PEKKA SUUTARI
1. Tsizoit, “Rajan kasvatti”
From: Tsizoit, Soi, laula, Ilomantsi, Finnlevy SFLP 8518, 1972, 33 rpm.
music: Pauli Koukkunen; lyrics: Asta Kaste-Lehikoinen; arr.: Hannu Loima.
Vocal ensemble Tsizoit, dir. Sulo Summala. Anni Homanen, Paula Huovinen, Helvi Hämäläinen, Mirjam Lehmuskoski, Helinä Oresmaa, Eeva Penttinen & Airi Pietarinen: vocals
Women’s vocal ensemble Tsizoit was established in Ilomantsi in the early 1960s. In their album they recorded traditional Karelian songs with Orthodox influenced four part classical arrangements. This song is however original, composed by Pauli Koukkunen and it tells how much the Karelians are longing for the lost land that was ceded to Soviet Union in the WWII.
2. Heli Keinonen, “Laskettakkua brihat hebot”
From: YLE TV show run by Esa Pakarinen 1967.
Keinonen, Heli. “Itköy neitsyt” / “Lasketakkua brihat hebot.” Scandia ks 692, 1967, 45 rpm.
Music & lyrics: traditional.
Heli Keinonen: vocals, guitar.
One of the most popular folk songs in Karelian language performed by Heli Keinonen, a young singer of the 1960s folk movement. Heli Keinonen’s two hit singles made Karelian songs familiar to the wider Finnish audience and especially for younger pop fans.
3. Värttinä, “Marilaulu”
From: Värttinä, Oi dai. Spirit/PolyGram SPIRITLP-4, 1991, 33⅓ rpm.
Music & lyrics: traditional.
Sari Kaasinen: vocals, kantele; Mari Kaasinen: vocals; Kirsi Kähkönen: vocals; Sirpa Rantakangas: vocals; Minna Rautiainen: vocals; Christer Hackman: percussion; Janne Lappalainen: wind instruments; Tom Nyman: bass; Riitta Potinoja: accordeon; Kari Reiman, violin; Tommi Viksten: guitar, mandola.
Opening track of the Värttinä’s breakthrough album Oi dai 1991. The album was recorded after the key members of Värttinä had moved from small Karelian village Rääkkylä to Helsinki in order to study at the Sibelius Academy’s Folk music department. Originally, this track is a Mari folk song, here arranged in the energetic style by Värttinä.
4. Santtu Karhu and Talvisovat, “Moskovan kämmen”
From: Santtu Karhu and Talvisovat, Allus oli muna. Hot Igloo HI 009, 2009, compact disc.
Music & lyrics: Santtu Karhu; arrangement: Santtu Karhu & Talvisovat.
Santtu Karhu: vocals, mandolin, lap steel; Feodor Astashov: guitars; Artjom Undalov: bass; Andrei Lukin: drums.
Santtu Karhu band’s third album Allus oli muna for the Finnish small label Hot Igloo. The song is about how the Moscow rule exploits Karelian people. The group was established in 1989 in Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, Russia. Its intensive cross-border contacts made it possible for the first and so far the only Karelian-speaking rock musician Santtu Karhu to establish his performing and recording career in Finland although he still lives in Russian Karelia.
5. Hannu Brelo, “Musta hebo”
From: Hannu Brelo, Ovat juureni Karjalassa. Author’s Edition HBCD-53, 2003, compact disc.
Music & lyrics: traditional; arrangement: Mika Tarkkonen.
Hannu Brelo: vocals; Mika Tarkkonen: accordion; Arto Tarkkonen: keyboard; Erkki Rimpinen: guitar; Juha Luoma: bass; Aarno Liitsalo: drums.
The opening track of Hannu Brelo’s first album Ovat juureni Karjalassa. Hannu Brelo (1953-2012) sang popular music and dance music in Karelian language for the common people’s taste. He wrote lot of own songs (in Karelian language), made gigs in mundane style and published four albums and a collection in 2003-2012. Musta hebo is a traditional Karelian folk song.