The Ostrobothnians

The Ostrobothnians (in Finnish: Pohjalaisia; occasionally translated to English as The Bothnians), Op. 45, is a verismo opera in three acts by the Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja, who wrote the piece from 1917–24. The story, variously comedic and tragic, takes place around 1850 in the historical Finnish province of Ostrobothnia, and features as its central conflict the deteriorating relationship between the farm community and its oppressive sheriff.

"Pohjalaisia" redirects here. For the play, see Pohjalaisia (play).
The Ostrobothnians
Opera by Leevi Madetoja
The composer, c. 1920s
Native title
Pohjalaisia
LibrettistLeevi Madetoja
LanguageFinnish
Based on"Pohjalaisia"
by Artturi Järviluoma
Premiere
25 October 1924 (1924-10-25)
Finnish National Opera, Helsinki

On 25 October 1924, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra premiered the opera at the Finnish National Opera under the baton of Tauno Hannikainen; the enthusiasm of critics and the public quickly elevated the work to the (informal) status of the country's "national opera". Working in its favor was Madetoja's use of well-known folk melodies and the libretto's focus on freedom from oppression and self-determination, the allegorical qualities of which were particularly salient to a country that had won recently its independence from Russia. This inaugural production ran until November 1940, for a total of 90 performances, making it the greatest success of Madetoja's career. Today, the opera is recognized as Finland's first significant contribution to the operatic repertoire and has been revived numerous times.

The work is also well known in its abridged form, a five-movement suite for orchestra that Madetoja excerpted from Acts I and II of the (then-unfinished) stage production's score and which Robert Kajanus premiered to acclaim in Bergen, Norway on 8 March 1923. The most famous number is Vangin laulu (Prisoner's Song), for which Madetoja set the popular Ostrobothnian folk song, Tuuli se taivutti koivun larvan (The Wind Bent the Birch); in addition to being the prelude to Act I of the opera, the melody also serves as its key leitmotif.

History
The historical Finnish province of Ostrobothnia (in red), from which Madetoja hailed and about which he wrote his most important work, the opera, The Ostrobothnians.

The commission, first offered to Toivo Kuula in November 1917, was for an opera based upon the popular 1914 folk play. Although Kuula viewed the play as a strong candidate for a libretto, its realism conflicted with his personal preference for fairy tale or legend-based subject matter, in keeping with the Wagnerian operatic tradition.[1] When Kuula refused the opportunity, the commission fell to Madetoja, who had also expressed interest in the project. The composition process, begun in late December 1917, took Madetoja much longer than expected; letters to his mother indicate that he had entertained hopes of completing the opera by the end of 1920 and, when this deadline passed, 1921 and, eventually, 1922. In the end, the opera was not completed until September 1923, although it would be another full year until the opera premiered.[1] Nevertheless, some of the music (from Acts I and II)[2] did see the light of day sooner, as Madetoja had pieced together a five-number orchestral suite at the behest of Kajanus, who premiered the suite on 8 March 1923 in Bergen, Norway during his orchestra tour; the reviews were positive, describing the music as "interesting and strange".[3]

The first performance of the complete opera on 25 October 1924 at the Finnish National Opera (which, incidentally, was also the one-thousandth performance in the history of the Opera House) was, perhaps, the greatest triumph of Madetoja's entire career. Indeed, with The Ostrobothnians, Madetoja succeeded where his teacher, Jean Sibelius, famously had failed: in the creation of a Finnish national opera, a watershed moment for a country lacking an operatic tradition of its own.[1][4][n 1] In Helsingin sanomat, Katila wrote on behalf of many Finns, calling The Ostrobothnians "the most substantial work in the whole of Finnish opera".[4] The Ostrobothnians immediately became a fixture of the Finnish operatic repertoire (where it remains today), and was even produced abroad during Madetoja's lifetime, in Kiel, Germany in 1926; Stockholm in 1927; Gothenburg in 1930; and, Copenhagen in 1938.[4]

The success of The Ostrobothnians was due to a confluence of factors: the appeal of the music, tonal but darkly colored; the use of folk melodies (blended with Madetoja's own idiom) familiar to the audience; a libretto (also by Madetoja) based upon a well-known and beloved play; a story about freedom from oppression and self-determination, the allegorical qualities of which were particularly salient in a country that had recently emerged from a war for independence; and, the skillful combination of comedic and tragic elements.[1][4] The introduction to Act I (No. 2: Prisoner's Song in the suite), for example, is based upon a famous Ostrobothnian folk song, Tuuli se taivutti koivun larvan (The Wind Bent the Birch), which was one of the 262 folk songs Kuula had collected during his travels and which made its way into Madetoja's nationalistic opera, becoming its signature leitmotif.

