Finlandia Hymn

The work was published as the last of twelve numbers in Sibelius's ''Masonic Ritual Music'', Op. 113, with a text by Opera Singer Wäinö Sola . The version usually heard today has lyrics written by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi and was first performed in 1941 . Sibelius himself arranged the Hymn for choral performances.

In Wales the hymn is sometimes considered the "second national anthem" and is sung to the words of Lewis Valentine 's poem ''Gweddi dros Gymru'' ("A Prayer for Wales"). The Welsh version is best known by its opening words, ''Dros Gymru'n Gwlad''. The tune was adopted by Biafra for its National Anthem "Land Of The Rising Sun" during its attempted secession from Nigeria .

The ''de facto'' national anthem of Finland is '' Maamme (Our Land)'', but it has never been officially recognised. There have been numerous suggestions that ''Finlandia Hymn'' should become the national anthem. However, '' Maamme '' is already so widely recognised and used that it would be difficult to dislodge it. Furthermore, ''Finlandia Hymn'' requires a lot more musical skill to sing properly.

The Christian hymn ''Be Still, My Soul'' uses this tune.

LYRICS

:Oi, Suomi, katso, sinun päiväs' koittaa,
:Yön uhka karkoitettu on jo pois,
:Ja aamun kiuru kirkkaudessa soittaa,
:Kuin itse taivahan kansi sois'.
:Yön vallat aamun valkeus jo voittaa,
:Sun päiväs' koittaa, oi synnyinmaa.

:Oi, nouse, Suomi, nosta korkealle,
:Pääs' seppelöimä suurten muistojen.
:Oi, nouse, Suomi, näytit maailmalle,
:Sa että karkoitit orjuuden,
:Ja ettet taipunut sa sorron alle,
:On aamus' alkanut, synnyinmaa.

A literal translation of the words would be:

:O, Finland, behold, thy day is dawning,
:The threat of the night has been banished already,
:And the lark of morning sings in the brightness,
:as though the very firmament would sing.
:The powers of the night are already being vanquished by the whiteness of morning,
:Thy day is dawning, o land of birth.

:O, rise, Finland, rise up high
:Thy head, wreathed with great memories.
:O, rise, Finland, thou showed to the world
:That thou drowe away the slavery,
:And that thou did not bend under oppression,
:Thy day is dawning, land of birth.

Lloyd Stone wrote an international version of the lyrics in 1934

:This is my song, Oh God of all the nations,
:A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
:This is my home, the country where my heart is;
:Here are my hopes, my dreams, my sacred shrine.
:But other hearts in other lands are beating,
:With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

:My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
:And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.
:But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
:And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
:Oh hear my song, oh God of all the nations,
:A song of peace for their land and for mine.

Another verse by Josh Mitteldorf, for difficult times

:When nations rage, and fears erupt coercive,
:The drumbeats sound, invoking pious cause.
:My neighbors rise, their stalwart hearts they offer,
:The gavels drop, suspending rights and laws.
:While others wield their swords with blind devotion;
:For peace I'll stand, my true and steadfast cause.

A verse by Georgia Harkness

:May truth and freedom come to every nation;
:May peace abound where strife has raged so long;
:That each may seek to love and build together,
:A world united, righting every wrong;
:A world united in its love for freedom,
:Proclaiming peace together in one song.

Be Still My Soul, a Christian hymnn, uses the same melody
:Be still my soul, the Lord is on your side,
:Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
:Leave to your God to order and provide,
:In every way he's faithful to the end.
:Be still my soul, your best, your heavenly friend,
:Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

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Finlandia Hymn

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