VocalEssence Ensemble Singers

1. Melancholy
2. The Squirrel
3. Song of My Heart

1. Melancholy (Ikävyys)

What misery, what gloominess my soul surrounding,
Like autumn twilight over desert land.
In vain are all our efforts, wasted is the struggle,
Existence is stripped of all purpose!
I seek not after Heaven, nor the night of Hell,
No longer now would I embrace a maid;
O let my lot be this then; to quit the pain of knowing,
And be in the silent emptiness.

O friends of mine! I beg of you one final favor,
Lend your ear to my fervent plea:
Out of Tuoni’s cabin make a dwelling place for this lad,
And know he will soon be buried.

O dig my grave beneath the shadow of my willow
And cover it with black soil once more,
For evermore be gone from my estate;
In peace I would lie for evermore.

Nor would I have upon my grave a mound rising,
The soil should rather bend to a bower,
So none shall know my resting chamber lies in secret
Beneath the shade of the willow.

2. The Squirrel (Laulu oravasta)

Slumber sweetly, little squirrel, in thy moss-lined chamber napping;
Safe art thou from hounds of hunting and the wicked poacher trapping,
Out of the reach of harm.

O, behold the world of yonder from within thy lofty manor,
Strife and struggle all around thee; overhead, the fir branch banner
Peacefully fluttering.

What a happy life in eyrie, cradle-castle gently swinging!
In the fir tree’s mother-bosom, softly hear the forest singing:
Rocking thee gently to sleep.

Slumber sweet, thou bush-tailed squirrel, at thy tiny open skylight,
Lilting birdsong in the heavens transports thee in evening twilight
To the sweet land of dreams.

3. Song of My Heart (Sydämeni laulu)

Grove of Tuoni, grove nocturnal!
Finest sand for sleep eternal,
There I’ll take my child to sleep.

May my child have pleasant hours
In the Dark Lord’s fields and bowers
Tending the cattle of Tuoni.

May my child have pleasant hours
Fast asleep amidst the flowers,
Rocked by the gentle Dark Lady.

Happy darling in safe keeping,
In a golden cradle sleeping,
Hearing the song of the nightjar.

Grove of Tuoni, grove of calmness!
Far away from worldly madness,
Far from all strife and beguiling.
—Aleksis Kivi; trans. Jaakko Mäntyärvi and Philip Brunelle