Synopsis

Act I

Antti Hanka, a young freehold farmer, has been placed into custody and awaits trial for having stabbed a neighbor. Shackled and dressed in prisoner's garb, he is permitted to visit his fiancée, Maija, at the farm of her father, Erkki Harri. Maija is out singing in the woods when she hears the rustling of the transport and the voice of her beloved, singing the folk song, Tuuli se taivutti koivun larvan (The Wind Bent the Birch). Jussi Harri, the young master of the Harri farm and brother to Maija, arranges for the two lovers to meet alone; the newly-pious Maija (she has converted to Pietism) struggles with her emotions: she has renounced everything material, but still feels love for Antti and concern for his well-being.

As an interlude, the focus shifts to two farmhands, Kaappo and Salttu, who have been drinking on the job and, thoroughly inebriated, are wallowing in self-pity. The arrival of the sheriff interrupts the revelry. Although the Ostrobothnian farmers despise him for his brutal and oppressive tactics, they all nonetheless remove their hats out of deference to the law. The sheriff demands to see Antti's travel paperwork, which Jussi comes forward to provide, but without removing his hat. Offended, the sheriff strikes his whip, knocking Jussi's hat to the ground; Jussi, however, manages to grab the whip and defiantly breaks it in half. The sheriff departs, threatening reprisals for any future insolence.

Act II

Liisa, a young servant girl at the Harri farm, pines for Jussi, and gradually she makes her feelings known to him. Jussi, suddenly aware of Liisa's beauty and innocence, begins to spend more time with her and soon their relationship deepens into love. Antti the prisoner, however, does not have as happy a future ahead of him: he returns to the Harri farm and announces that he has been convicted and ordered to prison; this is goodbye. Maija, devastated, decides God's will cannot be for Antti to spend his life behind bars, and she persuades him to go on the lam.

The village people have assembled on the Harri farm for dancing, but the arrival of a gang of thugs interrupts the merrymaking. The men seek to plunder the farm, but withdraw when their leader, Köysti, loses in a wrestling match with Jussi. The victory is short-lived, when Jussi and the others discover that, during the fighting, Antti has disappeared. The act ends with the villagers searching (unsuccessfully) for the escaped convict.

Act III

Jussi and Liisa's love continues to blossom, and they begin to plan their wedding. Word of Antti's escape has reached the sheriff, who returns to the Harri farm to interrogate the Ostrobothnians and sniff out the fugitive's confederates; accompanying the sheriff is a scribe, a lay judge, and a bailiff. Kaappo is the first to be brought before the sheriff; intimidated and confused, the farmhand provides false testimony that he last saw Antti with Jussi. Kaisa, a motherly tenant of the Harri farm, provides far more resistance when she is questioned; her strategy of circumlocution enrages the sheriff and he orders her out. After Kaisa departs, the sheriff orders the scribe to retrieve Jussi; he draws his whip from the side of his boot, clearly itching for a fight.

The accused is brought before the sheriff and after a brief 'sham' trial, Jussi is handcuffed—his protestations of innocence notwithstanding—and taken into a backroom. The lay judge warns the sheriff not to abuse his power and flout the law, but the sheriff pushes past him and enters the room. Inside the sheriff whips Jussi, seeking a confession. Their confrontation eventually spills into the main hall, where Jussi laments that he has been "beaten like a dog, like an old horse". He warns the sheriff to stay away from him, but when he nonetheless advances, Jussi breaks his shackles and brandishes his knife. The sheriff draws his revolver and fires two shots at Jussi; nevertheless, the latter still manages to stab the sheriff to death. Although mortally wounded, Jussi's death is not immediate. Erkki, Maija (who confesses to being Antti's actual abettor), and Liisa each take a turn lamenting Jussi's fate. He drops to his knees and describes his vision: the oppressors are vanquished and the Ostrobothnians are slaves no longer. He asks Liisa to close his eyes, and her grief-stricken face is the last he ever sees.

