Finland's craggy, 78-year-old Jean Sibelius was interviewed early this month, at his villa north of Helsinki, by LIFE Photographer Eliot Elisofon. His report:
"Age had emphasized every line and bump of his skull structure. He wore a double-breasted blue suit, black shoes, a starched shirt whose collar was easily three sizes too large, revealing a wrinkled neck. I counted six furrows between his eyebrows.
"The first thing I did was hand him two long Coronas, which I excavated in Helsinki. His eyes sparkled and he grabbed me with both arms, saying 'Cigars from America, cigars from America.'
"We sat down in easy chairs...
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