English

The over 70 songs constitute a quintessential part of Finlands national-romantic song archive. Järnelefts lyricism originates from Kalevala-inspired ‘runosång’, a folk music song-style based on Karelian folk melody.

In addition to the folklore element of the songs from his younger years, we find in his later output impressionistic and even expressionistic qualities. Järnefelt’s songs are characterised by their singing melodic lines, colourful harmony, and a Nordic purity, while technically, they portray the composers highly developed artistry. Some of them, for example the lullabies, are romantic and mournful miniatures. Others are joyful songs, cheerfully light and playful in character. Yet another group form dramatic and ballad-like tone poems, many with an operatic expression. This is the result of the composers long standing career as chief conductor of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. Järnefelt, who despite his multicultural background was an avid Fennoman, often used Finnish poetry in his songs. This practice was uncommon around the turn of the century when composers preferred the language of choice of the educated elite, Swedish.

The songs’ pianistic texture show us that Järnefelt was familiar with the work of the great Russian composers. Of these, there are two composers who, above all, pose as model for Järnefelt: Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin.

Armas Järnefelt began his career as a composer between the end of the 1880s and the beginning of the 1890s at a period when Finnish music was characterised by nationalist aspirations. Järnefelt partook in this movement to form a unique Finnish musical idioms as well, while at the same time absorbing influences from Wagner and from the late-Romantic customs of the day. The integration of these elements came to form the core of his compositional achievement.

Järnefelts early output includes several piano and chamber music works, among them Romanze for violin and piano (1891) that recreated the atmosphere from the Belle Epoque, the unfinished Suite in F Major for violin and piano (1892), newly revised in a complete version during the 2000s, as well as Three Piano Pieces Op. 4 (1895). During the course of the 1890s however, orchestral music became the crux of his work as a composer and would, along with the lieder and cantatas, make up a key component of his production. Between the years 1892 and 1894 Järnefelt wrote numerous orchestral works, among them several large-scale works such as the symphonic poem Korsholm (1894), Symphonic Fantasy (1895) and Heimathklang (1895) as well as the suites Serenad (1893), Suite for small orchestra (1895), and Suite in E flat Major (1897). Järnefelt began work on a symphony at the beginning of the 1890s, but it remained unfinished, perhaps lending it’s material to other works, namely Korsholm and Symphonic Fantasy. Järnefelts best-known works internationally are two compelling miniatures; Prelude - the first movement from the orchestral suite which is often played separately – as well as Berceuse (1894) originally written for violin and orchestra, although popular as an arrangement for various small ensembles as well.

As with most Finnish composers at that time, Järnefelt was influenced by Sibelius, though his stylistic ideal clearly differed. Next to Sibelius, Järnefelt was, in his nature, more of a poet, for which Suite-designed works of shorter movements were more suitable than those of symphonic form. Even if he often included Finnish-national material in his works, he never wrote orchestra works with actual Kalevala themes. His contemporaries could hear impressions from French music in some of his early works, more specifically from Massenet with whom he studied in Paris, and to an extent Tchaikovsky also left a mark on Järnefelts work. The biggest international influence was, above all, Wagner’s music. Wagner was one of the leading models of his career, who's works he conducted often as music director. The clearest influence can be heard in Korsholm and in the Symphonic Fantasy, and in due time the ‘’New German’’ qualities found their way into both works to bring forth a new dimension to Finnish music.

After the first few years of the 1900s Järnefelt refrained from symphonic com-posing which was overshadowed by his conducting responsibilities. For it’s sake, he made no compromise on their creation. The collection of lieder saw continual new additions and even the new genres of incidental music and cantatas began to appear.

2021 October,  Alba Records published  a CD includes piano arrangements of others on solo songs of Järnefelt and his arrangements of orchestral pieces for piano four hands. Preludi and Lapsuuden ajoilta. Also three small compositions of Järnefelts daughter Eva Järnefelt is included.
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2021 April, Fennica Gehrman Oy published scores of music to fairytale play "Miranda" as a orchestral suite. Luukas Hiltunen made the arrangement:
"Read instructions for renting orchestral material here"

2021 March, Fennica Gehrman Oy published a transcription for concert band  "Juhla-alkusoitto" (Festive Overture) for the official opening of the Finnish National Theatre (1902) .
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2019 December, Fennica Gehrman Oy published the score of  “Juhla-alkusoitto” (Festive Overture)  that  Armas Järnefelt composed for the opening of National Theatre in Helsinki, 1902.
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2019 October, Fennica Gehrman Oy published a transcript from the recording of “Berceuse” for a piano trio by Sveriges Radio which probably was modified by Armas Järnefelt himself.
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2019 June, Tactus Oy published a transscription of “Forsfärden” (Shooting the rapids) an arrangement by Armas Järnefelt of his music to silent film “Sången om den eldröda blomman” (Sång of the Scarlet Flower).
Rent here.(e-mail: info(at)tactus.fi or phone: +358 400 253273.)

