Yesterday, I was at Tampere Hall listening to the Gala concert of "International Leevi Madetoja Male Voice Choir Competition".
The International Leevi Madetoja Male Voice Choir Competition was held for the
sixth time in April 2015 in Tampere, Finland. It is the only choir competition
in the Nordic countries which is solely for male voices.
I started to get ready early and took a bus to downtown and went to my
dad’s to watch the rest of a Finnish hockey game, while drinking a glass of sparkling
wine. After that we took a taxi to the Tampere Hall and arrived there in good time.
We found good seats and the concert started right on time. Before the main
performances there was a boy choir “Pirkanpojat” singing.
At the beginning there were 35 men’s choirs around Finland – that’s 1200
singers. There were nine men’s choirs left in the Gala concert. Really all
except one male choir were performing a cappella – it was a nice change,
because without music you really hear the singing!
After all the performances, there was a prize ceremony and after that,
all of the male singers rose up and sang two songs, and the last song was “Finlandia”
hymn which, to me, crowned the whole Gala concert perfectly!
After the concert I looked behind my back and saw the Tampere Hall in
the light of a setting sun. The concert was really excellent! I love a bit of
culture in my life every now and then...
Today we celebrate our independence day in Finland – which, I must say,
I one of my favorite holidays when going towards Christmas and New Year!
Over the years, it has become a tradition for me to go to the
Tampere-talo to "Patriotic Festivities", to listen men’s choir
“Mieskuoro Laulajat”, which is a day before the Independence Day. Going there
has become a huge part of my celebration of Finland’s Independence Day!
I woke up early and got myself ready and I still had time! What a rare
and remarkable feeling... I was at Tampere-talo earlier than arranged, but soon
I started to find familiar people.
This year the choir had a new conductor, less singers and the whole concert
was a bit different – but I think it was better in its own way!
For the last four songs a senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot”
came on stage to sing with the other choir. Both of the choirs’ voices matched
so well with each other! Finally also the “Eagles Brass Band” (Tampereen
Kotkien Puhallinorkesteri) came to play the song ”Finlandia”” which is one of
my favorite songs of all times and is an important piece of my own celebration
of Finland’s Independende Day!
I had not received any kind of invitation to upstairs for an after party that
takes place after the concert, but one thing lead to another and there I was
sitting at the table chatting with the other people. It felt so good to see
people I still remember from my childhood and catch up with them!
There was a buffet where also I, as a vegetarian, could find something
to eat. That is always nice... There were music, singing and dancing and the
time went by so fast! Too fast. The clock was near midnight when my dad
escorted me into a taxi and I went home. I had such a great feeling from the
whole night and I was so full energy that I could not even think of going to
sleep just yet!
Today I slept late and later on the evening we started to watch The
Independence Day’s reception and drank sparkling wine.
We didn’t make anything fancy for food but even it was just pizza, it
was self-made and that made it so damn good... After that we watched the after
party of The Independence Day’s reception. I’m very proud to be Finnish and
even I’m happy about our independence every day it is always great that on one
particular day is dedicated to celebrate it!
On the day before Independence Day it has been a
tradition to go to ”Patriotic Festivities” (Isänmaallinen juhla) where there
are choir group ”Mieskuoro Laulajat” singing. On this year also there were also
a senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot”. I’ve been going listening the
”Patriotic Festivities” for many years and this year was no exception.”Patriotic Festivities” is usually arranged at
Tampere-talo but now when presidential residence was under refurbishment the
president of the republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, was holding the Independence
Day’s reception there with his spouse Jenni Haukio.
So, on this year ”Patriotic Festivities” was held in one of Tampere’s churches,
at “Tuomiokirkko” which is a beautiful church. The setlist was much more
religious this time comparing to the earlier concerts - I guess that because
the concert was held in a church the setlist had also been altered more
religious. There was two community singing psalms, which there has never been
when the ”Patriotic Festivities” had been held at Tampere-talo. There was
nothing bad about it but it didn’t really give you the feeling it was going to
be an Independence Day next day but like spending a Sunday at a church.
There were no orchestra this time either but there was a huge organ and it was
the only music we heard. After seeing a huge speakers I thought that at least
“Finlandia” would be played there but they clearly were only for so everyone
could hear the talking. This time the person who gave a speech wasn’t a person
from Finnish defence forces or anything like that but Tampere’s bishop – a
reasonable choice, for we were at the church after all. He was talking about
the Finland’s flag and the time he was a child, but I knew he would mention “God”
at some point. He did it at the very end so it didn’t sound like a sermon.
