The book contains twenty-two essays on Sibelius, written by scholars from seven countries across the Atlantic. Most of the articles were originally papers read at the Fourth International Jean Sibelius Conference, held in January 2005 at the University of North Texas, in Denton. The book is divided into four sections: Historical and Cultural Studies, Analytical Studies, Source Studies, Reception and Interpretation. The chapters in this book reflect, in their contents and standpoints, the different musicological and music analytical trends current in Europe and the North America; they thereby offer a compelling cross-section of the manifold approaches to Sibelius studies.

Sibelius Studies presents a new portrait of this popular and prolific composer. Sibelius's symphonies often have been mentioned in the same breath with Beethoven's; indeed, in the twentieth century, they have enjoyed a commensurate popularity. The book contextualizes Sibelius' symphonies and tone poems in the larger development of European music, especially its transition from late romanticism to modernism. The relationship between Sibelius the man and his music, his personal life and creative work, is explored, with new revelations emerging from sketches, diaries, and letters.

This book, first published in 2001, presents a portrait of Jean Sibelius as composer and man, a figure of national and international significance, patriot, husband and father. Three introductory articles explore Sibelius's reception in Finland, performance practice and recording history, and Sibelius's aesthetic position with regard to modernity. The second group of essays examines issues of ideology, sexuality and mythology, and their relationship to musical structure and compositional genesis. Studies of the Second, Fourth, Sixth, and Seventh Symphonies are presented in the concluding section. Collectively, these articles address historical, theoretical and analytical issues in Sibelius's most important works. The analyses are supported by investigations of Sibelius's compositional process as documented by the manuscripts and sketches primarily in the Sibelius Collection of the Helsinki University Library. Exploring Sibelius's innovative approach to tonality, form and texture, the book delineates his unique brand of modernism, which has proven highly influential in the late twentieth century.