Sibelius was 39 years old when he moved to Ainola. Pekka Halonen was the same age. Eero Järnefelt and Juhani Aho were both over 40 at the time. The 55-year-old poet Erkko was among those who had already passed middle age. Arkiater Hjelt represented the previous generation. He was born in 1823.

Despite his advanced age, Otto Hjelt was certainly a welcome conversation partner for Sibelius—or perhaps precisely because of it. At the end of April 1912, the composer noted the following in his diary:

“A wonderful day. I walked with Arkiater Hjelt, who has turned 89. He remembers the Great Fire of Turku in 1827! And even some events from 1826!”

Might they also have discussed Sibelius’s father during their conversations? The medical faculty approved the doctoral theses of Dr. Christian Gustaf Sibelius and the future arkiater at the same meeting in 1855.