A soulful instrument: Kokle

 

Various
99 Latvijas Kokles Jāņos
Dzied un spēlē labākie koklētāju ansambli
Best of Latvian Kokle at Midsummer's

2007

 

Tracks: 

 

01. Jandāls - 2:54
02. Man Atnāca Jāņu Diena - 2:20
03. Āvu, Āvu Baltas Kājas - 1:54
04. Jāņu Mātes Pagalmā - 1:47
05. Brālītis Un Māsiņa - 1:28
06. Kādi Ziedi Rudzīšam - 2:49
07. Bērzgales Polka - 2:53
08. Es Sakūru Uguntiņu - 4:27
09. Krustadancis - 2:10
10. Visu Gadu Dziesmas Krāju - 2:19
11. Tumša Nakte, Zaļa zāle - 2:58
12. Lūko Mani, Tautu Dēls - 1:35
13. Gatves Deja - 1:58
14. Ozolīti - Zemzarīti - 5:45
15. Tūdaliņ, Tāgadiņ - 1:25
16. Činku, Činku, Grabu Grab - 1:32
17. Kurg (Dzērve) - 1:33
18. Kumeliņi, Kumeliņi - 1:25
19. Pirmdienā`I Silta Saule - 2:30
20. Sārabumbāls - 2:08
21. Ekusēze (Diždancis) - 1:56
22. Divpadsmitdancis - 3:05
23. Ritenītis - 1:28
24. Jūdz, Tautieti, Kumeliņu - 3:25
25. Zvejnieciņš - 2:24
26. Svētdien Agri Bārenīte - 1:34
27. Ģērbies, Saule, Sudrabota - 1:04
28. Baltaitiņa Jūru Brida - 2:09
29. Saulīt' Vēlu Vakarā - 4:02
30. Līgotāji - 3:50
31. Tālu, Tālu Aiz Jūriņas - 4:49

 
♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•☆♫

.ღ•:*´♥`*:•ღ. 

♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•☆♫`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•☆♫

  

 Latvia has a rich folklore heritage. While the country is predominantly Christian, many ancient pagan traditions still exist today. One of the most widely celebrated festivals is the summer solstice. This festival is celebrated in Latvia as well as the New Year.

  

KOKLE AND KOKLE PLAYING

Kokle is the most admired Latvian musical instrument today. Kokles are associated with the oldest, most studied tradition playing styles, but also with great innovation and creativity. There are grounds for believing that kokle playing was ritualistic by nature, and the instrument has some symbolic elements that associate it with mourning the dead and perceptions about the journeys of souls. Mythologically, the kokle is associated with the singing, "soul-inhabited" tree (the kokle was traditionally carved of wood). Mythologically, kokle, or "the golden kokle" is associated with the heavenly spheres and occupies the highest point in the hierarchy of instruments. People's memory holds a perception that "the kokle is from God". Modern kokle is a widely used and noted part of folk music heritage, a symbol of the spirit of folk singing. Although similar tools are known throughout Eastern Europe, from Prussian lands to Central Finland and Karelia, it has not discouraged the perception that the kokle expresses the unique Latvian identity.

Kokle tradition is believed to be more than two thousand years old. The oldest Latvian archaeological discovery related to the kokle comes from the 13th. century, the first written testimony from the early 17th century, but the oldest physical instrument - the so-called Cours lute, held at the Latvian National History Museum, goes back to the year 1710 (that year is carved on the bottom), when it became the property of Bokums family from Kurzeme.

Testimonies about kokle music are more recent: the first known tune was notated in 1891, but the first recordings and motion picture soundtracks are from the 1930s. The currently popular Kurzeme kokle repertoire consists of instrumental pieces, called "Dances", and song accompaniment. In Latgale the kokle repertoire includes songs and dance tunes along with an accompaniment of holy (spiritual) songs.

At the turn of the century, Latvian traditions of kokle playing were mostly lost and ancient instruments could be heard only in certain places in Kurzeme and Latgale. The revival is associated with the folklore movement of the 1970s and 1980s turned the spotlight onto the most ancient instruments untouched by modernization, including the kokle. Its known repertoire, as well as the living kokle playing tradition, as saved, for instance, by the Suiti kokle player John Poriķis, provided the basis for the renewal of this tradition. No less important to its revival were the musical possibilities the instrument presented. Above all, the kokle is an instrument that allows for great freedom. It can produce a gentle, sweet sound, but may also be disturbing and vehement. The number of kokle strings is just right, about the count of fingers of both hands. The basic number of tones is just as large, but they can be colored in many ways. Also kokle strings are considered free, because, unlike other stringed instruments - violins, guitars - the sound is not dampened by a bridge, which would directly connect them to the resonator. The kokle is a soulful instrument. It opens up best in silence, when the only listener is the player. The kokle responds to a variety of moods, it can express both excitement and melancholy.

