A Sylvia.

-please scroll down for English version-

Buona domenica d’Avvento a tutti!

No, cari lettori, non c’e’ nessun errore nel titolo del post e non allude alla celebre poesia del sommo Giacomo Leopardi. Vi propongo invece una conosciutissima canzone natalizia finlandese (come ho gia’ detto le canzoni natalizie qui abbondano), che ha per soggetto una Sylvia che non e’ una donna ma l’uccellino che vedete nella mia foto: la Capinera, il cui nome scientifico e’: Sylvia atricapilla.

Il testo della canzone infatti parla di un finlandese che si trova da tempo in Sicilia, ma che pur riconoscendo ed esaltando le bellezze (vede il monte Etna dalla propria finestra) e il clima della Sicilia (c’e’ sempre caldo come a maggio), sente i morsi della nostalgia e pensa alla propria patria: agli inverni nordici freddi ma discreti ed accoglienti; dice poi che un altro posto cosi’ caro non lo trovera’ mai, perche’ la Finlandia e’ lo scrigno dei suoi ricordi. Ringrazia infine la Capinera che col suo canto gli ha risvegliato queste sensazioni.

La lezione che ci da’ questa tenera canzone e’ che il nostro luogo natale e il luogo dell’infanzia ci resteranno sempre nel cuore, dovunque andremo. In realta’ essendo un testo di fine ‘800 c’e anche il tema patriottico: in quel momento la Finlandia si sentiva un uccello in gabbia perche’ oppressa dalla dominazione russa.

Questa canzone e’ stata scritta dall’illustre poeta, giornalista e storico Zachris Topelius in forma di poesia e successivamente musicata e proposta da innumerevoli cantanti in versioni ed arrangiamenti diversissimi, anche hard rock. Io ho scelto una versione minimal e intensa.

Buon ascolto! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnwxv88U-8w

(Nella mia foto: una Capinera, che migra regolarmente tra Italia e Finlandia).

Happy Advent Sunday, dear readers!

Today I will propose a well-known Finnish Christmas song (as I have already said there are plenty of Christmas songs in the Finnish tradition), which has as its subject a Sylvia who is not a woman but the little bird you see in my photo: the Eurasian Blackcap, whose scientific name is: “Sylvia atricapilla”.

The song lyrics talks about somebody from Finland who is living in Sicily, but while recognizing and enhancing the beauties (he sees Mount Etna from his window) and the climate of Sicily (the weather is always as pleasant as in May), he or she feels the pangs of nostalgia and thinks of his homeland: of the cold but discreet and welcoming Nordic winters; he then says that he will never find another place so dear, because Finland is the treasure chest of his memories. Finally, he thanks the Blackcap who has awakened these sensations with its song.

The lesson that this heartbreaking song gives us is that our birthplace and the place of childhood will always remain in our hearts, wherever we go. Actually, being written at the end of the 19th century, the poem contains also a patriotic theme: at that moment Finland felt like a bird in a cage because it was oppressed by Russian domination.

This song comes from a poem written by poet, author, journalist and historian Zachris Topelius. It has been proposed by countless singers in very different versions and arrangements, including hard rock ones. I chose a minimal and intense version.

Enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnwxv88U-8w

(In my shot: a Blackcap, a bird which migrates regularly from Italy to Finland).

Sylvian Joululaulu.

Ja niin joulu joutui jo taas pohjolaanJoulu joutui jo rintoihinkinJa kuuset ne kirkkaasti luo loistoaanJo pirtteihin pienoisihinMutt’ ylhäällä orressa vielä on vainSe häkki, mi sulkee mun sirkuttajainJa vaiennut vaikerrus on vankilanOi, murheita muistaa ken vois laulajan?

Miss’ sypressit tuoksuu nyt talvellakinIstun oksalla uljaimman puunMiss’ siintääpi veet, viini on vaahtovinJa sää aina kuin toukokuunJa etnanpa kaukaa mä kauniina näänAh’, tää kaikki hurmaa ja huumaapi päänJa laulelmat lempeesti lehdoissa soiSen runsaammat riemut ken kertoilla voi!

Sä tähdistä kirkkain nyt loisteesi luoSinne suomeeni kaukaisehen!Ja sitten kun sammuu sun tuikkeesi tuoSä siunaa se maa muistojen!Sen vertaista toista en mistään mä saaOn armain ja kallein mull’ ain’ suomenmaa!Ja kiitosta sen laulu soi sylvianJa soi aina lauluista sointuisimman

Sylvia’s Christmas song.
And so Christmas time came again to the North,has it come also in our hearts?
The lights in the windows and twigs at the door,
and children are eating the tarts.

There lonely on attic a tweeting is heard,
from cage that confines our lovely songbird.
But no-one is there to witness her sweet song,
her sorrows and worries she must bear alone.

I am in the land where the springs never cease,

where the vineyards can glow in the sun,
and cypresses fragrantly smell by the seas,
there I have my home, only one.

The mountains afar beautiful I can see,
the air is so fresh and the grass is so green.
In orchard orange trees are bearing their fruit,
and somewhere a love song is played with the flute.

Oh shine now, the star brightest in nightly sky,

send your greetings to my dearest North.
When your rays of light northern woodlands pass by,
your blessings to homeland send forth.

The flowering springs and the warm sunny sand
cannot soothe memories of northern homeland.
For you I will sing of my love bittersweet,
as long as your Sylvia’s heart will yet beat.

****