I have a special memories connected to Finlandia and so I will always feel a little tingle when I hear it. But to be honest, even if I didn't, I would still be hooked on. It is a very strong and emotional piece and definitely worth listening to.
A Wee Bit of History
 |
| J.Sibelius, source of the pic: Wikipedia |
A bit later, a group of patriotic members of the Finnish press organized a fund-raiser for "newspaper pension funds", as trick to get a promoting and financing of a free press for the Finns to voice themselves, to combat Russia's free speech censorship.
Sibelius created tableaux (called 'Music for Press Ceremony') illustrating episodes in Finland´s past, which was to be presented at the Press Celebrations held in November that year. Seed of the Finlandia Hymn (which Sibelius created from the piece inspired by Topelius), was played as the last of the seven pieces (as a covert protest against increasing censorship from the Russian Empire).
The Name
 |
| Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash |
Original name of the poem (Finland Awake!) which soon came to be in great demand as a separate concert piece, was changed by Sibelius into Finlandia as a response to the suggestions of a secret admirer and later on also a self-appointed fund-raiser Axel Carpelan.
Lyrics
First lyrics were written by the opera singer Wäinö Sola in 1937, a Sibelius's good friend.
 |
| W. Sola, source of the picture: Wikipedia |
Finladia has been publicly sung by the original text of Sola very sporadically. In these days you can hear it for example in Oulu, at the New Year's Concert.
First lyrics (in Finnish of course):
Oi, Herra, annoit uuden päivän koittaa,
nyt siunaa armossas isäimme maa!
Soit aamuauringon yön varjot voittaa
ja taiston, ahdingon rauhoittaa
Sua kansa kiittäen ain kunnioittaa
ja rauhaa toivoen uurastaa.
Korkeimman johtoon kansa Suomen luottaa,
vapaus-aarrettaan se puolustaa
Se kylvää siemenen ja tyynnä vuottaa
satohon tyytyen jos sen saa.
Siunaus Herran meille onnen tuottaa
ja turvan parhaimman lahjoittaa.
After the Russian aggression against Finland in 1939 (The Winter War) the Finnish poet V. A. Koskenniemi created a new text (Oi Suomi katso), the one that has been used ever since.
nyt siunaa armossas isäimme maa!
Soit aamuauringon yön varjot voittaa
ja taiston, ahdingon rauhoittaa
Sua kansa kiittäen ain kunnioittaa
ja rauhaa toivoen uurastaa.
Korkeimman johtoon kansa Suomen luottaa,
vapaus-aarrettaan se puolustaa
Se kylvää siemenen ja tyynnä vuottaa
satohon tyytyen jos sen saa.
Siunaus Herran meille onnen tuottaa
ja turvan parhaimman lahjoittaa.
 |
| V.A.Koskeniemi, source of the picture: Wikipedia |
After the Russian aggression against Finland in 1939 (The Winter War) the Finnish poet V. A. Koskenniemi created a new text (Oi Suomi katso), the one that has been used ever since.
Oi Suomi, katso, sinun päiväs koittaa / Finland, behold, thy daylight now is dawning,
Yön uhka karkoitettu on jo pois / the threat of night has now been driven away.
Ja aamun kiuru kirkkaudessa soittaa / The skylark calls across the light of morning,
Kuin itse taivahan kansi sois / the blue of heaven lets it have its sound,
Yön vallat aamun valkeus jo voittaa / and now the day the powers of night is scorning:
Sun päiväs koittaa, oi synnyinmaa / thy daylight dawns, O Finland of ours!
Ja aamun kiuru kirkkaudessa soittaa / The skylark calls across the light of morning,
Kuin itse taivahan kansi sois / the blue of heaven lets it have its sound,
Yön vallat aamun valkeus jo voittaa / and now the day the powers of night is scorning:
Sun päiväs koittaa, oi synnyinmaa / thy daylight dawns, O Finland of ours!
Oi nouse, Suomi, nosta korkealle / Finland, arise, and raise towards the highest
Pääs seppelöimä suurten muistojen / thy head now crowned with mighty memory.
Oi nouse, Suomi, näytit maailmalle / Finland, arise, for to the world thou criest
Sa että karkoitit orjuuden / that thou hast thrown off thy slavery,
Ja ettet taipunut sa sorron alle / beneath oppression's yoke thou never liest.
