Kullervo – A Symphony for a Tragic Hero

Abstract

The last decade on the 19^th century saw a major crisis of identity in what is known today as Finland. Having emerged from under centuries of Swedish rule and being incorporated into the Russian Empire, the population turned to its true ethnic roots. The compilation and the publishing of the Kalevala set in motion a series of cultural and artistic events which resonated deeply with the political aspirations of the moment. Amidst this effervescence came the young Jean Sibelius to present one of his earliest monumental works, Kullervo Op 7. Often mislabeled as a symphonic poem, this programmatic symphony draws upon the story of the Kalevala’s 6^th cycle. The unfolding plot is a typical tragic hero story set in a very Finnish framework. The composer had therefore to solve the task of presenting a particular version of a universal archetype and to create a symphony that can be both a testament to the struggles of his own time and a monument within the history of universal music.