![]() ![]() What Sibelius wanted was to portray Finland's awakening and its fighting spirit in more general terms. It is true that a locomotive did make an appearance in the tableaux, but according to the manuscript that was only after a description of the reign of Tsar Alexander II, including the heroic accomplishments of Runeberg the poet, Snellman the statesman and Lönnrot the compiler of Kalevala.įinlandia was certainly not composed to describe these various stages in any precise way. ![]() Thus the first notes of Finlandia cannot describe the chuffing of a steam locomotive - as has been humorously claimed. It is interesting that Klemetti – who was an eye-witness - reports the Finlandia music as beginning during the tableau that described the 'Great Hate'. "Finland Awakens" was indeed an early version of Fin landia. "Those grand, gloomy themes at the beginning of what is now Finlandia rolled across the tableau depicting the horrors of the 'Great Hate'", Klemetti wrote later. The defiant brass chords of the opening made a deep impression on the young Heikki Klemetti, who was in the audience. This was the starting point for the last tableau, "Finland Awakens", to which Eino Leino hade written a suitably solemn background text. Sibelius composed the darkest and most ascetic music imaginable. They were threatened by War, Frost, Hunger and Death. Mother Finland was sitting in a snowdrift with her children who were shivering with cold. In the "Great Hate" tableau the performance had a particularly sharp edge. At the same time Finnish cultural figures wanted to support freedom of speech in defiance of Governor-General Nicholas Bobrikov. Officially, the ticket receipts from the performance were to go to the journalists' pension fund. Now the same conquerors were censoring the Finnish press. The tableau from the period of the 'Great Hate' was especially bold, as it showed the destruction caused by the Russian conquerors. ![]() The tableaux depicted scenes from the history of Finland. In addition, he composed "quiet music" to complement the texts of the tableaux. ![]() Sibelius wrote a short overture, and music for six tableaux: The performances took place at the beginning of November 1899 at the Swedish Theatre. The year was crowned by the music for tableaux staged as part of the main event of the Days of the Press. In 1899 he wrote The Song of the Athenians and The Breaking of the Ice on Oulu River. Sibelius, too, wanted to use his art to add to the protests. This stirred opposition in most Finnish cultural circles, and paintings with protest themes became very popular. In February 1899 Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, issued a "February Manifesto" which aimed to restrict the autonomy of the Grand Duchy of Finland. Arrangement for mixed-voice choir of the Finlandia Hymn 1948 words by V. Turunen, with Arvi Karvonen at the harmonium) b) Veikko Antero Koskenniemi 1940 first performance 7th December 1940 at the Exhibition Hall in Helsinki (Laulu-Miehet singers under Martti Turunen). Arrangement for piano (under name Finlandia) November 1900.Arrangements for male choir of the Finlandia Hymn with words by: a) Wäinö Sola 1937 first performance 21st April 1938 in Helsinki at Freemason's Lodge of St John (singers Wäinö Sola, Martti Similä, Sulo Räikkönen and O. Conducted by Kajanus as Finlandia, February 1901. In revised version (1900) of the music (composed 1899) for celebrations in honour of the Finnish Press (7th movement, under title "Finland Awakens"): first public performance 2nd July 1900 (possibly earlier), in the premises of the Fire Brigade (Orchestra of the Helsinki Philharmonic Society under Robert Kajanus). Completed in 1899 first performance at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki, 4th November 1899 (Orchestra of Helsinki Philharmonic Society under Jean Sibelius). Tableau music for celebrations in honour of the Finnish Press (tableaux by Kaarlo Bergbom, texts by Eino Leino and Jalmari Finne) overture and six tableaux (revised versions: see orchestral works op. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |