FINLANDIA Composed by Jean Sibelius in 1899 Finlandia is one of the new BBC 10 Pieces. Check out the BBC website for more ideas and resources. Sibelius became a national hero and his music Finlandia became an unofficial National Anthem. Find out about Finland’s landscape and wildlife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5zg_af9b8c Sibelius uses music to evoke the feeling of his native Finland
Listening and Responding Find out about the music of Finlandia Watch the ‘Exciting Introduction to Finlandia’ on the BBC 10 Pieces website http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/kXBzMN5FDFGpYJ0x3PxjtZ/finlandi a-by-jean-sibelius You can also watch the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic perform Finlandia, conducted by Vasily Petrenko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6P3cIJHWjw Find out about Finland’s landscape You may like to look at the images of Finland on this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5zg_af9b8c
Music & Creative Development Moods and Emotions Really Listen! What instruments can you hear? Divide the class into 4 groups: Brass Woodwind Strings Percussion You will need to listen very carefully as Finlandia is playing. Raise your hand when you hear your orchestral section.
Moods and Feelings Listen to the opening of Finlandia, played on the brass and timpani (approx. 0:00 – 0:55) What mood does it create? If you were painting a picture, what colours would you use? Why? Now listen to the next section featuring the woodwind, followed by the strings (approx.. 0:55 – 1:42) What mood and feeling does this create? What colours would you use? The two sections sound very different as they create different moods. Which colours you might use to show a happy and bright mood in a painting? What about if you are really angry? Sad? Excited? Calm?
Think about one of your favourite places? Sibelius was inspired by the landscape of his native Finland, a country he loved. Think about one of your favourite places? Where is it? What does it look like? How do you feel when you are there? Which colours would you use in a painting to show your different feelings and emotions? Which instruments and sounds would you use for your musical colours?