En etsi valtaa, loistoa (Jean Sibelius)
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Music files
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- (Posted 2001-06-12) CPDL #02800:
- Editor: Sebastian Göring (submitted 2001-06-12). Score information: A4, 2 pages, 95 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes: Only for US distribution. verses 1 &3 in Finnish and German.
Possible error(s) identified. Error summary: There is an error in the Finnish text: in bar 10 of the first verse, sou should read suo (which also enables it to rhyme). Joulus, which at one time I took to be an error, is apparently correct - an abbreviated form of joulusi (your Christmas): thanks to Pekka Horttanainen for that information. -Mick Swithinbank See the discussion page for full description.
General Information
Title: En etsi valtaa, loistoa
Composer: Jean Sibelius
Lyricist: Zacharias Topeliuscreate page
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Carol
Language: Finnish
Instruments: A cappella
First published:
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
The Finnish text ("En etsi valtaa, loistoa") is a free translation of the poem in Swedish by Zacharias Topelius, and it was the Swedish version that Sibelius actually set, Topelius and Sibelius both being Swedish-speaking Finns. (Thanks to Andreas Stenberg for this information). The most impressive-sounding of the various translations of the title which are in circulation is 'We ask for nothing rich or rare'. The German text is quite a faithful translation of the Swedish version. I have provided a reasonably literal English translation of the Finnish one. -Mick Swithinbank
Original Swedish text set by Sibelius |
by Zacharias Topelius |
Translation by Mick Swithinbank |
Other singing versions
(singable, as in CPDL 02800 above) |
The following verse translation is by Ida Kaskinen (1924) |
Translation by Andrew Mackie |