Evening star., 1937-06-13

most suited to harmonic with this
northern country of low-lylng lands.
1t was the conception Of Ellel Saarl-
men, a Finnish architect, now risen to
international fame
Helslnki has spacious harbor. pro-
tecUed from storm waves by the island
frtneed coast and the peninsula upon
which the city is built The city was
established on its present site in l64O.
and grew slowly. owing to the earlier
start or Turku and Vupuri. In l749.
powerful Notifications were construct
ed, and through this fact. together
with the establishment Of the city as
the Capital ard the shifting of the
university from Turku to EelSinki. the
city grew steadily until the population
now numbers over 100000
Commercially considered, Turku
surpaSses Helslnki in location, as
Turku lies close to Sweden, is easily
accessible to a large area of Baltic
waters, and in the Winter the port re-
mains ice-free from two to three
weeks longer.
NIlpuri may we'll be termed tire
gateway to Russia 1t is. in effect,
the first line of defense against inva-
sion from the east. and an outpost for
trade with the east. II is in Vilpuri
that the ancient castle built by the
Swedish vicerov in 1898 is located and
is still used by the military. Taken by
the Russians IN l7l0, Viipuri was not
returned to Finland until 1912. With
the return Of the city to Finnish sov-
erelgnty, it enjoyed a great trade re-
vlVal, attaining first rank among all
Finnish cities by 1857.
FINNISH culture has been described
as being truly born Of the soil,
the climate and the topography" It's
literature, music and art indicate the
power of the physical environment to
endoW the temperament of the people.
The works of Finnish authors. paint
ers and composers are strlkinglv origi-
NAL, refectlng vivid Imagination. Fin
lands notable contribution to the
worlds literature is the Kalevala. con-
sisting Of folk songs or tunes dating
back for several centuries. With dra-
matte emphasis. it records the struggle
for existence under the stress of a
dlscouraging environment. Even the
short-story writer's ana novellsts, Of
whom there are many notable IN Fin
land. have not escaped the impress
of their native environment. as. for
example. the dramatist. Minna Cantn.
who treats great social problems in the
life of her countrymen, and Alexis
XVI, whose Seven Brothers is a
mixture of realistic and allegorica!
writing.
In similar manner the music seems
to have sprung from the hard environ
ment and the physical conditions Of
this northern country Finnish folk
songs are characteristic and their
minor key, with accented strains, sug-
gests a primitive type of music. In
1880 Frederick Pscius, a native Of
Hamburg, Germany, who had moved
to Finland caught the spirit of these
folk songs and immortalized them in
his compositions, Suomenlaulu." Fin
lands Song. and "Maamme," Our
Land. the national anthem, for which
Runeberg wrote the words. This COM
position won for Pacius the titls
Father Of Finnish Music"
The outstanding exponent of Fin
nish music, and the composer who
is considered best TO represent the
spirit of the Finnish people, is Jean
Sibelus. Sibelius' compositions are
to Finnish life what Griegs are n
the Norwegian. Many of his works,
written in the minor keys, express the
temperament of a people outWardly
Unconditional. His music. too, reflects
the mood of the Northland its impos-
ing forests and golden midnight sun.
The art of Finland is also symbolic
Of the life of its people, and strik-
ingly modern painters have depicted
dull Finnish landscapes, the struggle
for existence in Finnish life, and the
NEUROLOGICAL presentations in Finnish
literature The first artist to por-
tray Finnish life with skill and viril-
ity was Albert Edclfelt, who was of
Swedish ancestry. Akseli Gallen-Kal-
leila. a Finn. gained world recognition
for his faithful portrayals of life in
remote parts of Finland and for his
illustrations Of the Kalevala. The
third prominent artist Of Finland "a
Aero Jarnefelt, who depicted rural
life.