Finlandia Hymn
Encyclopedia
The Finlandia Hymn refers to a serene hymn
-like section of the patriotic
symphonic poem
Finlandia
, written in 1899 and 1900 by the Finnish composer
Jean Sibelius
. It was later re-worked by the composer into a stand-alone piece.
With words written in 1941 by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi
, the Finlandia Hymn is one of the most important national
songs of Finland
(though Maamme
is the de facto
national anthem
).
Other words commonly sung to the same melody include six Christian
hymn
s (Be Still, My Soul; I Sought the Lord; We Rest on Thee; A Christian Home; This Is My Song
; and I Then Shall Live), Gweddi dros Gymru or A Prayer for Wales (a national
song of Wales
), Ambrosian Oaks (the alma mater
of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa
), and Land of the Rising Sun
(the national anthem of the short-lived Africa
n state of Biafra
).
of the Finnish people), Sibelius published a stand-alone version of the hymn as the last of twelve numbers in his Masonic Ritual Music, Op. 113, with a text by opera
singer Wäinö Sola. The version usually heard today has lyrics written by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi
and was first performed in 1941. Sibelius himself arranged the hymn
for choral performances.
The de facto national anthem of Finland
is Maamme
(Our Land), but it has never been officially recognised. There have been numerous suggestions that the Finlandia Hymn should become the national anthem. However, Maamme
is already so widely recognised and used that it would be difficult to dislodge it. Furthermore, the Finlandia Hymn requires a more advanced musical skill to perform properly.
(1 June 1893March 1986), a Welsh
politician, Baptist pastor, author, editor, and Welsh-language activist, wrote the hymn "Gweddi dros Gymru" (Prayer for Wales), sung to the tune of "Finlandia". The hymn is considered as the religious national anthem of Wales
.
The tune of "Finlandia" was also adopted by Biafra
for its national anthem
"Land of the Rising Sun"
during its attempted secession from Nigeria
.
The Christian
hymn
Be Still, My Soul, written in German (Stille meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen) in 1752 by Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel (1697–1768) and translated into English in 1855 by Jane Laurie Borthwick (1813–1897), is usually sung to this tune. It begins:
Another slightly different version is worded:
The Christian hymn We Rest on Thee, written by Edith G. Cherry around 1895 is also commonly sung to the tune of Finlandia. This hymn is probably most famous because it was the last hymn sung by the five missionaries involved in Operation Auca
before their deaths and a line from the hymn's final verse provided the title for Elisabeth Elliot
's book about that incident, Through Gates of Splendor
. The hymn's first verse is:
The Unitarian Universalists sing:
Cedar Grace, set to the tune of Finlandia:
From the United Methodists
(Stanzas 1 & 2 by Lloyd Stone
, Stanza 3 by Georgia Harkness
):
A verse by Josh Mitteldorf, for difficult times:
From The Salvation Army
:
Calvinist Churches sing a version called I Sought the Lord, and Afterward I Knew, lyrics by anonymous:
released a cover of the hymn. The cover was generally not well-received and was largely unpopular among Finnish listeners. The symphonic metal band Nightwish
also provided a cover as part of the Dark Passion Play
tour, featuring Troy Donockley
on the uilleann pipes
.
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
-like section of the patriotic
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
symphonic poem
Symphonic poem
A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...
Finlandia
Finlandia
Finlandia is a symphonic poem by Jean Sibelius.Finlandia may also refer to:* Finlandia Hymn, a section of the Sibelius symphonic poem Finlandia* Finlandia University, a private university located in Hancock, Michigan, USA...
, written in 1899 and 1900 by the Finnish composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
. It was later re-worked by the composer into a stand-alone piece.
With words written in 1941 by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi
Veikko Antero Koskenniemi
Veikko Antero Koskenniemi was a Finnish poet born in Oulu. In 1921 he took the title of Professor of Literary History in University of Turku, Finland. In 1948 he became a member of the Finnish Academy. He died in Turku....
, the Finlandia Hymn is one of the most important national
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
songs of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
(though Maamme
Maamme
Maamme or Vårt land is the title of Finland's national anthem. There is no law on an official national anthem in Finland, but Maamme is firmly established by convention....
is the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
).
Other words commonly sung to the same melody include six Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s (Be Still, My Soul; I Sought the Lord; We Rest on Thee; A Christian Home; This Is My Song
This Is My Song (1934 song)
"This Is My Song" is a 1934 hymn written by Lloyd Stone using the Finlandia Hymn melody composed by Jean Sibelius. It often appears in hymnals with substituted and additional verses by Georgia Harkness ....
