Sounds like Finland: Capturing the country’s essence in music

Internationally renowned composer and musician Lauri Porra created the piece – actually 15 compositions, a total of one hour of music.

If you’ve ever experienced homesickness, you know the feeling when you close your eyes and flashes of memories come to life. Sounds, smells, sensations. People and places. While they’re all personal to us, taken together they also form the contours of a country.

Finland endeavoured to capture that sensibility in a piece of music, calling it Ääniä: Finland’s Official Soundscape. (Ääniä means “sounds” or “voices” in Finnish; see below for Soundcloud playlist.)

Sound possesses a unique capability to evoke powerful emotions and memories, making audio a great way of sharing Finland’s unique identity, both inside and outside the country. It’s also a medium that most people around the world can access easily.

Transcending languages and borders

Peninsulas form bays on a lake in Leivonmäki National Park in central Finland.Photo: Markus Sirkka/Visit Finland

“Finns have always been deeply connected to their natural surroundings and cultural heritage,” says Paula Parviainen, Finland’s Ambassador for Culture and Creative Industries. “We wanted to bring these to a wider audience in a way that transcends languages and borders. We envision the soundscape providing a moment of peace and calm in people’s daily lives. Individuals can use it to create an opportunity to relax and reflect.”

The snow-covered winter landscape is just as dramatic as the green forests of summer.Photo: Jussi Helttunen/Visit Finland

The idea for Ääniä initially emerged from discussions between Parviainen and Porra, a composer and musician who has collaborated with prestigious orchestras around the world. He also works as the musical supervisor for Moomin Characters, the company that manages the rights to the beloved characters invented by Finnish artist and author Tove Jansson.

One of Finland’s most sought-after composers internationally, Porra is an avid traveller who has performed in more than 50 countries. On those voyages, during countless hours on airplanes and in hotel rooms, he has found himself missing the places and moments he cherishes back home.

“The more I travelled, the deeper my love and longing for home grew,” he says.

Sensations and places

A fourth-generation artist, Porra comes from a long line of musicians. His great-grandfather was the iconic Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, his grandfather was conductor Jussi Jalas and his mother performed as an oboist at the Finnish National Opera. Given Porra’s background and profession, it was only natural that music became his way of coping with homesickness.

“I’ve discovered my own Finnish identity and the things I consider most important here by leaving,” he says. “That’s why I started making music for myself, initially to listen to on a plane when my heart was aching and I couldn’t get back to Finland, to the woods or to row on the lake.”

According to the composer, it’s not really a piece of music to be listened to in the traditional sense, but more a sonic work that aims to describe spaces, sensations and places, both mental and physical.

Space to think, feel and live

The landscapes and stunning views of Koli National Park in eastern Finland are known to have inspired many of Finland’s famous artists and musicians.Photo: Harri Tarvainen/Visit Finland

“The composition features the cello, violin, flute, kantele [a traditional zither that is Finland’s national instrument], guitar, percussion, and sounds recorded in nature,” Porra says. “This is understated, minimalist music that’s not meant to be listened to as much as used to create an atmosphere. What’s being depicted is space. There’s space to think, feel and live in Finland – not only in nature, but also in the Finnish way of life.”

Finland’s soundscape takes listeners on a journey across the country, offering glimpses of diverse environments, moments and situations. It also encourages listeners to meditate and pause, providing a break from the rush of daily life.

A set of stairs eases the climb in Salla National Park in northeastern Finland.Photo: Harri Tarvainen/Visit Finland

“We envision the soundscape being used in embassies, cultural events and even political contexts, or just by individuals in their daily lives,” says Parviainen. “Whether you are on a crowded subway or attending a formal event, the soundscape can provide a moment of calm and reflection, allowing you to connect to Finland’s beauty, tranquillity and diversity.”

Parviainen also hopes the piece will inspire people around the world to discover Finland, with its unspoiled nature, changing seasons and clean air, all combined with the energy of urban life and a rich cultural scene.

Finding your own happy places

To create Ääniä, composer Lauri Porra drew on the moments and experiences that he feels encapsulate the unique spirit of Finland.Photo: Markku Pajunen

During the creative process, Porra returned to his own personal happy places in Finland for inspiration, drawing on the moments and experiences that, for him, capture the unique spirit of the country.

“These places are personal to me – Heinola, Lammassaari, Koli, Lapland and the archipelago,” he says. “There are also specific urban sites. Each of them is tied to an emotion, and I try to capture that feeling in the music. I draw inspiration from something deeply personal, but the goal is to evoke emotions in the listener. The important thing is that people find their own happy places.”

Rokua National Park is located about an hour’s drive from the northern Finnish city of Oulu.Photo: Saara Airaksinen/Visit Finland

With his family ties to Jean Sibelius, Finland’s most celebrated composer, whose works famously resonate with the Finnish national identity, Porra is especially suited to the soundscape project. Rather than seeing parallels between his music and that of his great-grandfather, however, he believes the two share a connection in their mutual love of Finnish nature and landscape.

“If there’s something burning inside of me, it’s probably my deep love for Finland,” says Porra. “My family has a strong tradition of national romanticism and Finnishness – perhaps it’s something that runs in the family. We enjoy gazing at pine trees on cliffs. That way of looking at the world is likely far more inheritable than anything genetic.”

By Elna Nykänen Andersson, December 2024