Text Box: 38. This next classical composer was from Finland. His name Jean (Zhon) Sibelius (See bel ‘ee us). Interestingly, he actually spoke Swedish before he learned Finnish, being that Finland was ruled by Sweden in those days. He lived from 1865 to 1957, 92 years…the oldest of our classical music composers. This is no small wonder because he was a heavy drinker and smoker…and contracted throat cancer way back in 1908. Luckily, he had a successful operation that year and lived 49 more years. His real first name was Johann, but he changed it to Jean while attending a musical academy. There he came into possession of some calling cards, formerly belonging to a dead, but respected relative called Jean Sibelius…who had gone off to sea, and died of yellow fever in Havana. The name appealed to him, and he adopted it as his own. Goulding ranks him the 28th classical composer. You heard an excerpt from his nationalist work called Finlandia.