In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Male Voice Choir of Helsinki

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Akademiska Sangforeningen or The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki, colloquially known as Akademen, abbreviated A.S., is a Finland-Swedish male voice student choir based in Helsinki, Finland. The choir was founded in 1838 (at the latest) by Fredrik Pacius, music teacher at the Imperial Alexander University of Finland (now University of Helsinki) and known as "the father of Finnish music", and is thus the oldest Finnish choir still in existence.

During the 19th century Akademiska Sangforeningen became an important symbol of national awakening in the emerging Finnish nation, at the time part of the Russian empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland. On 13 May 1848, Pacius' composition Vart land ('Our Land'), set to the poem by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, was performed for the first time by Akademiska Sangforeningen during the students' celebration of the Flora Day. The composition was later to become the national anthem of the independent Finland.

In the 1850s and 1860s, elite triple quartets (so-called sangartolfvor, literally singer twelves) from within the choir's ranks participated in raising the funds necessary to build what is now called the Old Student House in Helsinki (Gamla studenthuset in Swedish, Vanha ylioppilastalo in Finnish, colloquially Wanha or Vanha), by travelling the country performing. The Old Student House was finished in 1870, and it is still the place where the choir has its office and where practice takes place once a week.

Discography

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Male Voice Choir of Helsinki : Hymns to Finland - Works for Male Voice Choir

Review: Born in Hamburg 200 years ago, Fredrik Pacius studied with Ludwig Spohr in Kassel, before serving as a violinist in the orchestra of the Royal Opera in Stockholm. When he arrived in Helsinki in 1835 it was in order to take up the post of music lecturer at the city's university. By the time of his death, almost six decades in the service of the musical life of his new country had earned him the epithet the father of Finnish music. He composed the first Finnish opera "Kung Karls jakt" and other works for the stage include The Princess of Cyprus and Loreley, both of which are available on BIS. But what he is mainly remembered for today is Vart land ('Our Land'), the national anthem of Finland, which he composed and conducted the first performance of in 1848. The choir at this occasion was Akademiska Sangforeningen (The Academic Male Voice Choir of Helsinki) which Pacius himself had founded in 1838. Some 160 years later the same choir performs the song here, together with other repertoire written or arranged for it by Pacius. The program is made up of songs in Swedish (including some of the emblematic patriotic songs of the evolving nation, as well as works in a lighter vein), Finnish (mainly arrangements of folk-songs) and German settings by Pacius of poems in his native language by writers such as Friedrich Ruckert. Following the choirs traditions some of the songs are here performed by a more intimate ensemble, i.e. quartet or octet.

Songlist: Varsang, Studensang, Sang For Nordiska Ynglingar, Det Var Da, Philomele, Den Sjuttonariga, Forgat Mig Ej, Till Jonas Peron, Fredmans Epistel N:o 14, Fredmans Epistel N:o 25, Fredmans Epistel N:o 13, Kreivin Sylissa Istunut, Folkvisa, Verinen Polka, Fantasi Over Ett Finskt Tema, Fruhlingsglaube, Ich Bin Nun Einmal So, Gesprache Der Irrlichter, Der Jager Auf Der Kirchweih, Wiegenlied, Die Abendgloke Auf Dem Berge, Lied An Die Schone Mullerin, A La Melancolie, Rheinweinlied, Schenkt Ein!, Trinkled, Bjorneborgarnas Marsch, Suomis Sang, Finlands Flagga, Hymn Till Finland, and more