Sibelius: Finlandia

We did talk about some Sibelius in out last lecture but we didn't have a chance listen to one his most popular/celebrated/acknowledged work, Finlandia.
It was written in 1899 and revised in 1900. The piece was composed for the Press Celebrations of 1899, a covert protest against increasing censorship from the Russian Empire, and was the last of seven pieces performed as an accompaniment to a tableau depicting episodes from Finnish history.

My first time to listen to the tune was not from the original orchestral piece but a hymn sung in a christian church. The tune was set into lyrics of different language and was performed more frequent as a song rather than an orchestral piece. It is also one of the most important nation songs of the Finnish now. Beautiful, isn't it?

Now the original symphonic poem, with stunning filmography. Will immediately get you understand this piece. Watch through to the end!

The original movements are as follows.

1. Preludium: Andante (ma non troppo)
2. Tableau 1: The Song of Väinämöinen
3. Tableau 2: The Finns are Baptized by Bishop Henry
4. Tableau 3: Scene from Duke Johan's Court
5. Tableau 4: The Finns in the Thirty Years' War
6. Tableau 5: The Great Hostility
7. Tableau 6: Finland Awakes