Music post!♫♫♬
Wooo, hello journal! I've been neglecting this terribly, and much else in life lately, but I think the most crushingly overworked weeks of the semester are done so maybe I'll be more social around here? orz I hope? (✿╹◡╹)ﾉ☆
Recently a folk-music shop had a sort of window display for a CD about the Shetland Bus, and I told a few people I'd send that music to them, so, that's here. It's the mixed folk music/storytelling type of thing, the music written by and mostly centred on two sisters from Shetland who play violinfiddle, and the narrative, as a story about Jan Baalsrud, is also online in English and Norwegian.
It's a very good way to spend an hour when it's too cold and windy outside and you're worn out and want to listen to something cool!
(all the downloads here are .zips of mp3s; if they don't work, please tell me!)
I had a list of everything that Sibelius composed inspired by the Kalevala, and I like Sibelius, so I decided to find all of it to listen... after how many places I visited to get it all (the Psychology library, of all places! Probably good I finally know where that is, though) thought I might as well share. It is here but it's close to 5 hours of music, like ~500MB, so it's also separated by piece here.
The book this list came from has a short description of each piece, along with what bit of Kalevala it was based on or which lines are sung in the choral works:
Kullervo, op. 7 (1892)
Symphonic poem for soprano, baritone, male chorus, and orchestra after the Kullervo cycle, cantos 31-6. Five movements: 'Introduction', 'The Youth of Kullervo', 'Kullervo and his Sister', 'Kullervo goes to War', 'The Death of Kullervo'. The third movement includes a setting of lines from canto 35, the fifth a setting of 36:297-346.
Piano Sonata, op. 12 (1893)
The principal theme of the second movement is adapted from an abandoned setting of the charm against rapids beginning at 40:23.
'Hail, moon (Terve, kuu)', op. 18 (1901) [download includes several songs of op. 18]
A setting for male chorus a cappella of 49:403-22.
'The Voyage (Venematka)', op. 18 (1893) [download in op.18 above]
A setting for male chorus a cappella (also for mixed chorus) of 40:1-16. The five-beat rhythm imitates the epic singing-style of oral poetry.
Lemminkäinen Suite, op. 22 (1893-1939)
Orchestral work, also known as Four Legends, after the first Lemminkäinen cycle, cantos 11-15. Four pieces: 'Lemminkäinen and the Island Maids', 'The Swan of Tuonela', 'Lemminkäinen in Tuonela', 'Lemminkäinen's Return'. The second piece (the first to be written) was originally intended as the overture to an abandoned opera, The Building of the Boat, based on cantos 8 and 16. Tuonela is the abode of Tuoni, lord of the dead.
The Origin of Fire * , op. 32 (1902-10)
Also known as Ukko the Fire-maker, a setting for baritone, male chorus, and orchestra of 47:41-110.
Kyllikki, op. 41 (1904)
Piano suite of three untitled pieces evoking the 'Island maid' whom Lemminkäinen abducts, marries, and leaves in cantos 11-15.
The Daughter of Northland * , op. 49 (1906)
Symphonic fantasia evoking the first encounter between Väinämöinen and the Maid of the North in canto 8. The opening cello solo echoes epic singing-style. The composer wanted to call the work L'Aventure d'un Héros, but his German publisher preferred Pohjola's Tochter, adding for good measure at the head of the score his own unfortunate verses based on a prose 'synopsis' by the composer.
The Nature-daughter * , op. 70 (1913)
Tone poem for soprano and orchestra setting lines from canto 1 about the creation of the world. The Finnish title Luonnotar means a female nature or creation spirit.
The Song of Väinö * , op.110 (1926)
A setting for mixed chorus and orchestra of 43:385-434. Väinö is Väinämöinen.
Tapiola * , op. 112 (1926)
Orchestral tone poem evoking the abode of Tapio, lord of the forests, most prominent in the hunting charms of canto 14 and the bear ritual of canto 46. The epigraph is by the composer.
