The importance of music in Finnish culture is evident
right from the first words of the Kalevala, the key literary works, with its roots in Karelia. It played a central role in giving the independence seeking Finns a strong identity in the 19th - 20th Century. Sibelius, the famous Finnish composer used Kalevala themes extensively in his compositions as did most folk composers. history of Finnish folk music with samples
"I am driven by my longing,
and my understanding urges
That I should commence my singing,
And begin my recitation.
I will sing the people's legends,
And the ballads of the nation.
To my mouth the words are flowing,
And the words are gently falling."
Kalevala
The original musical instrument of the Finnish tribes
was the Kantele, which was replaced by the violin and later the
accordion. The full-sized chromatic button accordion is the instrument of
choice for "Real Finnish" music. The writer's grandfather Vihtori Saarnio was
the Viipuri
(Vyborg) representative for Kouvolan Harmonikka (harmonikka=accordion) before
the Russian invasion and occupation of Karelia's capital city, Viipuri. As a result of the long history
and culture of the accordion in Finland it is not surprising that you can hear
some of the best accordion playing in that country. Suomen Harmonikkainstituutti
The
Tango has been a favorite Finnish music and dance for most of the 20th Century, and
every year a Tango
Queen and King are chosen in competition, and Finland has a National Tango called
Satumaa. This phenomenon is unique in the Scandinavian countries,
possibly due to the Finns' love of romantic music. Finnish music often concerns the beauty of their country or the lost mythical land of Karelia. There was a revival of tango music in the 1950's and 60's, and when rock music came along, Finland became more or less divided between Tango (and Humppa, a kind of two-step) in the north and rock in the south. This line went from roughly Vaasa to Kouvola. There are hundreds of music and song festivals throughout Finland in the summer that attract musicians and visitors from all over the world. No matter what type of music is your interest, you will find a
concert somewhere in Finland, especially in the summer.