1Tess_W
While doing some historical research this week I came upon the statement, "Finlandia" became popular after WWI, especially in America, because Finland was the only country to pay off it's WWI debt." While I knew that about the debt, I wondered if there was a connection to the statement? The author provided no documentation and I could find none.
'Finlandia' is known as a tone poem and also written as a hymn. It was written as a protest against increasing Russian censorship. Originally written in 1899, it was modified by the Sibelius in 1900. It was first performed in Helsinki in 1900.
Movements:
Preludium: Andante (ma non troppo)
Tableau 1: The Song of Väinämöinen
Tableau 2: The Finns are Baptized by Bishop Henry
Tableau 3: Scene from Duke Johan's Court
Tableau 4: The Finns in the Thirty Years' War
Tableau 5: The Great Hostility
Tableau 6: Finland Awakes
'Sibelius' is one of the most important Finnish patriotic songs.
"Mostly because of him, classical music has retained a central role in Finnish culture. The country’s government invests enormous sums in orchestras, opera houses, new-music programs, and music schools. The annual Finnish expenditure on the arts is roughly two hundred times per capita what the United States government spends through the National Endowment for the Arts." The New Yorker July 2, 2007
The music from Finlandia has been used in many movies, especially silent films.
Finlandia (Hymn) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0RbPsC9uE
'Finlandia' is known as a tone poem and also written as a hymn. It was written as a protest against increasing Russian censorship. Originally written in 1899, it was modified by the Sibelius in 1900. It was first performed in Helsinki in 1900.
Movements:
Preludium: Andante (ma non troppo)
Tableau 1: The Song of Väinämöinen
Tableau 2: The Finns are Baptized by Bishop Henry
Tableau 3: Scene from Duke Johan's Court
Tableau 4: The Finns in the Thirty Years' War
Tableau 5: The Great Hostility
Tableau 6: Finland Awakes
'Sibelius' is one of the most important Finnish patriotic songs.
"Mostly because of him, classical music has retained a central role in Finnish culture. The country’s government invests enormous sums in orchestras, opera houses, new-music programs, and music schools. The annual Finnish expenditure on the arts is roughly two hundred times per capita what the United States government spends through the National Endowment for the Arts." The New Yorker July 2, 2007
The music from Finlandia has been used in many movies, especially silent films.
Finlandia (Hymn) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0RbPsC9uE
2elenchus
One of my favourite composers, the timbre of a Sibelius piece is almost instantly recognisable, often even upon first listen. I am drawn also to his regular integration of myth and legend into his programmatic pieces.
The bit about WWI debt was completely new to me, but I was introduced by my brother who spent a year abroad in Finland, so the emphasis was upon Finnish influence, not here in the US.
The bit about WWI debt was completely new to me, but I was introduced by my brother who spent a year abroad in Finland, so the emphasis was upon Finnish influence, not here in the US.