Roles
Role Character description Voice type Premiere cast
(25 October 1924)
Erkki Harri Freehold farmer, in charge of the transporter of prisoners Bass Bruno Jorma
Maija Harri Daughter of Erkki, fiancée of Antti Soprano Jennie Costiander
Jussi Harri Son of Erkki, young master of Harri farm Baritone Toivo Louko
Antti Hanka Young freehold farmer, prisoner Tenor Alexis af Enehjelm
Kaappo Hired farmhand on the Harri farm Tenor Emil Mantila
Liisa Servant girl in the Harri household, relative; love of Jussi Mezzo-soprano Lahja Linko
Kaisa Dependent tenant (i.e., extra maid) on the Harri farm Alto Elbe Nissinen
Salttu Dependent tenant (i.e., extra farmhand) on the Harri farm Tenor Paavo Costiander
Sheriff (Vallesmanni) Bass Thorild Bröderman
Lay judge (Herastuomari) Sheriff's assistant at the trial in Act III Baritone Sulo Räikkönen
Bailiff (Siltavouti) Sheriff's assistant at the trial in Act III Bass Sulo Halinen
Scribe (Kriivari) Sheriff's assistant at the trial in Act III Tenor Eric Alruni Wilkman
Köysti of Karjanmaa Leader of a group of thugs in Act II Bass-baritone Yrjö Somersalmi
First shepherd girl Helmi Sirén
Second shepherd girl Kerttu Lehtiö
Chorus

Discography

Opera
Conductor Orchestra Recorded Duration Label
Jorma Panula Finnish National Opera Orchestra 1977 2:01:28 Finlandia (825646304318)
Jukka-Pekka Saraste Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 1998 2:07:22 Finlandia (825646312757)

Suite

Some of the music (from Acts I and II)[2] did see the light of day before the premiere of the completed opera, as Madetoja had pieced together a five-number orchestral suite at the behest of Robert Kajanus, who premiered the suite on 8 March 1923 in Bergen, Norway during his orchestra tour; the reviews were positive, describing the music as "interesting and strange".[3] The two most famous numbers of the suite are No. 1 Open Plain (arranged from Act II of the opera, Hoi Mansikki) and No. 2 Prisoner's Song (arranged from the prelude to Act I of the opera). The numbers of the complete suite are as follows:

  1. Lakeus (Open Plain), Andantino—Pùi lento
  2. Vangin laulu (Prisoner's Song), Lento maestoso
  3. Häjyt (Thugs), Allegro moderatro, rubato—Allegro vivace
  4. Tulopeli (Entrance Music), Tempo di Marcia
  5. Hypyt (Leaps and Jumps), Moderato mosso
Conductor Orchestra Recorded Duration Label Notes
Kyosti Haatanen Jyvaskyla Symphony Orchestra 3:56 Finlandia (825646471904) Song of the Prisoner (No. 2) only
Petri Sakari Iceland Symphony Orchestra 1991 16:45 Chandos (CHAN 9036)
Jukka-Pekka Saraste Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 16:40 Finlandia (825646312757)
Leif Segerstam Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra 2007 3:52 Ondine (ODE 1112-2) Song of the Prisoner (No. 2) only
Arvo Volmer Oulu Symphony Orchestra 1998 16:15 Alba (ABCD 132)

Notes, references, and sources

Notes
  1. The first notable Finnish opera was Fredrik Pacius's Kung Karls jakt (King Carl's Hunt) in 1852, after which followed a "long hiatus" until the rise of the national Romantic movement and "the desire to find an opera to reflect the burgeoning national values".[4] Certainly, the country did not lack for attempts at forging a "national opera": for example, Oskar Merikanto in 1898 with Pohjan neiti (Maiden of the North); Erkki Melartin in 1909 with the Wagnerian Aino; Selim Palmgren in 1910 with Daniel Hjort; Armas Launis in 1913 and 1917, respectively, with Seitsemän veljestä (Seven Brothers) and Kullervo; and, Aarre Merikanto in 1922 with Juha. Nevertheless, each failed to capture the public's (lasting) attention.[4]

References
  1. Salmenhaara (1986)
  2. Salmenhaara (1992a)
  3. Pulliainen (2000a), p. 4
  4. Korhonen (2007), p. 60

Sources
  • Kallio, Reino, Elämän mittainen väitös. Lahti 2019, p. 126–142. ISBN 978-952-94-1499-4.
  • Korhonen, Kimmo (2007). Inventing Finnish Music: Contemporary Composers from Medieval to Modern. Finnish Music Information Center (FIMIC). ISBN 978-952-5076-61-5.
  • Pulliainen, Riitta (2000a). Madetoja Orchestral Works 1: I Have Fought My Battle (booklet). Arvo Volmer & Oulu Symphony Orchestra. Tampere, Finland: Alba. p. 4–6. ABCD 132.
  • Salmenhaara, Erkki (1992a). Madetoja, L.: Symphony No. 3, The Ostrobothnians Suite, Okon Fuoko Suite (booklet). Petri Sakari & Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Colchester, England: Chandos. p. 4–7. CHAN 9036.
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