This month, our ‘Christian Heritage month by month’ column presents you Vogler’s composition known in Swedish as “Hosianna”, an ecumenic success becoming a favorite song for choirs in Sweden, including modern-day Finland. Watch the videos: Video mosaic | Solo video
Georg Joseph Vogler (1749–1814) was an ordained Catholic priest and a German virtuoso organist, composer, theorist and a pedagogue. Adventurous cosmopolitan, acclaimed performer and a knight of the Golden Spur, amongst his multitudinous activities from 1786 he worked as a Kapellmeister at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, served the Catholic community of Stockholm as priest, and as a private teacher at the court of King Gustav III.
Vogler continued holding the same positions through the tumultuous reign of King Gustav IV Adolf and Duke Charles until 1799, at a time when Sweden was strictly a Lutheran kingdom and it was forbidden for the king’s subjects to observe a Catholic Holy Mass, which still were celebrated at finite churches or chapels, limited mainly for diplomats.
Vogler’s composition, known in Swedish as “Hosianna”, was premiered at a beneficial concert in 1795. It soon proved an ecumenic success becoming a favorite song for choirs in Sweden, including modern-day Finland (in Finnish “Hoosianna”), where it was premiered in Turku as early as 1797. The simple text is based on St. Matthew’s Gospel (21:9) which, with its Old Testament references, allows for two modal interpretations in the Judeo-Christian traditions: the jubilant exclamation “Hosanna” acknowledging the glorious Savior, or the humble supplication, a cry for salvation.
Today, the song appears in Catholic and Lutheran Hymnals of Finland, Sweden and Norway and until recently, it was sung at schools on the last school day before the first Advent Sunday.
It remains an enduring staple of the first Advent in Finland to be sung at every Lutheran and Catholic church, at home, and on any appropriate occasion, customarily performed at the end of the Mass as the congregation stands up to join in. With its engaging and solemn melody, as well as its versatile and ecumenic character, “Hosianna” is a song that bridges countries and peoples, and well represents today’s intangible Christian heritage of Europe.
The video shows the song performed on the first Advent Sunday (3 December 2023) by various Catholic and Lutheran communities in Finland, showing the popular nature and versatility of this tradition.
Lyrics in Finnish
Hoosianna Daavidin Poika
Kiitetty olkoon hän
Kiitetty Daavidin Poika
Joka tulee Herran nimeen
Hoosianna x 4
Kiitetty Daavidin Poika
Joka tulee Herran nimeen
Lyrics in English
Hosanna, Son of David
Blessed be He
Blessed Son of David
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna x 4
Blessed Son of David
Who comes in the name of the Lord