Be Still My Soul (Finlandia)

[gillyarchtop]

Nice tone, nice chords, nice job, nice feeling. I give it 4 nices!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

@gillyarchtop Thanks for listening.



[leigonary17]

My band for school played this piece. I've never heard it on strings. Nice job

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

@leigonary17 Thank you.

[peewypenguin]

- thank you !! if you dont mind may you learn how to play Give Us Clean Hands and post a vid . I would love to learn from your presentation ! Thanksss !

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Sorry, I don't know that one. I am working on a new eBook of hymn tunes thought. It will be available before Christmas.

[mrlegishere]

Many thanks for doing the video, Ken. I've printed off a copy and am going to have a go at it myself over the next few weeks. Hopefully I will be able to post my attempt on the Cosmos.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Let me know if you do. I'd like to hear it.

[frederickmalcolm]

Wonderful video Ken.

Many thanks for sharing your talent.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks for watching.

[idrnoel]

Thank you Ken. I'm going through the tabs and practice now.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

I look forward to hearing it, Dylan.

[mctrmt]

Lovely arrangement!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks Mary-Anne.

[TheUkeFan]

Thanks for the beautifull version of our Finlandia. Esa, Finland.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

My pleasure.

[unklecyril]

Squisito!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks very much, Cyril.

[BlueInGreenUkulele]

I've neve heard this before but it I like it. Very nice melody. Your playing is great as usual.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks for the comment.

[JohnnyUku]

This is one of my favorites. Lovely and sensitive performance - as always! One of these days I hope to post a vid of this piece done on a soprano. It is a little challenging without the lower tones.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Let me know when you do. I'd love to hear you play it.

[jmmquah]

Lovely playing Ken

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks James.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks. It's the usual Ohana TK-35CG that I often play. A great all-round uke.

[MusicMonsterW]

Lovely playing as always, Ken! Thumbs way up!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks Ronin.

[simpletunes2]

A wonderful interpretation and one I'll be learning from you. Thanks.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks very much.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks very much for the comments.

[sweetlikeADAM]

My fan is humming in key with this piece and it sounds nice.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks.

[weegingayin]

Edith Cherry also wrote "We rest on thee" to the tune of Finlandia

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,

And needing more each day Thy grace to know:

Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,

“We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.”

The piece was composed for the Press Celebrations of 1899, a covert protest against increasing censorship from the Russian Empire. It masqueraded under numerous names most famously as ,Happy Feelings at the awakening of Finnish Spring

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks for the info, Robert. I actually really enjoyed arranging this. I tried to keep it nice and simple.

[floydbluethereal]

Very nice, Ken! Thanks for the tabs.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

You're welcome, Ralf. Thanks for watching.

[yogajenny]

... the last verse ...

May Truth and Freedom come to every nation;

May Peace abound where strife has raged so long;

That each may seek to love and build together,

A world united, righting every wrong;

A world united in its love for freedom,

Proclaiming Peace together in one song.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

I didn't actually realise it was that sort of hymn. Thanks.

[yogajenny]

Just discovered your version of Finlandia Ken. This is so close to my heart, one of my all-time favourite pieces of music. Had never imagined it done on the uke - just beautiful. It is wonderful as a choral work, & there are some lovely words for it as a Song of Peace.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks for your honest and informative comment Jenny.

[ukulelepe]

Very beautiful

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks.

[LStrachey]

beautifully done

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks.

[krabbers]

quite marvelous

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks K.

[JuKeBox661]

Sounds beautiful :)

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thank you.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Hei ja kiitos.

[theBradlands]

Wonderful Ken..and on such a beautiful ukelele

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks Brad. It's a uke I use a lot. All the 35 series ukes work very well as all-rounders.

[ukudaily]

So beautiful. I love this. I am a rookie at the uke, but I think I want to learn this. Any suggestions for guys that because of other hobbies and work can't grow fingernails on their picking hand?

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

That's a tricky one. Some people play reasonably successfully without nails but you could have strong acrylic nails glued on. Some pros do that. You could also compromise on the length a bit.

[UkesterBrown]

Really nice Ken. I think I will work on that one.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Although the chords are accurate I have tried to keep it straightforward to play. Love to hear you play it UB.

[JChoneybell]

Cool!!!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks.

[williedeuel]

Wonderful!  Thank you!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks Will.

[tank10111]

what a beautiful and sympathetic rendition. splendid.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks so much for watching.

[lahainatwins]

My compliments!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks very much.

[revdrjim]

wonderful and inspirational ken

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thank you Jim.

[casetone2514]

This may sound odd, Ken, but looking at the score - the huge number of dots and line is really, incredibly ugly and it amazes me that it denotes something so beautiful. And your arrangement is smooth and beautiful.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks again for sending finding the score Tony. I was able to do a simple but accurate version from it.

[ruth7784]

Absolutely stunning, Ken! Wonderfully played, as always! What a beautiful piece! :-) Loves it! I've listened to it a few times, it's very calming; just what I need. :-) Thank you for your music :-) X

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks Ruth. Take care.

[russbuss415]

excellent Ken!  have a great weekend.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks Russ. You too.

[pangus06]

beautiful piece, Ken.  thanks for making the arrangement available.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

My pleasure.

[mjs004]

You always have such a great touch with this type of music. You show the utmost respect. Just stunning playing!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

A really generous comment. Thanks Michael.

[waterdog226]

I closed my eyes and listened to this lovely music.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thank you Lynda. I often close my eyes when I'm playing.

[UnluckyMum]

And- what a cool website, never knew that was there !!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Try Sweet Afton or Sally Gardens. They are really straightforward to play and sound very impressive.

[BaronK69]

Ah, at last some Swedish music! Yes, I know he was Finnish, but hes native language was Swedish.

Very nice piece Ken!

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

I didn't know he spoke Swedish. Isn't that completely different from Finnish?

[BaronK69]

@KenMiddletonUkulele Yes, it a totally different language group. But a lot of people in Finland - especially back then, and especially in the upper classes - speak swedish.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Kiitos tiedoista. If I were upper class, I suppose I would say, tack för informationen.

[BaronK69]

@KenMiddletonUkulele Ha ha! Kiitos is about the only word I know in finnish, plus a couple of bad ones...

[UnluckyMum]

Smashing ! And thanks for the download, I am starting to practice more picking stuff these days :)

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thank you Caroline. That's good to hear. A lot of people seem afraid of picking the strings.