FINNISH FOLK SONGS &
TRAD KANTELE TUNES
Photo: Ulla Nikula
Versioita suomalaisista kansanmusiikkihiteistä – painotus suosikeissani, eli eteläpohjalaisissa
kansanlauluissa, kantelekappaleissa Perhonjokilaakson soittotyyliin sekä pienkanteleohjelmistossa.
Kaikkiin kappaleisiin on ladattavissa nuotit, joita saa käyttää! Hanketta ovat tukeneet Suomen Kulttuurirahaston
Etelä-Pohjanmaan ja Keski-Pohjanmaan rahastot sekä Taiteen edistämiskeskus.
Versions of my favourite folk songs and traditional kantele tunes from Finland.
There's sheet music attached to every piece – feel free to use them!
TUOMENKUKKIA
trad. Lapuan laulukirja, arr. Maija Pokela
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
"I don't sing because my voice is so vivid,
I sing because I'm so sad being alone.
Oh those beautiful bird cherry flowers,
that have been shaken by the wind.
Oh those past times, that I haven't forgotten.
Please don't tell my dear old mother,
that my gentle heart is captured by love."
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
"I don't sing because my voice is so vivid,
I sing because I'm so sad being alone.
Oh those beautiful bird cherry flowers,
that have been shaken by the wind.
Oh those past times, that I haven't forgotten.
Please don't tell my dear old mother,
that my gentle heart is captured by love."
KANTELE-KREETAN POLKKA
trad. Finland, played by Kreeta Haapasalo
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Kreeta Haapasalo (1813-1893) was one of the most remarkable artists of the 19th century.
She was a kantele player and singer touring around Finland, even though traveling took a lot of time
back then and it wasn't common or even acceptable to tour as a female artist.
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Kreeta Haapasalo (1813-1893) was one of the most remarkable artists of the 19th century.
She was a kantele player and singer touring around Finland, even though traveling took a lot of time
back then and it wasn't common or even acceptable to tour as a female artist.
TULIKARIN SOTTIISI
trad. Finland, played by Eino Tulikari
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Schottische played by the kantele master Eino Tulikari (1905-1977) born in Halsua, Finland.
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Schottische played by the kantele master Eino Tulikari (1905-1977) born in Halsua, Finland.
MAAHERRAN POLSKA
trad. Kantele- ja jouhikkosävelmiä, Finland
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
One of my favorite traditional small kantele tunes.
This playing technique is known as "mixed style" – strumming and plucking strings in turns.
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
One of my favorite traditional small kantele tunes.
This playing technique is known as "mixed style" – strumming and plucking strings in turns.
IRTI MAASTA
trad. Härmän laulukirja, Finland / interlude melody by Maija Pokela, arr. Maija Pokela & Antti Järvelä
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC – basic 🖤
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC – with 2nd harmonies 🖤
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC – score 🖤
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC – basic 🖤
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC – with 2nd harmonies 🖤
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC – score 🖤
Official allspel song of Nordtrad 2021 hosted by Centria, Kokkola 😊
I found this lovely melody from the song book of Härmä and picked suitable lyrics
for it – Irti maasta is a story of courage and curiosity.
I found this lovely melody from the song book of Härmä and picked suitable lyrics
for it – Irti maasta is a story of courage and curiosity.
JOS SÄ OLET MINUN HELLUNANI
Casey Driessen's project Otherlands is full of interesting collaborations and sounds from e.g.
India, Japan, Scotland... Finland was lucky to be the country Driessen got stuck for months due to Covid-19.
He visited Härmä to play traditional Finnish music with me and Antti Järvelä and we picked one of our
favourites - a sweet polska song from Kauhava.
India, Japan, Scotland... Finland was lucky to be the country Driessen got stuck for months due to Covid-19.
He visited Härmä to play traditional Finnish music with me and Antti Järvelä and we picked one of our
favourites - a sweet polska song from Kauhava.
TUULI SITÄ TUPAA HUISKUTTAA
Casey Driessen, Esko Järvelä, Antti Järvelä & Maija Pokela: The Otherlands Session
Live stream concert in Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki 7.5.2020. Watch the whole concert here!
The story of Tuuli sitä tupaa huiskuttaa is about life not going as expected, continuously
dreaming about old loved ones and encountering misfortune along the way – and in the end accepting
that it's all in the past now, even though it's impossible to forget.
Live stream concert in Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki 7.5.2020. Watch the whole concert here!
The story of Tuuli sitä tupaa huiskuttaa is about life not going as expected, continuously
dreaming about old loved ones and encountering misfortune along the way – and in the end accepting
that it's all in the past now, even though it's impossible to forget.
VÄINÖ NYYKOORTIN POLKKA
trad. Finland, played by Toivo Venetjoki
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
A polka played by Toivo Venetjoki (1906-1988), who was originally from Halsua, Finland.
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
A polka played by Toivo Venetjoki (1906-1988), who was originally from Halsua, Finland.
MASURKKA
trad. Finland
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Traditional mazurka that was played by many kantele players, for example
Eino Tulikari (1905-1977) and Toivo Alaspää (1929-2007).
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Traditional mazurka that was played by many kantele players, for example
Eino Tulikari (1905-1977) and Toivo Alaspää (1929-2007).
HALSUAN VALSSI
trad. Finland
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Traditional waltz from Halsua, Finland. It was played by Eino Tulikari (1905-1977),
Toivo Venetjoki (1906-1988) and Viljo Karvonen (1906-1944) who were all born in Halsua.
Their versions of the waltz are versatile and this version is closest to Tulikari's style.
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Traditional waltz from Halsua, Finland. It was played by Eino Tulikari (1905-1977),
Toivo Venetjoki (1906-1988) and Viljo Karvonen (1906-1944) who were all born in Halsua.
Their versions of the waltz are versatile and this version is closest to Tulikari's style.
KANTELEMARSSI
comp. Eino Tulikari
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
A kantele march composed by Eino Tulikari. More precise notation with the accompaniment can be found in
Eino Tulikari's sheet music book compiled by Marko Aho. And here you can listen Tulikari's original version!
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
A kantele march composed by Eino Tulikari. More precise notation with the accompaniment can be found in
Eino Tulikari's sheet music book compiled by Marko Aho. And here you can listen Tulikari's original version!
MUN KANTELEENI
comp. Kreeta Haapasalo
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Probably the most known song from Kreeta Haapasalo's (1813-1893) repertoire.
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
Probably the most known song from Kreeta Haapasalo's (1813-1893) repertoire.
RAHAPOLSKA
trad. Finland
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
This tune was played by master kantele player Toivo Alaspää (1929-2007), who was originally from Veteli, Finland.
I highly recommend checking out "Pollari, Pakkala, Alapää ja Kainu" (2000), a book based on Alaspää's repertoire compiled by Sanna Huntus. It's full of amazing kantele tunes and there's a CD attached to it too.
🖤 NUOTTI / SHEET MUSIC 🖤
This tune was played by master kantele player Toivo Alaspää (1929-2007), who was originally from Veteli, Finland.
I highly recommend checking out "Pollari, Pakkala, Alapää ja Kainu" (2000), a book based on Alaspää's repertoire compiled by Sanna Huntus. It's full of amazing kantele tunes and there's a CD attached to it too.
© Maija Pokela