Finlandia hymn

File:Finlandia première édition.gif

The Finlandia hymn ({{langx|fi|Finlandia-hymni}}) refers to a serene hymn-like section of the patriotic symphonic poem Finlandia, written in 1899 and 1900 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It was later re-worked by the composer into a stand-alone piece.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hymnary.org/tune/finlandia_sibelius|title=Hymn Tune Finlandia|website=Hymnary.org}} With words written in 1940 by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi,{{Cite web|url=http://www.sibelius.fi/english/musiikki/ork_finlandia.htm|title=Finlandia|website=Sibelius}} it is one of the most important national songs of Finland.{{cite book|author=Tomi Mäkelä|title=Jean Sibelius|publisher=Boydell Press|year=2011|isbn=9781843836889|page=300}} Although not the official national anthem of Finland, it has been continuously proposed as such.{{Cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-7675489|title=Sibeliuksen Finlandia syntyi vapauden kaipuusta, sävelet kertovat Suomen kansan noususta|language=fi|trans-title=Sibelius's Finland was born of a longing for freedom, the melody tells of the rise of the Finnish people|first=Paavo |last=Koponen |date=December 8, 2014 |website=Yle}}

Other major uses of the tune include several Christian hymns and other national songs.

Finnish national song

After the success of the full-length symphonic poem (most of which consists of rousing and turbulent passages, evoking the national struggle of the Finnish people), Sibelius published a stand-alone version of the hymn as the last of twelve numbers in his Masonic Ritual Music, Op. 113, with a text by opera singer Wäinö Sola. The version usually heard today has lyrics written by Koskenniemi in 1940 and was first performed in 1941. Sibelius himself arranged the hymn for choral performances.Arnold, Elliott. Finlandia: the story of Sibelius. H. Holt and Company, 1941. Today, during modern performances of Finlandia in its entirety, a choir is sometimes involved, singing the Finnish lyrics with the hymn section.{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Finlandia|title=Finlandia, Tone Poem For Orchestra By Sibelius|last=Schwarm|first=Betsy|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=6 July 2018}}

The Finlandia hymn is often proposed as an official national song or anthem of Finland.

International anthem

In 1934, Lloyd Stone wrote "This is my song", to the Finlandia tune, as an international song of peace. An expanded version with Christian themes by a later author appears in many hymnals.{{cite book|last=Daw Jr|first=Carl P.|title=Glory to God: A Companion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CcleDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA344|date=25 May 2016|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky|isbn=978-1-61164-652-8|pages=344–5}}

Conductor Leopold Stokowski proposed using the melody for a worldwide anthem.

Christian hymns

File:Finlandia - 20 Uchaf Emynau Cymru - The Top 20 Best.ogg by John Eifion and Côr Penyberth]]

Other words commonly set to the tune include some Christian hymns. Among those in widespread use across English-speaking denominations are "Be still, my soul"{{cite web | url=http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/b/e/s/bestmyso.htm | title=Be Still, My Soul | publisher=Cyberhymnal | access-date=15 November 2013}} and "We rest on Thee, our shield and our defender".{{cite web | url=https://hymnary.org/text/we_rest_on_thee_our_shield_and_our_defen |title=We Rest on Thee |website=Hymnary.org |access-date=3 December 2019}}

="Be still, my soul"=

The Christian hymn "Be still, my soul", written in German ("Stille mein Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen") in 1752 by the Lutheran hymnwriter Catharina von Schlegel (1697–1768) and translated into English in 1855 by Jane Laurie Borthwick (1813–1897), is usually sung to this tune. It begins:

{{quote|Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.}}