Perinnearkku
In Greek mythology, the Hyperboreans were a mythical people that lived to the far north of Greece. Their land, called Hyperborea, or Hyperboria ("beyond the north wind"), was a perfect place, the sun shining through day and night. This mythical ground is still inhabited by skilful folk musicians; they possess the light of the midnight sun of the wee hours in the ancient modes of their tunes. In their epic melodies as well as in their melancholic ballads, you can hear inexplicable feelings of enchantment an in their robust performance the inimitable characteristics of rural life.
In contrast to their traditional repertoire and compositions faithful to traditional Finnish style, the music of Hyperborea is also rich in Celtic influence, popular chords and enjoyable virtuosity. In addition to that, you can hear the most essential content of folk music, catchy rhythms and the joy of playing.
Sources Finnish Folk Music – Theory and Practice; Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org
1. Enkeliska variations
Comp. trad., arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
A combination of three traditional "English style" tunes from the compilation Vanhoja pelimannisävelmiä ("Old Fiddler Tunes"), first recorded from Matti Bålman from Viitasaari.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
2. Icebreaker polska
Comp. Petri Prauda, arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
Impressions of late winter, early spring in the North – but is the ice breaking in the sea or in the glass?
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
3. Sunday morning at Mallusjoki
Comp. Paula Susitaival, arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
A moving waltz that portrays the peaceful moods and scenes of old-fashioned life in the small villages of Orimattila countryside.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
4. Love song
Comp. trad., lyrics trad., arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
Words form the Kymenlaakso county (southeastern Finland) songbook (sung by Taavi Uutela from Iitti) and melody from the Härmä (west F.) county song book (recorded from Kustaa Etelämäki).
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
5. Vihtorin Antin polska
Comp. Antti Paalanen, arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
Named for both of Antti's grandfathers, this epic-reaching polka was composed for the variety piece Balladi Villistä Pohjolasta ("Ballad of the Wild North"). These grandfathers, Vihtori Paalanen and Antti Ylitalo, both played the two-row accordion in their time.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
6. Samu
Comp. Piia Kleemola, arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
A hambo (a type of polska) from 1996, grown more and more varied by the years.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
7. Murnutes
Comp. trad., arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
A serene polska with the sounds of kantele running through it, from the Kauhajoki songbook (recorded from gunsmith Antti Haapanen around 192728).
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
8. Sielu-Nestu's polka
Comp. trad., arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
Master accordionist Airi Hautamäki from Alavus preserved this sprightly two-row polka, here played on the one-row instrument.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
9. Fisherman's waltz / Songbird
Comp. trad., lyrics trad., arr. Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
An island-flavoured tune from Alavus, with a song from master fiddler and singer Optatus Raatikainen from Savo county (east Finland).
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
10. Old hamburgska / A-hoy
Comp. trad., arr. Arto Järvelä, Piia Kleemola, Petri Prauda.
Waves of triplet polska, played as a duet by Piia and Petri. Nr. 454 of Äldre dansmelodier ("Old Dance Tunes"), recorded from Erik Vilhelm Eriksson in Eckerö; combined with a ring-a-round song recorded from Fiina Valo in Kaustinen.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
11. Sotteinen
Comp. trad., arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
A schottische set with the Finnish bagpipes, from the archive recording Entiset etniset ("Ancient Ethnics"), where it is performed by Ville Paananen on violin.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
12. A dog-shaped hambo
Comp. Paula Susitaival, arr. Piia Kleemola, Antti Paalanen, Petri Prauda, Paula Susitaival.
A Scandinavian-flavoured fast hambo that was named by a friend of ours.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
13. The grand polska of Jaakko Rautanen
Comp. trad., arr. Petri Prauda.
This fine polska, which is a combination of nr's 15 and 16 in the Jalasjärvi tunebook, was named for the grand intervals in the melody. Jaakko Rautanen, a famed master fiddler in Jalasjärvi, had close to 70 fiddle melodies recorded in the beginning of the 1900's.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals
14. A waking wit for a whole week
Comp. Petri Prauda, lyrics trad., arr. Petri Prauda.
An "ethnic spectacle" in the Kalevala metre. The translation does not attempt the original trochaic tetrametre (a highly unnatural beat for English) except by accident, but some attention has been paid to preserve the alliteration.
Piia Kleemola: fiddle, viola, 15-string kantele, vocals
Antti Paalanen: one- and two-row accordion
Petri Prauda: cittern, mandolin, bagpipes, vocals
Paula Susitaival: fiddle, keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa), vocals