- Source: Hakkapeliittain Marssi
Hakkapeliittain Marssi (Finnish for 'March of the Hakkapeliittas') or Finska Rytteriets Marsch (Swedish for 'March of the Finnish Cavalry') is a Finnish and Swedish military (specifically, cavalry) march, and one of the oldest currently played.
Background
The march originates from the times of Thirty Years' War when a Finnish light cavalryman was known as a Hakkapeliitta, and it became popular with military bands. Its most familiar lyrics were written in 1872 by Fenno-Swedish poet Zacharias Topelius; the piece is commonly known as the "March of the Finnish Cavalry during the Thirty Years War". The Prussian army officially adopted it for use in 1891; it is now a standard of the German marching band repertoire.
In Finland the march is currently the honorary march of the Finnish Army and the Defence Command. Previously the march was used by Häme Cavalry Regiment and Uusimaa Dragoon Regiment with their respective trumpet signals. The march is also the official regimental march of the Swedish Småland Grenadier Corps (No 7), the Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment (I 7), the Småland Hussar Regiment (K 4), the Norrbotten Regiment (I 19) and the Norrbotten Brigade (MekB 19).
In 1939, Finnish composer Uuno Klami developed a free orchestral version of this theme under the title Suomalaisen ratsuväen marssi, 'March of the Finnish Cavalry', Op. 28. The Finnish poet Eino Leino published another Hakkapeliittain Marssi as part of a collection by the name of Tähtitarha (lit. 'Garden of stars') in 1912.
Names
The march is known by several names in different languages:
Finnish:
Hakkapeliittain marssi, 'March of the Hakkapeliittas'
Suomalaisen ratsuväen marssi 30-vuotisessa sodassa, 'March of the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' War'
Swedish:
Finska rytteriets marsch, 'March of the Finnish cavalry'
Finska rytteriets marsch i trettioåriga kriget, 'March of the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' War'
German:
Marsch der Finnländischen Reiterei im 30-jährigen Kriege, 'March of the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' War'
Schwedischer Reitermarsch, 'Swedish cavalry march'
Lyrics
External links
the melody of Hakkapeliittain Marssi
Midi tune
Orchestral mp3 version by the Finnish Cavalry Tradition Band
Original Swedish lyrics by Zacharias Topelius
