Songs for Mixed Chorus from the 1897 Promotional Cantata

The Songs for Mixed Chorus from the 1897 Promotional Cantata (in Finnish: Lauluja sekaköörille 1897 vuoden promotiooni kantaatista; sometimes abbreviated as the Nine Songs), Op. 23, is a song cycle of pieces for soprano, baritone, and mixed choir a cappella arranged in 1898 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Sung in Finnish to words by the poet A. V. Koskimies, the songs were originally part of a larger orchestral work: the Cantata for the University Graduation Ceremonies of 1897 (Kantaatti tohtorinja maisterinvihkijäisissä 1897), JS 106. It is chronologically the third of Sibelius's nine orchestral cantatas, and belongs to a series of three such pieces—along with the Promotional Cantata of 1894 (JS 105) and the Coronation Cantata (JS 104, 1896)—that he wrote on commission from his employer at the time, the Imperial Alexander University (today the University of Helsinki). The complete score, however, is lost, although—in addition to the Op. 23 songs—some orchestral parts, as well as a rehearsal score with piano accompaniment, are extant.

Structure
The ten constituent songs in the cycle are as follows:
 * 1) March-like (Marssin tapaan); "We the youth of Finland ..." ("Me nuoriso Suomen ...")
 * 2) Not too leisurely (Ei lüan verkalleen); "The wind rocks ..." ("Tuuli tuudittele ...")
 * 3) Lightly (Keveästi); "Oh hope, hope, you dreamer ..." ("Oi toivo, toivo, sä lietomieli ...")
 * 4) Quickly (Nopeean); "Many on the sea of life ..." ("Montapa elon merellä ...")
 * 5) Leisurely (Verkalleen); "The fading thoughts of the Earth ..." ("Sammuva sainio maan ...")
 * 6) (a) Like a folk-song, briskly (Kansanlaulun tapaan, reippaasti); "We praise Thee, our Creator ..." ("Soi kiitokseksi Luojan ...")

(b) Simply (Yksinkertaisesti); "Blow, wind, more gently ..." ("Tuule, tuuli, leppeämmin ...")
 * 1) Briskly (Reippaasti); "O love, your realm is limitless ..." ("Oi Lempi, sun valtas ääretön on ...")
 * 2) March-like (Marssin tapaan); "As the swift current ..." ("Kun virta vuolas ...")
 * 3) Festively (Juhlallisesti); "O precious Finland, Mother beyond compare ..." ("Oi kallis Suomi, äiti verraton ...")

Several of the song cycle's numbers, especially Nos. 1, 6a, and 6b, remain popular in Finland. Moreover, in 1913, Sibelius arranged No. 6a for female choir.

Discography
The Finnish choral director Heikki Halme and the Eteläsuomalaisen Osakunnan Laulajatm (EOL) made the world premiere studio recording of the Op. 23 songs in 1975 for RCA Victor. The table below lists this and other commercially available recordings:

Notes, references, and sources

 * Notes


 * References


 * Sources