Tiera * (unnumbered, 1898)
Short character-piece for brass ensemble and percussion recalling the abortive winter expedition in canto 30. Written, like Finlandia, op. 26, at the height of the Russian censorship, the work, with its hidden reference to spells against the Frost, could have been a gesture of defiance.
Outside the epic but within the tradition, six lyrics from the Kanteletar are set in The Lover (Rakastava), op. 14 (there is also a version for strings and percussion), and in the part-songs op. 18 (Fire on the Island (Saarella palaa), The Thrush's Toiling (Min rastas raataa), and The Broken Voice (Sortunut ääni)) [op. 18 download above]. The six Finnish Folk Tunes for piano (unnumbered, 1903) are outside the tradition.
En Saga *, op. 9, has no connection with the Kalevala, nor for that matter with Norse saga. The title is Swedish for 'A Fairy-tale'; the Finnish title Satu has this meaning. The Bard *, op. 64, refers to an Ossianic figure in Finland-Swedish poetry, and the original title is in Swedish; Gray's ode 'The Bard' comes from the same world. The Oceanides *, op. 73, refers to Classical myth; the Finnish title Aallottaret ('The Billow-daughters'), one of whom is mentioned in canto 48) is a translation authorised by the composer to promote the work in Finland.
* These are 9 shorter pieces so they are all together here.
Lastly, for anyone who likes classical and spends enough time on a computer to listen to streaming webradio: I'm recommending RNW Classical. They play Shostakovich often enough, plus big symphonies, classics, new works (once or twice i have had to wonder if the computer's malfunctioning or if that's really how the music goes; ah, modern experimental music! but 's cool because mostly you get to hear good stuff you wouldn't have heard.) and I like their announcers, they generally say sensible things about the music, and all. If you listen a lot, you can sign up to give them monthly listener feedback, and they send you a CD in the mail after the first month! Mine arrived today, it's Bizet and Ravel and I like it and it came with a cute and cheery letter that totally made my day, so that's why I felt like evangelising for them tonight ♪
Recently a folk-music shop had a sort of window display for a CD about the Shetland Bus, and I told a few people I'd send that music to them, so, that's here. It's the mixed folk music/storytelling type of thing, the music written by and mostly centred on two sisters from Shetland who play violinfiddle, and the narrative, as a story about Jan Baalsrud, is also online in English and Norwegian.
It's a very good way to spend an hour when it's too cold and windy outside and you're worn out and want to listen to something cool!
(all the downloads here are .zips of mp3s; if they don't work, please tell me!)
I had a list of everything that Sibelius composed inspired by the Kalevala, and I like Sibelius, so I decided to find all of it to listen... after how many places I visited to get it all (the Psychology library, of all places! Probably good I finally know where that is, though) thought I might as well share. It is here but it's close to 5 hours of music, like ~500MB, so it's also separated by piece here.
The book this list came from has a short description of each piece, along with what bit of Kalevala it was based on or which lines are sung in the choral works:
Kullervo, op. 7 (1892)
Symphonic poem for soprano, baritone, male chorus, and orchestra after the Kullervo cycle, cantos 31-6. Five movements: 'Introduction', 'The Youth of Kullervo', 'Kullervo and his Sister', 'Kullervo goes to War', 'The Death of Kullervo'. The third movement includes a setting of lines from canto 35, the fifth a setting of 36:297-346.
Piano Sonata, op. 12 (1893)
The principal theme of the second movement is adapted from an abandoned setting of the charm against rapids beginning at 40:23.
'Hail, moon (Terve, kuu)', op. 18 (1901) [download includes several songs of op. 18]
A setting for male chorus a cappella of 49:403-22.
'The Voyage (Venematka)', op. 18 (1893) [download in op.18 above]
A setting for male chorus a cappella (also for mixed chorus) of 40:1-16. The five-beat rhythm imitates the epic singing-style of oral poetry.
