National Library receives Sibelius’ unique manuscript of the Kauitar song in donation

The jewel of the collection is a unique manuscript of Jean Sibelius’ song Kaiutar, including the composer’s inscription and complete with ornamental binding. This is the only known complete manuscript of a song written by Sibelius.

Besides Sibelius’ Kaiutar, the donation includes works by Leevi Madetoja, Erkki Melartin, Toivo Kuula, Ilmari Hannikainen, Väinö Hannikainen and Oskar Merikanto. The material also contains an early piano composition by Larin-Kyösti himself.

Larin-Kyösti’s poems were appreciated and set to music also outside Finland, as is shown by the composition Nimm deine schöne Kantele by H. Martin.

The collection will be integrated into the Larin-Kyösti archive contained in the National Library’s Manuscript Collection and made available to researchers in the Library’s Special Collections Reading Room immediately after it has been catalogued.

Further information:

Petri Tuovinen,
Information specialist
[email protected]