Music for Freemasons

The seven symphonies are regarded as the main works of the great Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). Also the tone poems Satu, Lemminkäinen, Finlandia, Aallottaret (Oceanides) and Tapiola belong to the core works of his whole production. Unquestionably, into his main works belong also the following opuses for orchestra: Valse Triste, Rakastava Suite, Violin Concerto and music for the play The Tempest as well as the Opus 113 for organ, song and choir, also known as Musique Réligièuse.

Sibelius composed the main part of the Opus 113 i.e. his masonic ritual music in late 1926 and early 1927. Soon after began the famous "silence of Ainola" when Sibelius gave up publishing new compositions until the rest of his life. Gradually he also gave up composing with very rare exceptions such as the composition Surusoitto (Funeral Music) for the funeral of the famous Finnish painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela in 1931 and as late as in 1946 the compositions Veljesvirsi (Ode to Fraternity) and Ylisty