Jan Sibelius's symphony Finlandia brings home the Virtue of Simplicity in music. It has long been one of my favorites and we of the Boulder Symphony will be performing it in December.

Sibelius approaches the rhythmic turgidity of Brahms without the harmonic complexity. He crafts plainer and simpler melodies that are lower-order permutations of the scale. Sibelius builds of willow what Brahms builds of bricks.

Both are alike in that they are heavy on the metal.

Finlandia tells a simple story, a primal patriotic myth familiar to any nation:

Measures 1 --  9 : There is trouble.

10 - 23: The trouble is doubled but Finland resists.

 24 - 73 : Sombre thought of sacrifice.

 74 -  81: The struggle is joined.

 82 -  88: Things look grim.

 89 -  94: Sudden hope!

 95-  124: Triumph in battle.

125- 131: Victory!

132 - 154: The people raise their voices in a hymn of devotion to Finland.

155 - 178: All join in the hymn.

179 - end:  Finland marches united into the glorious Future.

The hymn at measure 132 restated at 155 is a beloved patriotic song of Finland. The hymn is also a used by various religions, notably in "A Song of Peace".