Jean Sibelius' Finlandia

Although it had been annexed from Sweden by the Russia Empire in the early nineteenth century, the Grand Duchy of Finland enjoyed a fair amount of cultural and political autonomy. Then Tsar Nicholas II, in an effort to unify his empire, began imposing the Russian currency, language, and governance. This external pressure from Russia effectively stirred up nationalistic feelings among the Finns, and it is during this time of Russian censorship and Finnish nationalism at the turn of the twentieth century that Jean Sibelius composed the tone poem we now call Finlandia.

The members of the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Daniel Sommerville, are pleased to present this collaborative performance as part of the IVSO “While We Wait” pandemic web series.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. https://arts.illinois.gov/