The last four songs were about Finland and its
independence – these four songs I really liked for I had already gotten used to
that they were sang at the ”Patriotic Festivities” for the glory of our home
country. Towards the end of the concert senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro
Konkelot” sang the first two songs of the last four songs on their own. And the
two choirs sang “Finlandia” at the end which has always been very important to
me and a big part of my spending of the Independence Day. But this time the “Finlandia-hymn”
was without any music at all which shortened it so much less than two minutes
long. And I was kind of disappointed at first because the music is so powerful
and magnificent part of “Finlandia” but the choir sang it so well I didn’t even
remember it afterwards. At the end of the concert we all stand up and sing the
Finnish national anthem, “Maamme”.
We kind of got the leftover seats because we were at the church just in time
with my dad’s wife for our slippery high heels had slowed down our journey. But
I managed to see my father (who is in the choir) and he saw me, even he
couldn’t show me any sign. I managed to take some photos of a part of the choir
group when they went upstairs to sign, next to the organ.
It may sound I’m judging the whole concert, but
I’m not – it was good on its own way!
I like this church a lot – I had my confirmation at there. I like the painted
pictures on the church’s ceiling, especially the snake biting the forbidden
fruit.
After the concert I went to my dad’s home with
his wife – we walked the whole icy and slippery way there. My dad had some
choir thing to attend to and we didn’t know how long he would be there. When we
finally were at their home we drank a glass of sparkling wine, watched the
movie “Shakespeare in Love” all the while we were talking and laughing. I was
glad I got a ride home from my mom, and not trying to walk home the slippery
road from the bus stop.
My outfit yesterday:
Next day was Independence Day. It was a
beautiful day even it was cloudy. The Independence Day’s reception from
Tampere-talo started at 5:15 p.m. and we started to watch it while drinking
sparkling wine.
I love to see what beautiful and some quite
original dresses everyone, especially women, have when they step in to shake
hands with the president of the republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, and his
spouse Jenni Haukio, who was absolutely glowing and she was
beautiful!
This was Sauli Niinistö’s first Independence Day’s reception and on this year it was different than usual, maybe because it was at
Tampere-talo and not at the presidential residence. Usually there’s
dancing and one or few artist performing and reporters go and interview the
guests. This time there was no dancing this time and there was a concert where
there was singing and people reading fragment of Finnish literature. It sure
was different than before. I first thought I don’t like it but when I thought
it afterwards it was kind of good in its own way. And this time the only dress
code was a dark dress both women and men, so for women it didn’t have to be a
long dress. “The Dudesons” were invited also and I think they had the best
suits of all the men. The reports did interview the guests at the dining hall
and the food looked amazing!
I had planned to do something more festive for dinner because it was
Independence Day after all. I made vegan “coq au vin” (rooster in wine) from
seitan (or “wheat meat”) and with roasted vegetables. It was so worth waiting
and seeing an effort.
In between the Independence
Day’s reception there was a few news about the reception and what has happened
on the Independence Day overall. I usually don’t watch news because there’s too
much negative news in them but this time I watched it. It was about how the
reception has been going and about the guests. But it wasn’t all happy news for
about 200 protesters had left from the city center and turned over the fence
which had surrounded Tampere-talo. They blow up fireworks and bangers at the
near park close to Tampere-talo, at Sorsapuisto. That wasn’t nice. I don’t
understand why does people have to protest on Finland’s Independence Day!
After the news the reception and the concert continued. I liked the song
“Myrskyluodon Maija” (“Stormskärs Maja” in Swedish)
performed by Maria Ylipää and Waltteri Torikka, even it was mostly sang in
Swedish. Like always, I waited Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia” the most. This time
it was performed two child choirs. I wondered why didn’t the reception planners
get the men choir group ”Mieskuoro Laulajat” singing because they are from
Tampere and they have the tradition to perform at Tampere-talo on the day
before Independence Day on ”Patriotic Festivities”. And on this year a senior
choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot” was singing with them. I have heard these
two choir groups singing “Finlandia” together and let me say it is simply
magnificent! The kids singing it was nothing comparing with these two men choir
groups with big voices – sure it was cute because they are kids but I think it
needed something more...
After the reception there was an after parties all over Tampere
but the official after party was at Hotel Tammer, where there was performing
Finnish artists. The hosts were four silly women who thought they were funnier
than they actually were. Despiting them the after party was quite nice.
After the after party ended on 10:30 p.m. the movie "The Unknown
Soldier" (Finnish: "Tuntematon sotilas") was broadcasted on TV. It is tradition to broadcast it every year, but this time I
was surprised how late it was broadcasted – it ended 1:20 a.m.! Usually it
comes during the day – maybe the concerned parents got their way with it after
all for they don’t want their kids to see a movie about war, even it is a big
part of Finland’s history. And the movie is made in 1955 and it’s black and
white and there’s no red blood splattering like in today’s horror movies which,
in fact, kids are watching when their parents doesn’t know. So thank you for almost
ruining our tradition, you damn parents!
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the Independence Day’s reception but it
confused me a little that it was different than the Independence Day’s
receptions I’ve used to see before. Next year the Independence Day’s reception
will be at the usual place, at the presidential residence and I can’t wait to
see what it will be like...
