Nurture your Nature

Finlandia |🇫🇮| [ASR]

|🇫🇮|

I read about Jean Sibelius at the dentist's office in "Highlights", a magazine for children. That was back in the 50s. I hated going, but Dr. Waters was a kind older man.

Sibelius was still alive when I was little... dying in 1957 (born 1865) "Finland Awakens" was first performed in 1899 and later named "Finlandia".

It's very stirring and percussive but I fell in love with the quiet part that has been used as a simple six line hymn (10x/10a/10x/10a/10x/10a) that uplifts. I've always thought of it as Finland's national song... but "Maamme" is the actual anthem.



Finnish/Swedish Lyrics translated to English:

Finland, behold, thy daylight now is dawning,
the threat of night has now been driven away.
The skylark calls across the light of morning,
the blue of heaven lets it have its way,
and now the day the powers of night is scorning:
thy daylight dawns, O Finland of ours!

Finland, arise, and raise towards the highest
thy head now crowned with mighty memory.
Finland, arise, for to the world thou criest
that thou hast thrown off thy slavery,
beneath oppression´s yoke thou never liest.
Thy morning´s come, O Finland of ours!