Notes on the Songs
1. Eriskummainen kantele / My kantele
Lyrics in Finnish and English
English translations by Susan Sinisalo
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Loituma Things of Beauty
Notes on the Songs
1. Eriskummainen kantele / My kantele
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| The text is from the Kanteletar (1840), a collection of folk poetry made by Elias Lönnrot, compiler of the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. |
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Ne varsin valehtelevat, tuiki tyhjeä panevat, jotka soittoa sanovat, arvoavat kanteletta Väinämöisen veistämäksi, Jumalan kuvoamaksi, hauin suuren hartioista, veen koiran koukkuluista. Soitto on suruista tehty, murehista muovaeltu: koppa päivistä kovista, emäpuu ikipoloista, kielet kiusoista kerätty, naulat muista vastuksista. Sentä ei soita kanteleeni, ei iloitse ensinkänä, soitto ei soita suosioksi, laske ei laatuista iloa, kun on huolista kuvattu, murehista muovaeltu. |
Truly they lie, they talk utter nonsense who say that music* reckon that the kantele was carved by Väinämöinen* fashioned by a god out of a great pike's shoulders from a water dog's hooked bones: no, music was made from grief moulded from sorrow-- its belly out of hard days its soundboard from endless woes its strings gathered from torments and its pegs from other ills. So my kantele will not play, will not rejoice at all music will not play to please give off the right sort of joy for it was fashioned from cares moulded from sorrow. |
| 2. Kultaansa ikävöivä / There is my lover |
| The poetry in both the Kanteletar and the Kalevala is in the archaic folk style. The text of this piece is, however, from the preface to the Kanteletar, which includes some later songs. |
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Tuoll' on mun kultani, ain' yhä tuolla, kuninkahan kultaisen kartanon puolla. Voi minun lintuni, voi minun kultani, kun et tule jo! On siellä tyttöjä, on komioita, kultani silmät ei katsele noita. Voi minun kultani. Kukat ovat kaunihit, kaunis kevätaamu, kauniimmat kultani silmät ja haamu. Voi minun kultani. Linnut ne laulavat sorialla suulla, soriampi kultani ääni on kuulla. Voi minun kultani. Hunaja ja mesileipä makialle maistaa, kultani suu sekä huulet on toista. Voi minun kultani. Voi, koska näen minä senki ilopäivän: kultani sivullani kulkevan ja käyvän! Voi minun kultani. Syys tulee etehen ja kesäpäivä rientää, vaan minun kultani ei tule sentään. Voi minun kultani. Tule, tule, kultani, tule kotipuoleen, taikka jo menehynki ikävään ja huoleen. Voi minun kultani. |
There is my lover, lingering long at the golden court of the king. Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! There are girls there whose looks entrance but my love's eyes don't spare them a glance. Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! Fair flowers, the summer morning is fair but fairer my love's eyes, his air. Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! The birds they sing from a lovely throat but lovelier is my darling's note. Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! Honey and cake are sweet on the platter but my love's lips are a different matter. Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! When shall I see that day of joy-- walking and talking beside my boy! Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! Autumn is fast of the heels of summer and yet my darling is a slow comer. Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! Come, come, my darling, homeward, and hurry or I shall die of longing and worry. Ah my lovebird, ah my darling: now you do not come! |
| 3. Viimesen Kerran / The very last time |
| This rekilaulu or roundelay is in the later style. |
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Viimesen kerran kun kotuani lährin pappa se poloki jalakaa. Mamma se itki ja ikkunasta sano, että nyt se sun surusi alakaa. Viimesen kerran kun kotuani lährin niin hilijoolleni minä itkin, ku mun on luotu kulukemahan näitä maailman rantoja pitkin. Viimesen kerran kun kotuani lährin kantaen renttujani kaikki ne poijat jokka vastahani tuli oli vanhoja henttujani. Ja mitä sinä tulit narraamhan kun olin vielä lapsi, mikset sä antanu vanheta ja tulla taitavaksi. Ja mitä sinä tulit narraamhan ja surua mulle tuomhan, mikset sinä pysyny kotona sen hyvän äitees luona. Ja mitä sinä tulit narraamhan mun syräntäni nuorta, kun saatit mun surua kantamhan kun raskasta santavuorta. Kun minä olsin piennä kuollu kummini kapalolle, niin en olsi joutunu sinne maailman hartijoolle. |
