Jean Sibelius (December 8, 1865 – September 20, 1957) was a Finnish composer of classical music. Sibelius is considered to be one of the most popular composers of the late 19th and early 20th century. His music and genius have also played an important role in forming of the Finnish national identity. Sibelius was born into a Swedish-speaking family in Hämeenlinna in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland. He was given the name Johan Julius Christian Sibelius. He was known as Janne to his family, but during his student years he started using a French form of the name, Jean.