; and I Then Shall Live), Gweddi dros Gymru or A Prayer for Wales (a national
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
song of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
), Ambrosian Oaks (the alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
), and Land of the Rising Sun
Land of the Rising Sun (national anthem)
"Land of the Rising Sun" was the proclaimed national anthem of the secessionist African state of Biafra, in south-eastern Nigeria. The tune was adopted from Sibelius' "Finlandia"...
(the national anthem of the short-lived Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n state of Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
).
Finnish national song
After the success of the full-length symphonic poem (most of which consists of rousing and turbulent passages, evoking the national struggleRussification of Finland
The policy of Russification of Finland was a governmental policy of the Russian Empire aimed at limiting the special status of the Grand Duchy of Finland and possibly the termination of its political autonomy and cultural uniqueness...
of the Finnish people), Sibelius published a stand-alone version of the hymn as the last of twelve numbers in his Masonic Ritual Music, Op. 113, with a text by opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer Wäinö Sola. The version usually heard today has lyrics written by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi
Veikko Antero Koskenniemi
Veikko Antero Koskenniemi was a Finnish poet born in Oulu. In 1921 he took the title of Professor of Literary History in University of Turku, Finland. In 1948 he became a member of the Finnish Academy. He died in Turku....
and was first performed in 1941. Sibelius himself arranged the hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
for choral performances.
The de facto national anthem of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
is Maamme
Maamme
Maamme or Vårt land is the title of Finland's national anthem. There is no law on an official national anthem in Finland, but Maamme is firmly established by convention....
(Our Land), but it has never been officially recognised. There have been numerous suggestions that the Finlandia Hymn should become the national anthem. However, Maamme
Maamme
Maamme or Vårt land is the title of Finland's national anthem. There is no law on an official national anthem in Finland, but Maamme is firmly established by convention....
is already so widely recognised and used that it would be difficult to dislodge it. Furthermore, the Finlandia Hymn requires a more advanced musical skill to perform properly.
Lyrics
A literal translation of the lyrics would be:- O, Finland, behold, your day is dawning,
- The threat of night has been banished away,
- And the lark of morning in the brightness sings,
- As though the very firmament would sing.
- The powers of the night are vanquished by the morning light,
- Your day is dawning, O land of birth.
- O, rise, Finland, raise up high
- Your head, wreathed with great memories.
- O, rise, Finland, you showed to the world
- That you drove away the slavery,
- And that you did not bend under oppression,
- Your day has come, O land of birth.
Other songs
Lewis ValentineLewis Valentine
Lewis Edward Valentine was a Welsh politician, Baptist pastor, author, editor, and Welsh-language activist.-Early life:Valentine was born in Llanddulas, Conwy, the son of Samuel Valentine, a limestone quarryman, and his wife Mary...
(1 June 1893March 1986), a Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
politician, Baptist pastor, author, editor, and Welsh-language activist, wrote the hymn "Gweddi dros Gymru" (Prayer for Wales), sung to the tune of "Finlandia". The hymn is considered as the religious national anthem of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
- Dros Gymru'n gwlad, O Dad, dyrchafwn gri,
- y winllan wen a roed i'n gofal ni;
- d'amddiffyn cryf a'i cadwo'n ffyddlon byth,
- a boed i'r gwir a'r glân gael ynddi nyth;
- er mwyn dy Fab a'i prynodd iddo'i hun,
- O crea hi yn Gymru ar dy lun.
- O deued dydd pan fo awelon Duw
- yn chwythu eto dros ein herwau gwyw,
- a'r crindir cras dan ras cawodydd nef
- yn erddi Crist, yn ffrwythlon iddo ef,
- a'n heniaith fwyn â gorfoleddus hoen
- yn seinio fry haeddiannau'r addfwyn Oen.
The tune of "Finlandia" was also adopted by Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
for its national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
"Land of the Rising Sun"
Land of the Rising Sun (national anthem)
"Land of the Rising Sun" was the proclaimed national anthem of the secessionist African state of Biafra, in south-eastern Nigeria. The tune was adopted from Sibelius' "Finlandia"...
during its attempted secession from Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
The Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
Be Still, My Soul, written in German (Stille meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen) in 1752 by Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel (1697–1768) and translated into English in 1855 by Jane Laurie Borthwick (1813–1897), is usually sung to this tune. It begins:
- Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side;
- Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
- Leave to thy God to order and provide;
- In every change He, faithful, will remain.
- Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend
- Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Another slightly different version is worded:
- Be still, my soul, the Lord is on my side,
- Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain.
- Leave to thy God to order and provide,
- In every change He, faithful, will remain.
- Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly Father,
- Through stormy ways leads to a joyful end.
The Christian hymn We Rest on Thee, written by Edith G. Cherry around 1895 is also commonly sung to the tune of Finlandia. This hymn is probably most famous because it was the last hymn sung by the five missionaries involved in Operation Auca
Operation Auca
Operation Auca was an attempt by five Evangelical Christian missionaries from the United States to bring the gospel to the Huaorani people of the rainforest of Ecuador...
before their deaths and a line from the hymn's final verse provided the title for Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot is a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband...
's book about that incident, Through Gates of Splendor
Through Gates of Splendor
Through Gates of Splendor is a 1957 best selling book written by Elisabeth Elliot. The book tells the story of Operation Auca, an attempt by five American missionaries - Jim Elliot , Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian - to reach the Huaorani tribe of eastern Ecuador. All five...
. The hymn's first verse is:
- We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
- We go not forth alone against the foe;
- Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
- We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.
- Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
- We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.
The Unitarian Universalists sing:
- We would be one as now we join in singing,
- Our hymn of love, to pledge ourselves anew.
- To that high cause of greater understanding
- Of who we are, and what in us is true.
- We would be one in living for each other,
- to show to all a new community.
Cedar Grace, set to the tune of Finlandia:
- The pleasant trees and silver, ripling waters,
- the flow'rs and clouds, the un-dimmed, sunlit sky
- and bread by thee, our gracious Father, given,
- We thankful take of thy so rich supply.
- And bread by thee, our gracious Father, given,
- We thankful take from thy so rich supply.
From the United Methodists
(Stanzas 1 & 2 by Lloyd Stone
Lloyd Stone
Lloyd Stone was an American poet who wrote the first two stanzas of the 1934 hymn This is My Song using the Finlandia Hymn melody composed by Jean Sibelius.He also wrote several poems about Hawaii.-References:...
, Stanza 3 by Georgia Harkness
Georgia Harkness
Georgia Elma Harkness was a Christian theologian in the Methodist tradition. Born in Harkness, New York, a town named after her grandfather, Harkness has been described as one of the first significant American female theologians and was important in the movement to gain ordination for women in...
):
- This is my song, oh God of all the nations,
- a song of peace for lands afar and mine.
- This is my home, the country where my heart is;
- here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
- but other hearts in other lands are beating
- with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine
- My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
- and sunlight beams on clover leaf and pine.
- But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
- and skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
- This is my song, thou God of all the nations;
- a song of peace for their land and for mine.
- This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms:
- Thy kingdom come on earth thy will be done.
- Let Christ be lifted up till all shall serve him,
- And hearts united learn to live as one.
- Oh hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations;
- Myself I give thee; let thy will be done.
A verse by Josh Mitteldorf, for difficult times:
- When nations rage, and fears erupt coercive,
- The drumbeats sound, invoking pious cause.
- My neighbors rise, their stalwart hearts they offer,
- The gavels drop, suspending rights and laws.
- While others wield their swords with blind devotion;
- For peace I'll stand, my true and steadfast cause.
From The Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
:
- Thou art the way, none other dare I follow...
- Thou art the truth, and thou hast made me free.
- Thou art the life, the hope of my tomorrow
- Thou art the Christ who died for me.
- This is my creed, that 'mid Earth's sin and sorrow
- My life may guide men unto thee.
Calvinist Churches sing a version called I Sought the Lord, and Afterward I Knew, lyrics by anonymous:
- I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew,
- he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me;
- it was not I that found, O Savior true,
- no, I was found, was found of thee.
- It was not I that found, O Savior true;
- no, I was found, was found of thee.
Band covers
The American rock group Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
released a cover of the hymn. The cover was generally not well-received and was largely unpopular among Finnish listeners. The symphonic metal band Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
also provided a cover as part of the Dark Passion Play
Dark Passion Play
Dark Passion Play is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 26 September, 2007 in Finland, 28 September in Europe and 2 October 2007 in the United States. It was the first Nightwish album with the band's current lead singer, Anette Olzon, and the first album...
tour, featuring Troy Donockley
Troy Donockley
Troy Donockley is an English composer and multi-instrumentalist most known for his playing of uillean pipes.- Early life and career :...
on the uilleann pipes
Uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
.