When I left home for the very last time my father ranted and stamped his feet. Mother she wept and cried from the window just wait and see, soon sorrow you'll meet. When I left home for the very last time I found myself silently weeping, Because I was born to roam the world, to the roads and byways keeping. When I left home for the very last time, carrying my few possessions, all the boys I met on the way were ones who'd declared their intentions. Why did you have to pull my leg when I was still but a youngster? Why could you simply not let me grow up and become a little wiser? Why did you have to trick me, and bring me nothing but heartache? Why could you not stay at home and a life with your good mother make? Why did you have to fool me, filling my heart with sorrow? Why did you let me drag my grief like a mound of sand in a barrow? If only I had died as a babe, safe in my godmother's embrace, I wouldn't have had to wander abroad and the cruel, wicked world ever face. |
| 4. Minuet and polska |
| Two dances mainly known in Western Finland influenced by the pelimanni or more recent style of Finnish folk music. |
| 5. Kun mun kultani tulisi / Missing him |
| A love song from the Kanteletar published in 1802 already in French, English, German and Dutch. Goethe later made it famous under the name of "Finnisches Lied". In the middle of the 19th century a Swede by the name of C.G. Zetterqvist collected 467 translations of the poem in different languages, but they were never published. |
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Kun mun kultani tulisi, armahani asteleisi, tuntisin ma tuon tulosta, arvoaisin astunnasta, jos ois vielä virstan päässä tahikka kahen takana. Utuna ulos menisin, savuna pihalle saisin, kipunoina kiiättäisin, liekkinä lehauttaisin; vierren vierehen menisin, supostellen suun etehen. Tok' mie kättä käppäjäisin, vaikk' ois käärme kämmenellä; tok' mie suuta suikkajaisin, vaikk' ois surma suun edessä; tok' mie kaulahln kapuisin, vaikk' ois kalma kaulaluilla; tok' mie vierehen viruisin, vaikk' ois vierus verta täynnä. Vaanp' ei ole kullallani, ei ole suu suen veressä, käet käärmehen talissa, kaula kalman tarttumissa; suu on rasvasta sulasta, huulet kuin hunajameestä, käet kultaiset, koriat, kaula kuin kanervan varsi. |
Should my treasure come my darling step by I'd know him by his coming recognize him by his step though he were still a mile off or two miles away. As mist I'd go out as smoke I would reach the yard as sparks I would speed as flame I would fly; I'd bowl along beside him pout before his face. I would touch his hand though a snake were in his palm I would kiss his mouth though doom stared him in the face I'd climb on his neck though death were on his neck bones I'd stretch beside him though his side were all bloody. And yet my treasure has not his mouth bloody from a wolf his hands greasy from a snake nor his neck in death's clutches: his mouth is of melted fat his lips are as of honey his hands golden, fair his neck like a heather stalk. |
| 6. Valamon Kirkonkellot / Valamo cloister bells |
| The theme of this piece imitating Karelian church bells was recorded for Teppana Jänis, a Karelian folk musician. The kantele music in the old style was often based on improvisation; the player could improvise his own variations for hours and would sometimes fall into a trance. In this arrangement Sari and Timo improvise on the theme, with the addition of a Sami drum. |
| 7. Ai, Ai Taas Sattuu / Oh, oh it hurts again |
| The Ostrobothnian kantele player Toivo Alaspää learned to play at home by listening to others. This piece was, however, played to him on an accordion while he was in hospital. |
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Ai-ai-ai, taas sattuu, aa-aa-aa ehkä siihenkin tottuu, uu-uu-uu. Kohtalon piston sieluuni sain, en siitä koskaan toipune kai. Herätessäin ol' aamun koi. Huomasin sunnuntaikellot jo soi. Ai-ai-ai, taas sattuu ehkä siihenkin tottuu. |
Oh, oh, it hurts again, Maybe I'll get used to it. Fate pierced my soul, Will I ever recover? I woke up, it was dawn, And the church bells were ringing. |
