Lost Songs of the Suomi Synod

Ten years in the making, this ethnomusicological memoir collects 28 songs from the Finnish-American Lutheran tradition. Notated and translated arrangements are included, along with historical and theological commentary.

Jonathan Rundman has unearthed obscure contributions from such luminaries as Elias Lönnrot (collector of the Kalevala), Finland’s national poet J. L. Runeberg, Jean Sibelius (composer of Finlandia), and Martin Luther. Some of these songs have not been heard or sung in North America for a century, and some have never before appeared in English.

"Lovingly curated...the Finnish hymn and song writers come alive in the warm introductions and personal stories accompanying the music that in Rundman’s arrangements invite the reader to pick up an instrument and join in song. Diligent archival study has led to discoveries of gems and the rescue of songs nearly lost. With historical sensitivity, deep theological instincts and multifaceted musical expertise, a son of Finnish ancestors has created a unique treasure with his soundtrack to a story that is his but also ours.” Rev. Dr. Kirsi Stjerna Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Author of Lutheran Theology: A Grammar of Faith