Music of Finland

Musical Style Summary

In the very early years of Finnish music it was first believed that music was for those with higher powers. Mystery and magic surrounded the first thoughts of music in Finland, it was used to drive spirits away, conjure them forth, or summon rain. It soon progressed into a medium used by herders to call cattle, and scare away wild beasts. From these primitive calls, what we now know today as Finnish music was born.

Finnish Folk Music

One of the first forms of Finnish music was Finnish Folk music which was divided into two very separate eras, the kalevalaic era, and the pelimanni era. The kalevalaic era came before the pelimanni era and, thanks to the revival of folk music, can still be heard today in Finnish music.

Era	Kalevalaic	Pelimanni
Style	Rune singing/chanting	Rhyming song or roundelay
Description	-four-footed trochaic -consisted of only first four or five notes of a scale -rich with alliteration -did not rhyme -usually preformed by soloist	-tonal -brought from Central Europe via Scandinavia -rarely had alliterations -rhymed -Finnish version of Nordic folk dance music - first played on clarinets and fiddles but was soon adapted to the harmonium and various accordions

Folk music became a very big part of everyday life for most Finnish people, they sung songs to set the pace of strenuous work, to announce their feelings for someone of the opposite sex, or to add some humour to the day. There were many instruments used in Finnish folk music such as: the kantele (the national instrument of Finland, an assortment of wind instruments including the clarinet, the bowed lyre, the Jew's harp, the fiddle, the harmonium, the mouth organ, accordions, the mandolin, and the brass septet.

Modern Finnish Music

Hip-hop, pop, jazz, and electronic music are all popular in Finland but have yet to transfer their underground popularity to success around the world. Finnish rock music, however, has become one of the more popular styles of music in Finland and has even become known around the world. Rock music first arrived in Finland in the late 1950’s, back then it was still greatly influenced by foreign music scenes, and most Finnish rock music was just English rock hits translated into Finnish. These translated songs became hits in Finland as well and it wasn’t until the 1970’s that Suomirock was born. Suomirock is the term used to describe Finnish rock music which was pioneered by bands like Wigwam in the 1970’s. The 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s were mostly dominated by punk rock, Pelle Miljoona, Dingo, and Ultra Bra are just some of the famous Finnish punk bands. We must not forget though that there has been a revival of Finnish folk music in present day music. The revival of folk began in the 1960’s and has shown up in almost every genre of music. Presently the biggest music scene in Finland is that of death metal which is also huge in other Nordic countries.

Classical

The Finland classical style of music is a one that has been only been in existence for only a hundred years, with many of the important composers still alive. The Finnish classical instruments are similar to known “classical instruments” strings, woodwinds, and brass. The history of classical music in Finland was set by a number of many famous composers such as Erik Tulindberg who is famous for his six string quartets, and Jean Sibelius, who was renowned for his symphonic poems, such as Finlandia, a symbol of Finland's bid for independence. Some other composers who contributed to the formation of Finnish style of music are Heino Kaski, Yrjö Kilpinen (composed a vast number of solo songs), and Leevi Madetoja. The year 1882 was a milestone for Finnish music because of a number of events. The Helsinki University Chorus was founded which was a Finnish-language choir. Also in the same year, Robert Kajanus began thinking of building up a professional orchestra. This resulted in the Helsinki Orchestra Society, today, known as the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Martin Wegelius also founded the Helsinki Music Institute, today, known as the Sibelius Academy.

Opera

The Finnish opera era is one that is still fresh and young. Finland began the rise towards the top of the opera world in the 1970’s with traditional and contemporary repertoire.

In Finland the first opera was written by the German composer Fredrik Pacius in 1852. Pacius also wrote Maamme/Vårt land (Our Land), Finland's national anthem. The first permanent professional opera company was launched in 1873, opera having previously only been performed by touring companies, except for the odd amateur performance.

The groundwork for opera was laid by Aarre Merikanto who wrote powerful music inspired by Alexander Scriabin. Merikanto’s music was romantic and blended with impressionist and expressionist elements. The status of opera in Finland was reinforced by the successful foreign tours of the Finnish National Opera in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These visits usually featured many brilliant operas, and they culminated in the Finnish National Opera’s guest performance at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in spring 1983. After the war, young composer Tauno Pylkkänen (1918-1980) emerged as a promising opera composer. He was a Post-Romantic composer who was strongly committed to melody, in the spirit of Italian opera, and did not respond to the modern challenges of the day in his work. Because of composers like these, Finnish opera has remained unique.

Important Musical Figure

Konsta Viljam Jylhä (1910-1984)

Jylhä was one of the most significant figures in Finnish folk music, because he and his band, Kaustisen Purppuripelimannit, spurred a cultural phenonmenon in Finland in the 1970s. Jylhä was a master fiddler, a skill that had been passed down through generations, as he was the third in his family. As a child, Jylhä would spend time in his mother's coffee shop, listening to fiddlers who would gather to play there. He himself played the harmonium early on. In 1964, Jylhä was in an unfortunate trucking accident and was forced to retire from his job, which allowed him to spend time composing his own music. Were it not for this accident, Jylhä might have never composed over 120 tunes for the fiddle, including his most famous work, Valennut Viulu (The Silent Fiddler). He is most remembered for his continued performances at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, serving as an icon for the Finnish people and aspiring fiddlers everywhere.

Musical Analysis

Ala Itke Aitini (Don't Cry My Darling) – Saga Sjoberg and Dorumsgaard

This piece is a very slow, melodious and haunting work, with a flowing legato melody that moves in small steps, with a fairly narrow range. Typical of many folk songs, the rhythm is very slow and steady throughout the piece, and is entirely homophonic, with one male voice and a traditional Finnish instrument called the Jew's Harp. The male voice featured in the piece is very rich, deep, and pleasing to the ear. The faint plucking up the harp sets it off nicely, for an overall texture that would be described as thin. The change in dynamics are subtle throughout the piece, with soft crescendos and decrescendos of the voice. This song takes a simple form, with 2 different sections being repeated one after another, twice. This would be called ABAB form. Overall, the mood of the piece is conveyed very well through the minor key, and the long sustained notes give off the desired aura of sadness.

Velisurmaaja – Adolf Stark and Aino Karelia

This piece differs in that it features two voices, a male and a female, who take turns sharing the melody. This piece also moves in small leaps, with a relatively narrow range. Along with the voices, it features a Finnish instrument called the kantele which creates consonant harmony through homophonic texture. The rhythm remains slow and steady throughout, and the dynamic changes, if any, are not drastic enough to be noticed, and most aspects of the song remain the same or similar throughout its entirety. This song is extremely repetitious, the female voice beginning with the A section, and the male voice following with the B section. They repeat this AB form many times. There is a sharp contrast between the two voices; the female is high and piercing, the male is low and drawling. All these elements combine to give this piece a dark and eerie feel.

Regions 1. Uusimaa 2. Varsinais-Suomi 3. Itä-Uusimaa 4. Satakunta 5. Kanta-Häme

6. Pirkanmaa 7. Päijät-Häme 8. Kymenlaakso 9. South Karelia 10. Etelä-Savo

11. Pohjois-Savo 12. North Karelia 13. Central Finland 14. South Ostrobothnia 15. Ostrobothnia

16. Central Ostrobothnia 17. North Ostrobothnia 18. Kainuu 19. Lapland 20. Åland

Map of Musical Styles

Lapland has its own style of music, Sami music, which consists of Joik, a spiritual singing style.

Kaustinen, located in the Central Ostrobothnia region, was the innovation centre of Pelimanni music.

Helsinki is a culture center for popular Finnish music.