| 8. Suo / Marshland |
| Martti Pokela is a well-known kantele player in Finland and has recently been concentrating on composing new music for his instrument. The pieces are composed with the help of younger musicians, partly by improvisation, and there is no written version. |
| 9. Kolme kaunista / Three Things of Beauty |
| This text is again from the Kanteletar and is an example of the older Kalevalaic poetry. |
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Kaks' on kaunista kesällä: lehti puussa, ruoho maassa, minä kohta kolmantena, minä lehti liehumassa, minä kukka kuulumassa, minä heinä heilumassa. Vaan en huoli huolikana, hyvä heinä, heilumahan, hyvä kukka, kuulumahan, lemmenlehti, liehumahan; ei pahat hyvästä tieä, ei katalat kaunihista, rupalötöt ruskiasta, pullosuut punaverestä. |
Summer is twice beautiful-- leaf on tree and grass on ground; but I shall soon be a third-- I a leaf waving I a flower heard of I a stalk swinging. And yet I couldn't care less a good stalk, about swinging a good flower, about my fame a sweet leaf, about waving: the bad don't know of what's good the mean of what's beautiful clodhoppers of one ruddy bumpkins of one red-blooded. |
| 10. Ievan Polkaa / Ieva's polka |
| On its release in Finland, this song entered the radio charts - a rare occurrence for traditional music. The humorous story is told in the Savo dialect of Eastern Finland. |
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Nuapurista kuulu se polokan tahti jalakani pohjii kutkutti. Ievan äiti se tyttöösä vahti vaan kyllähän Ieva sen jutkutti, sillä ei meitä silloin kiellot haittaa kun myö tanssimme laiasta laitaan. Salivili hipput tupput täppyt äppyt tipput hilijalleen. Ievan suu oli vehnäsellä ko immeiset onnee toevotti. Peä oli märkänä jokaisella ja viulu se vinku ja voevotti. Ei tätä poikoo märkyys haittaa sillon ko laskoo laiasta laitaan. Salivili hipput. Ievan äiti se kammarissa virsiä veisata huijjuutti, kun tämä poika naapurissa ämmän tyttöä nuijjuutti. Eikä tätä poikoo ämmät haittaa sillon ko laskoo laiasta laitaan. Salivili. Siellä oli lystiä soiton jäläkeen sain minä kerran sytkyyttee. Kottiin ko mäntii ni ämmä se riitelj ja Ieva jo alako nyyhkyytteek. Minä sanon Ievalle mitäpä se haittaa laskemma vielähi laiasta laitaa. Salivili. Muorille sanon jotta tukkee suusi en ruppee sun terveyttäs takkoomaa. Terveenä peäset ku korjoot luusi ja määt siitä murjuus makkoomaa. Ei tätä poikoo hellyys haittaa ko akkoja huhkii laiasta laitaan. Salivili. Sen minä sanon jotta purra pittää ei mua niin voan nielasta. Suat männä ite vaikka lännestä ittään vaan minä en luovu Ievasta, sillä ei tätä poikoo kainous haittaa sillon ko tanssii laiasta laitaan. Salivili. |
The sound of a polka drifted from my neighbor's and set my feet a-tapping oh! Ieva's mother had her eye on her daughter but Ieva she managed to fool her, you know. 'Cause who's going to listen to mother saying no when we're all busy dancing to and fro! Ieva was smiling, the fiddle it was wailing as people crowded round to wish her luck. Everyone was hot but it didn't seem to bother the handsome young man, the dashing buck. 'Cause who's going to mind a drop of sweat when he's all busy dancing to and fro! Ieva's mother she shut herself away in her own quiet room to hum a hymn. Leaving our hero to have a spot of fun in a neighbor's house when the lights are dim. 'Cause what does it matter what the old folks say when you're all busy dancing to and fro! When the music stopped then the real fun began and that's when the laddie fooled around. When he took her home, when the dancing was over her mother angrily waiting they found. But I said to her, Ieva, now don't you weep and we'll soon be dancing to and fro! I said to her mother now stop that noise or I won't be responsible for what I do. If you go quietly and stay in your room you won't get hurt while your daughter I woo. 'Cause this fine laddie is a wild sort of guy when he's all busy dancing to and fro! One thing I tell you is you won't trap me, no, you won't find me an easy catch. Travel to the east and travel to the west but Ieva and I are going to make a match. 'Cause this fine laddie ain't the bashful sort when he's all busy dancing to and fro. |
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