Valdis Muktupāvels

 

source 

 

  

wiki

 

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Voices from Finland

 

Loituma

Things Of Beauty
1998

Tracks:

01. Eriskummainen Kantele / My Kantele     3:42    
02. Kultaansa Ikävöivä / There Is My Lover     4:24    
03. Viimesen Kerran / The Very Last Time
    Arranged By – Loituma     3:10    
04. Minuet And Polska
    Translated By, Arranged By – Loituma     7:45    
05. Kun Mun Kultani Tulisi / Missing Him
    Translated By, Arranged By – Hanni-Mari Turunen, Timo Väänänen (2)     5:10    
06. Valamon Kirkonkellot / Valamo Cloister Bells
    Arranged By – Sari Kauranen, Timo Väänänen (2) Translated By – Teppana Janis  5:34    
07. Ai, Ai Taas Sattuu / Oh, Oh, It Hurts Again
    Arranged By – Loituma     3:43    
08. Suo / Marshland
    Arranged By – Sari Kauranen, Timo Väänänen (2) Composed By – Martti Pokela 6:49    
09. Kolme Kaunista / Three Things Of Beauty
    Arranged By – Loituma     4:18    
10. Ievan Polkka / Ieva's Polka ♥
    Arranged By – Loituma Lyrics By, Translated By – Eino Kettunen 2:44

Personnel:

Hanni-Mari Turunen (vocals, kantele, fiddle, alto recorder, double bass, drums);
Sari Kauranen, Anita Lehtola, Timo Väänänen (vocals, kantele).

♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•☆♫

.ღ•:*´♥`*:•ღ.

♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•☆♫`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•☆♫

    

First released in Finland in a slightly different form, Loituma's Things of Beauty is the initial release from this Finnish quartet. Their specialty is the kantele, a Finnish harp, and they use this both in instrumental pieces and in multi-layered vocal arrangements. The music ranges from the lively interpretations of Finnish folk music to haunting pieces about mysterious marsh land. A light, sweet album that well deserves the attention ...

 ~ Steven McDonald Finnish Trad.Music

The kantele, a mix of harp, hammered dulcimer, and zither, is Finland's national instrument, and Loituma show the range of its possibilities on this album. Ranging from the traditional, like "Leva's Polka" (which was released as a Finnish single and hit the charts), to the modern, the band covers a musical territory that encompasses the atmospheric with Marti Pokela's insidious "Marshaland" and "Three Things of Beauty," whose words are adapted from Kalevala poetry, and bring to mind an acoustic Cocteau Twins. Originally formed by two singers who later moved to Hedningarna, Loituma produce a lovely balance of vocal and instrumental pieces that offer unalloyed joy while introducing American audiences to the light magic that is the kantele. ~ Chris Nickson

   

You read that Vainamoinen, hero the the Finnish epic "Kalevala" worked great feats of magic and charms by playing the Kantele (Finnish harp) as no other could. You will be a believer when you hear Loituma's "Things of Beauty." I was amazed at the wealth of undiscovered beauty that has been brought forth by Baltic Finnish culture. For example, the exquisite "Kolme Kaunista" 'Three Things of Beauty'. It captures the essence of that surge of joy one feels on a beautiful summer day. "Valamon Kirkonkellot" 'Valamo Cloister Bells' is exceptional in its conveyance of Karelian Orthodox bells. Timo Vaananen delivers a beautiful vocal performance in "Kultaansa Ikavoiva" 'There is My Lover' alongside Sanna-Kurki Sounio's (now of Hedningarna fame) lovely "Eriskumainen Kantele" 'My Kantele.' This album is a gem. ~ weller29

  

Loituma

 

Yes, I am not the only one, Ieva's Polka got me hooked, some time ago... and it's still around...

listen now, if you haven't done it before... You're lucky!

 

The melody of "Ievan Polkka" is very similar to Savitaipaleen polkka, and in South Karelia the Ievan Polkka is also known as "Savitaipaleen polkka". The melody is also very similar to a folk dance from the area of Smolensk in Western Russia, which is known as Smolenski gusačok ("смоленский гусачок"/"Small Gander in Smolensk").

The melody can be traced back to the Viipuri Province in the 18th century when the border with the Kingdom of Sweden ran west of the province. The number of Russian soldiers stationed in the border area outnumbered the locals for many decades. At the beginning of the 19th century collectors of Finnish folk dances and folk songs all mention that the dances in the area of Luumäki-Savitaipale were Russian dances only and didn't write them down. Locals who are well-versed in folk music agree the melody is very old and likely to have been known back in the early 19th century and therefore probably of even older origin. However, the polka genre is of much later date. Polka was introduced in northern Europe during the late 19th century, which implies that the actual tune as it is known today originates from this era...

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Lumberjack band 1952 

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