First of all some technical notices. This is my first
try to write a web page (exactly my first try to write
anything). This work fine on my computer but pls. mail me if you find
any problems. I'm grateful for any comment about the form
or -more important -about the content of this page. Sorry
because my terrible English but hope you will understand
what I'm speaking about - at least better as if I write
it in Hungarian :-) |
Hello all surfers out there. I just made this small page to call your attention to a fantastic group :Värttinä from Finland. Why? - because I'm a friendly man and want to share with others if I enjoy something and this music is really enjoyable. This is not a fan-page -as I can not tell news to the fans- , rather an appreciation of the group , and maybe some surfer take a fancy to check this music. | ||
The radios are playing mostly the boy-group and techno shit and not too much quality music (at least here in Hungary but I'm afraid the situation is not much better in other countries) and not everybody is so lucky to meet with them accidentally as I did. Walking with my friends on the SzigetFestivalBudapest August 2000 (looking for some beer) when I heard a funny music from the WorldMusicStage where just started a concert. I went closer to check it , and this was so exciting, I can not move anymore (just my hands as I was clapping a lot). I was mesmerized by the energy and livingness of that group. The other some thousand guy had the same feelings as there was four encores (the last without microphones as the technicians switched off the amplifiers already). I checked the program sheet after the concert and identified the group as "Värttinä" from Finland. Spent the next days(weeks) with searching for their CD-s and surfing the net for info. I believed that my enthusiasm will fade with the time but listening the CD-s a lot it just increasing. They was here again next year and at least the same succes again. This was a fantastic evening and they are simple the best band. You must see this yourself. A brilliant performance and an ecstatic crowd. Kiitos ! I have seen since that some more concerts of them and was always completely satisfied. |
||
Their story in nutshells: The band founded in Rääkkylä , a small village in Karelia, in 1983. This was a large group of children (age 10-15), mostly girls, singing folk-songs and playing kantele. They released two albums in this formation. Turning point 1989: The band dissolved as the members grew up, but some core members moved to Helsinki and re-found Värttinä with additional musicians from the rock scene. Generally we speak about this new Värttinä. Within some years they become a big name in world-music, releasing 6 albums (all of them hit the charts) and touring around the world. Sounds like a Hollywood story -- some talented young from a small village go to the big city and become world-stars -- but not to forget the talent and the hard work behind the success. | ||
Their music is based on the Finno-Ugric musical
traditions. On the first album mostly are arranged
traditional songs and on the recent albums are their own
compositions but inspired by folk melodies and lyrics. I
can not make a detailed review of their music due the
lack of skill in music and due my bad English. I can not
speak about eg. “irregular meters”, but on the link
page you find a lot of professional reviews, or read from
the most authentic source: here is an article by Kari
Reiman about runo songs. Listening the songs ,first you will recognize the singers. Hard to describe their singing style as this is powerful but womanly , energetic but charming, shrill in a moment but soft in the next. Sure you will be enchanted. The female vocal is their trademark but not less important are the musicians. They are using only acoustical instruments. The members all are well experienced masters of their instruments and some of them are teacher in the Finnish Music Academy. They are playing in other projects too in a wide range, from jazz to rock. A nice surprise for me the intensive and interesting use of accordion as this is not too usual in Hungary. I never imagined that accordion can sounds as a Jazz instrument, and Värttinä always was strong in accordionists. The songs are in Finnish and this gave a special taste to them. Reading some language book hard to believe that Hungarian and Finnish are relatives. Indeed both has a lot of cases , endings , vowel changes and are completely different to the Indo-European languages. After all listening the songs sure you will learn some words like "tyttö"," laulu" or "kylä" . |
||
This kind of music usually called as world-music but this tell not too much about that. In the world-music basket are everything what is not Anglo-Saxon pop, and this is a very wide range from European folk to Asia or Africa. Basically this means something involved with folk music , in this case with Finno-Ugric folk music. We can name their music as folk-rock , world-beat , or may I say ethno-jazz ? Especially if I use the word;-jazz as a term of quality music. After all nothing compare to Värttinä and the best if you listen the music and find a name yourself. | ||
This quotation from “Jazz Time” is a good
summary: “You have to be half-dead or heavily MTV-sedated not to get caught up in the delirious spirit put forth by the Finnish group Värttinä” |
||
Lets check the next pages too
Best regards
Sandor Sebok
Hungary