He based it on his earlier composition of the same title, a song cycle of four movements for men's chorus a cappella completed in 1894.

[1] Sibelius used the cycle as the basis for the orchestral suite Rakastava for string orchestra, percussion and triangle, to which he assigned the opus number 14.

[1] The orchestral work was recorded along with other music by Sibelius, including Snöfrid, the Cantata for the Coronation of Nicholas II, Oma maa (My country) and Andante Festivo.

[3] On volume 54 of a complete Sibelius Edition by BIS, Osmo Vänskä conducts the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.

[6] The work was also recorded by Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, as well as by Susanna Mälkki and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.