Editing Jean Sibelius (section)

===Revived fortunes but growing hand tremor ===
[[File:Jean Sibelius 1923.gif|thumb|upright=0.9|Sibelius in 1923]]

In early 1919, Sibelius enthusiastically decided to change his image, shaving off what remained of his thinning hair. In June, together with Aino, he visited Copenhagen on his first trip outside Finland since 1915, successfully presenting his Second Symphony. In November he conducted the final version of his Fifth Symphony, receiving repeated ovations from the audience. By the end of the year, he was already working on the Sixth.<ref name=wfs/>

In 1920, despite a growing tremor in his hands, Sibelius composed the ''Hymn of the Earth'' to a text by the poet [[Eino Leino]] for the Suomen Laulu Choir and orchestrated his ''Valse lyrique'', helped along by drinking wine. On his birthday in December 1920, Sibelius received a donation of 63,000 marks, a substantial sum the tenor {{Interlanguage link multi|Wäinö Sola|fi}} had raised from Finnish businesses. Although he used some of the money to reduce his debts, he also spent a week celebrating to excess in Helsinki.<ref name=lmp>{{cite web |title=The last masterpieces 1920–1927 |work=Jean Sibelius |publisher=Finnish Club of Helsinki |url=http://www.sibelius.fi/english/elamankaari/sib_viimeiset.htm |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=17 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151217131719/http://www.sibelius.fi/english/elamankaari/sib_viimeiset.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

At this time, Sibelius held detailed negotiations with [[George Eastman]], inventor of the Kodak camera and founder of the [[Eastman School of Music]] in Rochester, New York. Eastman offered $20,000 salary to teach for a single year,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lenti |first1=Vincent A. |title=For the Enrichment of Community Life : George Eastman and the Founding of the Eastman School of Music |date=2004 |publisher=Meliora Press |location=Rochester, New York|isbn=9781580461993 |page=53}}</ref> and before Sibelius declined, negotiations were so firm that the ''New York Times'' published Sibelius's arrival as fact.<ref>{{cite news |title=Finnish Composer Coming |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1921/01/25/103538651.pdf |access-date=10 January 2022|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=25 January 1921|volume=LXX|number=23,012 |page=2}}</ref>

Sibelius enjoyed a highly successful trip to Britain in early 1921—conducting several concerts around the country, including the Fourth and Fifth symphonies, ''The Oceanides'', the ever-popular ''Finlandia'', and ''Valse triste''. Immediately afterwards, he conducted the Second Symphony and ''Valse triste'' in Norway. He was beginning to suffer from exhaustion, but the critics remained positive. On his return to Finland in April, he presented ''Lemminkäinen's Return'' and the Fifth Symphony at the Nordic Music Days.<ref name=lmp/>

Early in 1922, after suffering from headaches Sibelius decided to acquire spectacles although he never wore them for photographs. In July, he was saddened by the death of his brother Christian. In August, he joined the Finnish Freemasons and composed ritual music for them. In February 1923, he premiered his [[Symphony No. 6 (Sibelius)|Sixth Symphony]]. Evert Katila highly praised it as "pure idyll." Before the year ended he had also conducted concerts in Stockholm and Rome, the first to considerable acclaim, the second to mixed reviews. He then proceeded to Gothenburg where he enjoyed an ecstatic reception despite arriving at the concert hall suffering from over-indulgence in food and drink. Despite continuing to drink, to Aino's dismay, Sibelius managed to complete his Seventh Symphony in March 1924. Under the title of ''Fantasia sinfonica'' it received its first public performance in Stockholm where it was a success. It was even more highly appreciated at a series of concerts in Copenhagen in late September. Sibelius was honoured with the Knight Commander's Cross of the [[Order of the Dannebrog]].<ref name=lmp/>

He spent most of the rest of the year resting as his recent spate of activity was straining his heart and nerves. Composing a few small pieces, he relied increasingly on alcohol. In May 1925, his Danish publisher [[Edition Wilhelm Hansen|Wilhelm Hansen]] and the [[Royal Danish Theatre]] invited him to compose incidental music for a production of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[The Tempest]]''. He completed the work well in advance of its premiere in March 1926.<ref name=lmp/> It was well received in Copenhagen although Sibelius was not there himself.<ref>{{cite web |title=Incidental music: Sibelius: Music for ''The Tempest'' by William Shakespeare, op. 109 (1925–26) |work=Jean Sibelius |publisher=Finnish Club of Helsinki |url=http://www.sibelius.fi/english/musiikki/nayttamo_myrsky.htm |access-date=18 November 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924101650/http://www.sibelius.fi/english/musiikki/nayttamo_myrsky.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The music journalist Vesa Sirén has found evidence that Sibelius perhaps suffered from [[essential tremor]] since a young age and that he reduced the symptoms by drinking alcohol. This self-medication is common and effective but discouraged by doctors due to the risks outweighing the benefits. Sirén's research is supported by several medical experts. The tremor presumably prevented writing and impaired his social life.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120503205515/https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/Sibeliuksen+ja+kymmenientuhansien+suomalaisten+vapinaan+l%C3%B6ytyi+syy/a1305554379014/ "Sibeliuksen vapinalle löytyi syy"] (in Finnish; "Reason found for Sibelius's tremor"), by Vesa Sirén in ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]''</ref>