Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, December 8, 1940

An all Sibelius program by Toscanini last night, in honor of the composer’s birthday (which is today).

Symphony #2 – Pohjolas’ Daughter – The Swan of Tuonela – Return of Lemminkainen – Finlandia.

Altho he played all of these superbly, the Swan of Tuonela affected me the most – (and he put new life into “Finlandia”

After the concert I came out to the studio and wrote down the following: “Swan of Tuonela” – (as played by Toscanini – (Dec. 4 – 1940) sounds of nature – the roar of a woods in November? – High tones from the Zenith looking north -?

(I think of the March days of 1917 – the telegraph harp out Ellsworth Rd. – North - coal mines – long level March sunlight – sticky drip-drip-drip of water from the clay - )

As I wrote this a singe of home-sickness assailed – homesickness for my lost boyhood.

A Sibelius concert by the N.Y. Philharmonic today – but due to the national championship football game somewhere or other

We could not get it – So I played the 5th & the 7th as our own celebration, While Martha, Mary Alice & Catherine knitted or worked on a bed-spread.

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, December 8, 1940

December 8, 1940