Lemminkäinen Suite, op. 22 (1893-1939)
Orchestral work, also known as Four Legends, after the first Lemminkäinen cycle, cantos 11-15. Four pieces: 'Lemminkäinen and the Island Maids', 'The Swan of Tuonela', 'Lemminkäinen in Tuonela', 'Lemminkäinen's Return'. The second piece (the first to be written) was originally intended as the overture to an abandoned opera, The Building of the Boat, based on cantos 8 and 16. Tuonela is the abode of Tuoni, lord of the dead.
The Origin of Fire * , op. 32 (1902-10)
Also known as Ukko the Fire-maker, a setting for baritone, male chorus, and orchestra of 47:41-110.
Kyllikki, op. 41 (1904)
Piano suite of three untitled pieces evoking the 'Island maid' whom Lemminkäinen abducts, marries, and leaves in cantos 11-15.
The Daughter of Northland * , op. 49 (1906)
Symphonic fantasia evoking the first encounter between Väinämöinen and the Maid of the North in canto 8. The opening cello solo echoes epic singing-style. The composer wanted to call the work L'Aventure d'un Héros, but his German publisher preferred Pohjola's Tochter, adding for good measure at the head of the score his own unfortunate verses based on a prose 'synopsis' by the composer.
The Nature-daughter * , op. 70 (1913)
Tone poem for soprano and orchestra setting lines from canto 1 about the creation of the world. The Finnish title Luonnotar means a female nature or creation spirit.
The Song of Väinö * , op.110 (1926)
A setting for mixed chorus and orchestra of 43:385-434. Väinö is Väinämöinen.
Tapiola * , op. 112 (1926)
Orchestral tone poem evoking the abode of Tapio, lord of the forests, most prominent in the hunting charms of canto 14 and the bear ritual of canto 46. The epigraph is by the composer.
Tiera * (unnumbered, 1898)
Short character-piece for brass ensemble and percussion recalling the abortive winter expedition in canto 30. Written, like Finlandia, op. 26, at the height of the Russian censorship, the work, with its hidden reference to spells against the Frost, could have been a gesture of defiance.
Outside the epic but within the tradition, six lyrics from the Kanteletar are set in The Lover (Rakastava), op. 14 (there is also a version for strings and percussion), and in the part-songs op. 18 (Fire on the Island (Saarella palaa), The Thrush's Toiling (Min rastas raataa), and The Broken Voice (Sortunut ääni)) [op. 18 download above]. The six Finnish Folk Tunes for piano (unnumbered, 1903) are outside the tradition.
En Saga *, op. 9, has no connection with the Kalevala, nor for that matter with Norse saga. The title is Swedish for 'A Fairy-tale'; the Finnish title Satu has this meaning. The Bard *, op. 64, refers to an Ossianic figure in Finland-Swedish poetry, and the original title is in Swedish; Gray's ode 'The Bard' comes from the same world. The Oceanides *, op. 73, refers to Classical myth; the Finnish title Aallottaret ('The Billow-daughters'), one of whom is mentioned in canto 48) is a translation authorised by the composer to promote the work in Finland.
* These are 9 shorter pieces so they are all together here.
Lastly, for anyone who likes classical and spends enough time on a computer to listen to streaming webradio: I'm recommending RNW Classical. They play Shostakovich often enough, plus big symphonies, classics, new works (once or twice i have had to wonder if the computer's malfunctioning or if that's really how the music goes; ah, modern experimental music! but 's cool because mostly you get to hear good stuff you wouldn't have heard.) and I like their announcers, they generally say sensible things about the music, and all. If you listen a lot, you can sign up to give them monthly listener feedback, and they send you a CD in the mail after the first month! Mine arrived today, it's Bizet and Ravel and I like it and it came with a cute and cheery letter that totally made my day, so that's why I felt like evangelising for them tonight ♪