Sibelius's ten-year grant and pension, 1898-1957

Sibelius’s ten-year grant and pension, 1898-1957

After losing the competition for the post of music teacher at the university in 1897, Sibelius was awarded a ten-year arts grant by the Tsar as a consolation prize. In 1898 the grant was set at 3,000 marks annually (almost 11,000 euros), which equalled the half-yearly salary of a university professor. At the end of the ten-year period the grant was transformed into a pension.

Sibelius’s ten-year grant and pension, 1898-1957

Year
Pension (Finnish marks)
Current value of the pension in euros
1898
3,000
10,940
1899
3,000
10,460
1900
3,000
10,300
1901
3,000
10,340
1902
3,000
10,340
1903
3,000
10,340
1904
3,000
10,340
1905
3,000
10,340
1906
3,000
9,930
1907
3,000
9,630
1908
3,000
9,180
1909
3,000
9,330
1910
3,000
9,330
1911
3,000
8,980
1912
5,000
14,620
1913
5,000
14,620
1914
5,000
14,620
1915
5,000
12,700
1916
5,000
9,200
1917
5,000
4,700
1918
5,000
1,430
1919
8,000
2,470
1920
8,000
2,470
1921
30,000
7,410
1922
30,000
7,615
1923
30,000
7,560
1924
30,000
7,462
1925
30,000
7,160
1926
100,000
24,700
1927
100,000
24,200
1946
300,000
17,650
1950
1,700,000
37,800

The pension was raised a few times. Nevertheless, its value sank over the years. It was at its lowest in the years just after Finland became independent from Russia. It is ironic that the pension began to maintain its intended real value only after it was no longer important to the composer. By the end of 1926 the debts had been paid off and royalties were starting to flow in.