Some things to note:
A majority of his songs are in Swedish. Sibelius was brought up in a Swedish-speaking family, but he entered a Finnish-speaking school and was bilingual, Swedish however was his mother tongue.
A couple of interesting facts concerning the language issue in 19th century Finland:
From about the year 1200 until 1809 Finland was a part of Sweden, which explains the important position of the Swedish language in the 19th century. The Swedish language remained in this position even when Finland became a Grand Duchy of Russia in 1809 and after Finland gained its independence in 1917. Today Swedish is the second official language of Finland. During the 19th century Swedish was the language of the educated classes, while Finnish was regarded as a language of the peasants. It was not until the second half of the 19th century that Finnish was recognised as the official language of Finland and the Finnish-language secondary school system was founded.
The main source of Sibelius' inspiration comes from Swedish lyric and nature poetry, whether by Finnish poets writing in Swedish such as Runeberg, Tavastjerna or mainland Swedes like Fröding and Rydberg. One quarter of his song output are by Runeberg, who was much admired by Brahms.
Both Sibelius and Swedish composer Stenhammar set the famous poem by the Finnish poet, Runeberg- "Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte," which was written in Swedish. Stenhammar's is the earlier setting by seven years. Is anyone confused?
This is Sibelius' setting.
Flickan kom [från]1 sin älsklings möte,
kom med röda händer. Modern sade:
"Varav rodna dina händer, flicka?"
Flickan sade: "Jag har plockat rosor
och på törnen stungit mina händer."
Åter kom hon från sin älsklings möte,
kom med röda läppar. Modern sade:
"Varav rodna dina läppar, flicka?"
Flickan sade: "Jag har ätit hallon
och med saften målat mina läppar."
Åter kom hon från sin älsklings möte,
kom med bleka kinder. Modern sade:
"Varav blekna dina kinder, flicka?"
Flickan sade: "Red en grav, o moder!
Göm mig där och ställ ett kors däröver,
och på korset rista, som jag säger:
En gång kom hon hem med röda händer,
ty de rodnat mellan älskarns händer.
En gång kom hon hem med röda läppar,
ty de rodnat under älskarns läppar.
Senast kom hon hem med bleka kinder,
ty de bleknat genom älskarns otro."
*******************************************
The girl came from meeting her lover,
came with her hands all red. Said her mother:
"What has made your hands so red, girl?"
Said the girl: "I was picking roses
and pricked my hands on the thorns."
Again she came from meeting her lover,
came with her lips all red. Said her mother:
"What has made your lips so red, girl?"
Said the girl: "I was eating raspberries
and stained my lips with the juice."
Again she came from meeting her lover,
came with her cheeks all pale. Said her mother:
"What has made your cheeks so pale, girl?"
Said the girl: "Oh mother, dig a grave for me,
Hide me there and set a cross above,
And on the cross write as I tell you:
Once she came home with her hands all red,
... they had turned red between her lover's hands.
Once she came home with her lips all red,
... they had turned red beneath her lover's lips.
The last time she came home with her cheeks all pale,
... they had turned pale at her lover's faithlessness."
I found this particular performance interesting because it introduced me to the singing of tenor, Rickard Söderberg, whom I hadn't known and also because I've heard this piece only done by women.
LUONNOTAR
by SIBELIUS
When I first heard Luonnotar, I was completely overwhelmed by the myth and the primeval atmosphere created in this extraordinary piece. If you're not familiar with this piece, I think you're in for a marvelous treat. Finnish soprano, Karita Mattila is singing here.
Luonnotar (Daughter of Nature)
Language: Finnish and English translation beneath
“Olipa impi ilman tyttö,
“Air’s daughter was a virgin,
kave Luonootar korea,
Fairest daughter of creation.
ouostoi elämaätään.
Long did she abide a virgin,
Aina yksin ollessansa
Dwelling ever more so lonely
avaroilla autioilla
In those far-extending deserts.
Laskeusi lainehille
After this the maid descending
aalto impeä ajeli,
Sank upon the tossing billows
vuotta seitsemänsataa.
Seven long centuries together
Vieri impo ve’en emona
Then she swam, the Water-Mother
uipi luotehet,
Southward swam and swam to North-West,
etelät uipi kaikki ilman rannat.
Swam around in all directions.
Tuli suuri tuulen puuska,
Then a sudden mighty tempest
meren kuohuille kohotti.
Drove the billows of the waters.
Voi poloinen päiviäni,
Oh how wretched is my fortune
parempi olisi ollut
Better were it I had tarried
ilman impenä elää
Virgin in the airy regions
Oi, Ukko, Ylijumala
Ukko, thou of Gods the highest
käy tänne kutsuttaissa
Hasten here for thou art needed.
Tuli sotka, suora lintu
Then a beauteous teal came flying
lenti kaikki ilman rannat,
Flew round in all directions,
lenti luotehet, etelät,
Southward flew and flew to North-West,
ei löyä pesän sioa.
Searching for a spot to rest in.
Ei! Ei! Ei!
No! No! No!
Teenko tuulehen tupani
Should I make the wind my dwelling,
aalloillen asuinsiani.
Should I rest it on the billows,
Tuuli kaatavi, tuuli kaatavi
Then the winds will overturn it,
aalto viepi asuinsiani.
Or the waves will sweep it from me.
Niin silloin ve’en emonem
Then the Mother of the Waters
nosti polvea lainehasta
From the waves her knee uplifted;
siihen sorsa laativi
Gentle there the teal alighting
pesänsä alkoi hautoa.
So she might her nest establish
Impi tuntevi tulistuvaksi
Then the maiden felt a burning
järskytti jäsenehensä
And her limbs convulsive shaking
pesä vierähti vetehen.
Rolled the eggs into the water,
Katkieli kauppaleiksi
And to splinters they were broken,
muuttuivat munat kaunoisiksi.
And to fragments they were shattered
Munasen yläinen puoli
From the cracked egg’s upper fragment
yläuseksi taivahaksi,
Rose the lofty arch of heaven,
yläpuoli valkeaista,
From the white the upper fragment
kuuksi kumottamahan
Rose the moon that shines so brightly;
mi kirjavaista tähiksi taivaalle,
All that in the egg was mottled
ne tähiksi taivaalle.”
Now became the stars in heaven.”
One final excerpt from a piece by Kaija Saariaho. She is a gifted contemporary, Finnish composer. This is a short introduction to her compositional style. There are other examples of her work at YouTube. This piece was written for Edna Michell's Compassion project. Saariaho, speaking of her work: "In the composition I follow the idea of a dialogue, suggested by the text I have chosen. The intimate nature and fragile sound world of the duo mirror the fragility of our uncertain existence." Go here for more about Saariaho.
