Finlandia

Fam,
Wow! You know when something hits you so hard that it rocks your soul. You didn't see it coming, but suddenly you have tears running down your cheeks, and you're not even sure why.

That happened to me today, when I listened to the Finnish song Finlandia. I wasn't expecting it. I wasn't even looking for it, but my Youtube search happened to bring up that as one of the choices. When I clicked on the link and heard the words sung in Finnish, it caught me of guard, and today's message took on a totally different spin.


(version in Finnish we sang frequently as missionaries)


(version in English)

The music was written by well-known composer Jean Sibelius. I say "well-known," but that is especially true for the Finns, because Sibelius was of Finnish descent. Though this song is not the Finnish national anthem, to me and many others it is equally important. Sibelius' music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."

You may be saying "I have heard that song somewhere before," and I am not at all surprised. That's exactly what I said a few years ago in 1985 when this hymn was added to the Church hymnal shortly after I returned from my mission. You can imagine my surprise when I first heard the melody and then sang at it church.


(choir)

I'd love to tell you about the history of this anthem and why it is so important to them when they sing it with such emotion and tears streaming down their faces. All the renditions above are worth listening to. It's amazing how music brings back emotions, hopes, and experiences.

Thank you for letting me reminisce today.

I love you, dad