Image from Suomenlinna. Found on thecrowdedplanet.com

Today is the 100 birthday of Finland as a nation so appropriate to post this piece that was so important in forging the national identity. Two terrible wars were born from the independence - I know people that were adopted from Finland here in Denmark - but the last 50 years has been peace and prosperity -

Happy birthday Finland.

Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester - conductor Franz Welser-Möst

Finlandia is a tone poem by the composer Jean Sibelius, and was from its creation a controversial piece. Finland was part of the Russian Empire and they did not take lightly on the growing Finnish nationalism. Therefore the short piece was put into the concert programs under different names to lure the Imperial censorship. The beautiful ending hymn was reworked by the composer to a stand alone piece, the Finlandia Hymn, which always was a contender to the Finnish National Hymn (the real one is called Maamme). Here it is with a large male choir.

Ylioppilaskunnan laulajat, YL Male Voice Choir

If you like the music try the mature work of Sibelius - the 7th symphony is one of my favourite pieces and the crazily difficult violin concert likewise.

Here is some other posts with Finnish music:

Kalevala Rune IX - an unfinished sketch
"Lasetus" by Finnish folk-veterans Värttinä
Katharsisdrill recommends: Veera Voima

Hi @katharsisdrill,

I just wanted to thank you for creating this post, and let you know that it was shared on the Steemit's Best Classical Music facebook page, and also included in Steemit's Best Classical Music Roundup [Issue #17].

Cool, and a happy New Year to you!

Thank you, and to you too!

Thank you for remembering us @katharsisdrill! I don't listen much classical music but there's no denial on the excellence of Finlandia!

You might also be interested on my "Finland Anniversary" -photo contest. You can participate with any self-taken photo, story, poetry or anything that is connected with Finland in some way and is original work!

I'm also sharing all the SBD the contest post generates with resteemers! The contest ends ends in 13th day of so do share the love (ahem... resteem), it's a win-win for everybody!

To the CONTEST

I am a fellow Scandinavian so here we know about the anniversary - I will check the competition - I do have an unfinished drawing based on the Kalevala.