Finlandia, Op. 26/7

FINLANDIA was written by Jean Sibelius, one of the most celebrated Finnish composers. Originally written in 1899 for a Finnish press fund-raising gala under the name "Finland Awakens," this piece, along with a few other works performed at the gala, were written to covertly oppose Russia?s increasing censorship. Sibelius revised and renamed this work to its current title in 1900. It premiered on July 2, 1900, in Helsinki by the Helsinki Philharmonic Society conducted by Robert Kajanus. At times, FINLANDIA was performed under different names to avoid Russian censorship until Finland gained independence following World War I. The piece begins in a tense and ominous mood, played by brass and timpani. The mood intensifies with the addition of strings and woodwinds. It gradually leads to a more jubilant and militant section followed by the famous hymn-like theme. Sibelius later reworked the hymn to be a stand-alone piece, "Finlandia Hymn." Words were then given to this hymn, which has become one of the most important national songs of Finland. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.3.3+BTbn.1: Timp.Perc(3): Str(9.8.7.6.5).