straight up to it. The memorial is, in fact, one of the most popular "tourist attractions" in Helsinki though I am not sure how many of the people who visit it are familiar with the composer's work. However there are several museums in Finland dedicated to Sibelius so I wouldn't be surprised if many visitors come home knowing a lot more about the man than when they arrived. The artist, Eila Hiltunen, created an unintended effect with this work; on a windy day orchestral sounds are produced by air currents crossing the tops of the pipes. Hiltunen is well known in the sculpture world for the pioneering work she did using MIG welding which was a relatively new method in any industry, let alone in the art world. Unfortunately the intense and prolonged work involved in the creation of "Passio Musicae" took its toll on her and she contracted chronic bronchial asthma due to the techniques used and the fact that the work was carried out in a small studio. Another of her works - a copper fountain - can be seen outside the central bank in Helsinki.

Passio Musicae is a deceptive piece of art.
Dimensions:
It is ten and a half metres long, six and a half metres deep and eight and a half metres high. In addition it weighs 30 tons. It took Hiltunen four years to complete the project but she did not work alone; her assistant was Emil Kokkonen and together they handworked the differently textured end sections of each pipe.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jean Sibelius
• Passio Musicae
• Eila Hiltunen
• Baltic
• John McGovern
• Edward Krynicki
• Helsinki
• Finland
• Church of the Palms

[AriesBG]

This is so great!