On aamus alkanut, synnyinmaa / Thy morning's come, O Finland of ours!
Pääs seppelöimä suurten muistojen / thy head now crowned with mighty memory.
Oi nouse, Suomi, näytit maailmalle / Finland, arise, for to the world thou criest
Sa että karkoitit orjuuden / that thou hast thrown off thy slavery,
Ja ettet taipunut sa sorron alle / beneath oppression's yoke thou never liest.
On aamus alkanut, synnyinmaa / Thy morning's come, O Finland of ours!
The translation by Keith Bosley ( included in Bosley´s superb anthology “Skating On the Sea – Poetry from Finland” published by Bloodaxe Books – (ISBN: 1 85224 388 0) and in Finland in co-operation with the Finnish Literature Society.)
Finlandia became a symbol of Finnish nationalism and it is considered to be a Finnish second national anthem, for its music is so powerfully patriotic and contains the spirit of Finland.
For nearly the entire 1800's Finland had been merely another state in the vast Russian empire, Finns being forced into its army, having their press censored and free speech oppressed.
In the last decade of the century, however, Finns began to assert their independence.
Finnish nationalism became a powerful movement, and Finlandia a symbol of this strong wave of rebellion.
It's exciting and emotional, filled with grand melodies and dramatic explosions. Sibelius gives each of the instrumental groups in the orchestra a chance to shine, and when brought together the orchestra becomes a spectacular powerhouse.
Most of the piece is taken up with rousing and turbulent music, evoking the national struggle of the Finnish people. Towards the end, a calm comes over the orchestra, and the serenely melodic Finlandia Hymn is heard. Often incorrectly cited as a traditional folk melody, the Hymn section is of Sibelius's own creation.
Although originally composed for orchestra, in 1900 Sibelius arranged the work solo piano.
You can also read my article about Jean Sibelius, which is unfortunately more or less about a monument of J. Sibelius in Helsinki - I will blame this one on my youth and ignorance towards the Finnish Cultural heritage. I wrote the article years ago. I will probably get back to it later and revisit, given I became more fond and more knowledgeable of the Finnish culture since.
Anyway, if you crave to learn to sing Finlandia, you can download the music sheets for example on a Musescore and if you desire the complete sheet music for the whole opus, check out for ex. Petrucci Music Library.
Sibelius arranged the Hymn for mixed choir in 1948.
Meaning
 |
| Photo by Radek Grzybowski on Unsplash |
Finlandia became a symbol of Finnish nationalism and it is considered to be a Finnish second national anthem, for its music is so powerfully patriotic and contains the spirit of Finland.
For nearly the entire 1800's Finland had been merely another state in the vast Russian empire, Finns being forced into its army, having their press censored and free speech oppressed.
In the last decade of the century, however, Finns began to assert their independence.
Finnish nationalism became a powerful movement, and Finlandia a symbol of this strong wave of rebellion.
It's exciting and emotional, filled with grand melodies and dramatic explosions. Sibelius gives each of the instrumental groups in the orchestra a chance to shine, and when brought together the orchestra becomes a spectacular powerhouse.
Most of the piece is taken up with rousing and turbulent music, evoking the national struggle of the Finnish people. Towards the end, a calm comes over the orchestra, and the serenely melodic Finlandia Hymn is heard. Often incorrectly cited as a traditional folk melody, the Hymn section is of Sibelius's own creation.
Although originally composed for orchestra, in 1900 Sibelius arranged the work solo piano.
Sources
- Wikipeida about Finlandia,
- webpage This is Finland,
- webpage Favourite Classical Composers,
- article from yle.fi (in Finnish)
You can also read my article about Jean Sibelius, which is unfortunately more or less about a monument of J. Sibelius in Helsinki - I will blame this one on my youth and ignorance towards the Finnish Cultural heritage. I wrote the article years ago. I will probably get back to it later and revisit, given I became more fond and more knowledgeable of the Finnish culture since.
Anyway, if you crave to learn to sing Finlandia, you can download the music sheets for example on a Musescore and if you desire the complete sheet music for the whole opus, check out for ex. Petrucci Music Library.
No comments:
Post a Comment