2019 May,   Fennica Gehrman Oy published a sheet music of an arrangement for saxophone and piano of "Berceuse", made by Josef Kaartinen.
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2019 May,  Fennica Gehrman Oy published the original partiture and libretto of  music composed by Armas Järnefelt for the fairytale play ”Miranda” based on the fairytale poem by Z.Topelius.
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2019 April,  Sulasol published a collection of songs for mixed choir by Armas Järnefelt.
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2019 January,  Ondine Oy released the soundtrack (2CDs) of film music of  ”Sången om den eldröda blomman” (Song of the Scarlet Flower) performed by Gävle Symphony Orchesra and Jaakko Kuusisto
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2018 December, Fennica Gehrman Oy republished the work ”Romanze” for violin and piano, because the original publisher Georg Plothow, Berlin had gone out of business.      .
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2018 May,  Tactus Oy published the full score of Armas Järnefelt`s orchestral composition to film music for silent film ” Sången om den eldröda blomman” (Song of the Scarlet Flower directed by Mauritz Stiller, Sweden 1919) as rent material.  
Rent here.(e-mail: info(at)tactus.fi or phone: +358 400 253273.)

2017, Viipurin Lauluveikot ( Vyborgs Singingbrothers) published a CD with 15 songs for male choir. The CD includes three songs of Järnefelt:
"Vill du komma med mig" (Will you come with me), "Sirkka" (Cricket) and "Pois meni merehen päivä" (The day went under in the see)
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2017 On 16 january was a CD record ”Finnish Violin Classics” by Jaso Sasaki, violin and Marko Hilpo, piano published.
The record includes three works by Armas Järnefelt. Two of these are of particular interest as the "Romanze" (1891) and
"Suite in F major" (1892) are world premiere recordings and rarely heard before. The third piece is the famous "Berceuse".
The CD also includes works by Toivo Kuula and Jean Sibelius.
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2016 publication of a CD-box, including 10 CDs, consisting all today known recordings Järnefelt conducting or self playing.
The recordings are collected and restored of Carl-Gunnar Åhlén.
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PhD Carl-Gunnar Åhlén´s meritorious essay of the reordings: here

Read the ARSC Journal critique here

This review first appeared in the "Association for Recorded Sound Collections Journal"

2015 publication of Järnefelt biography in Swedish:  "Armas Järnefelt kompositör och kapellmästare i Finland och i Sverige”,
Atlantis-KMA-SLS, translated and edited by Lasse Zilliacus.
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2014 publication of  CD: ”Våg, våg slå åter”, Nosag records, Christin Högnabba soprano and Stefan Lindgren pianist.
The CD includes 12 of Järnefelt's solosongs among other Finnish composers songs.
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2012 publication of CD: Tahdon, suomalaista häämusiikkia. On the CD Jan Lehtola plays the only organwork of Järnefelt:
Häämarssi. Composed to his sons wedding. Alba records
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2012 publication of CD: ”Bortom fjärdens våg”, Nosag records, Christin Högnabba soprano, and Stefan Lindgren pianist.
The CD includes 8 of Järnefelt's solo songs among other Finnish composers songs.
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2010 publication of CD: ”Armas Järnefelt Orchestral Works”, BIS, Lahti Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jaakko Kuusisto.
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2009 publication of biography: ”Armas Järnefelt Kahden maan mestari”, SKS, editor Hannu Salmi.
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2008 publication of CD: Yö meren rannalla. On this CD, among others, Johanna Rusanen sings Järnefelt's Berceuse with new words of Aulikki Oksasen. Nova records Oy
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2005 publication of CD: An Antholofy of Finnish Piano Music, Jouni Somero piano.
On the CD is recorded one of the two Järnefelt's pianopeaces: Opus 4 Drei painostücke. FC-records.
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2003 publication of CD:  ”Armas Järnefelt Lieder”, Ondine, Jorma Hynninen baritone, Camilla Nylund soprano, and Ilkka Paalanen piano.
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2003 publication of CD: Armas Järnefelt Laulajan koti, selection of songs for male choir. Finlandia records.
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1999 Publication of notebooklet: "Armas Järnefelt Songs for Malechoir". Booklet includes 14 of Järnefelt's Male Choir Songs.
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1996 publication of CD: ”Armas Järnefelt Orchestral Music”, Sterling Records.
Gävle Symphony Orchestra, conductor Hannu Koivula.
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1995 publication of notebooklet: ”Armas Järnefelt Solosånger”, Fennica Gehrman.
Block includes 24 of Järnefelt's solo songs.
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