In 1899, Finland was a
nation struggling against the encroaching power of Russia. Its journalists held
a three-day meeting, the Finnish Press Pension Celebration of 1899, "a
thinly veiled rally in support of freedom of the Finnish Press, then largely
controlled by tsarist Russia" (Britannica online). Jean Sibeilius, working
as a musician with an annual Finnish government grant, contributed to the event
a set of nationalist musical works. The final piece was a tone poem, later
labelled as Sibelius Opus 26, which Sibelius had entitled “Finland Awakes.” It was introduced to the public by the
Helsinki Philharmonic at the Paris World Exhibition of 1900. The piece became Finland’s
most important national song, but its tune – or rather, part of it – found its
way into other cultures and media. Most Christians know it as “Be Still My
Soul.” (The words to the hymn predate
Sibelius; they are translated from Catharina von Schlegel’s 1768 poem.)
If you listen, watch for the
counter tune’s initial attempted entry at .48 into the piece. At about 2.15,
the tune begins to return and build, but is challenged; about 2.50 it returns
and increases. The cycle repeats about 3.20 to 4.00. And then at 4.15, parts of
the tune build and then fall, build and fall, until calm at 4.58. And we hear
it, softly at first among the flutes and oboes, then building. Tones of the
ominous beginning struggle to fight through, but they are overwhelmed by 6.35;
at 7.14 unity and celebration! Enjoy.
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