24 NOVEMBER 1984, Page 23

Finn points

Sir: Regarding the correspondence about Sibelius, Finn or Swede (10 November), I should like to make the following points.

It is an occasional Swedish practice to adopt a classical name and Finland was a Swedish grand duchy till 1809. Sibelius was alive during a period of increasing `Russifi- cation' which was mainly resisted until a complete break in 1917. It was this nation- alism which Sibelius's Finlandia expressed.

Nationality is either a question of ances- try, birthplace, legal force majeure, or sometimes what you will.

W. McM. Reid

36 St Peter's Square, London W6