Uuno Klami: Kalevala Suite

Vesa Matteo PiluduKalevala Suite

Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and Arts

Musicology

University of Helsinki

Uuno Klami (1900-1961)

Klami’s Karelian market place

Funny, boisterous, polyphonic

We have the impression to be in that market

Stravinsky's Petrouska

Klami and Kalevala

Klami discovered the Kalevala in the same manner as Sibelius Studying abroad

Remembering his years in Paris, (1924-25), Klami stated: “The Russian Modernists, such as Prokoviev and Stravinsky, and the

new Spanish music shook me up like nothing ever had. That was the basis for my Karelian Rhapsody. It was at that time that I went to the Sorbonne library and checked out the Kalevala.”

Klami: Kalevala close to Modernism

Klami and Sibelius shared the interest for the primitive and archaic aspects of Kalevala

Different musical language: original approach Teachers in Paris: Ravel and and Florent Schmitt Teacher in Vienna (1928-29): Hans Gál

Klami

Composed numerous small pieces for Finnish Radio Orchestra

His works were conducted by Stokowski, Doráti, Wolff, Cameron, Dixon, Johnson (Thor).

Uuno KlamiKalevala Suite (1930-33/1943)

Kalevala was a life-project for Klami

Klami worked on the Suite more or less 20 years First version premiered in 1933 The suite was ready only in 1943, when Klami composed the virtuoso

“scherzo” Terhenniemi

Styile: Modernist, rhythmic, with dissonances Completely different from Romantics

Uuno Klami

Influences Ravel and Stravinski Neoclassicism Jazz Spanish Music

Joseph Alanen Ilmatar and the origins of the world

Kalevala Suite

1. Maan synty: L’origine del Mondo Natural force, immense, growing Sizzling primordial darkness from where the theme emerges Strong climax like the Rite of Sping 2. Kevään oras – The sprout of spring Calm, fabulous, warm mood (closely to Firebird)

UUNO KLAMI_Kalevala Suite-1 and 2.wmv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnSvW2H0Wxk&feature=related

3. Terhenniemi Delicate and lucid Scherzo

UUNO KLAMI Kalevala Suite-3.wmv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9WYaehs8G4

RUNE IX.ORIGIN OF IRON.

Then the ancient WainamoinenMade this answer to the gray-beard:"Know I well the source of metals,Know the origin of iron;I can tell bow steel is fashioned.Of the mothers air is oldest,Water is the oldest brother,And the fire is second brother,And the youngest brother, iron;

Ukko is the first creator.Ukko, maker of the heavens,Cut apart the air and water,Ere was born the metal, iron.Ukko, maker of the heavens,Firmly rubbed his hands together,Firmly pressed them on his knee-cap,

RUNE IX.ORIGIN OF IRON II

Then arose three lovely maidens,Three most beautiful of daughters;These were mothers of the iron,And of steel of bright-blue color.Tremblingly they walked the heavens,Walked the clouds with silver linings,With their bosoms overflowingWith the milk of future iron,Flowing on and flowing ever,From the bright rims of the cloudletsTo the earth, the valleys filling,To the slumber-calling waters.

Louhi: a daughter for the sampo

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,Toothless dame of Sariola,Straightway rushes to her dwelling,These the words that Louhi utters:"Come, thou youngest of my daughters,Come, thou fairest of my maidens,Dress thyself in finest raiment,Deck thy hair with rarest jewels,Pearls upon thy swelling bosom,On thy neck, a golden necklace,Bind thy head with silken ribbons,Make thy cheeks look fresh and ruddy,And thy visage fair and winsome,Since the artist, Ilmarinen,Hither comes from Kalevala,Here to forge for us the Sampo,Hammer us the lid in colors."

RUNE X.ILMARINEN FORGES THE SAMPO.

Many tentatives:

Ilmarinen, metal artist,Is not pleased with this creation,Breaks the skiff in many fragments,Throws them back within the furnace,Keeps the workmen at the bellows,Thus to forge the magic Sampo.

RUNE X.ILMARINEN FORGES THE SAMPO

Straightway ancient WainamoinenThus addresses Ilmarinen:"O my brother, metal-artist,Thou eternal wonder-worker,Didst thou forge the magic Sampo,Forge the lid in many colors?“

Spake the brother, Ilmarinen,These the words the master uttered:"Yea, I forged the magic Sampo,Forged the lid in many colors;To and fro the lid in rockingGrinds one measure at the day-dawn,Grinds a measure fit for eating,Grinds a second for the market,Grinds a third one for the store-house.

Kalevala Suite

4. Kehtolaulu Lemminkäiselle – Craddle song for Lemminkäinen Slow

5. Sammon taonta Primitive force, Rite of Sping Central theme reminiscent of an ancient runo chant Primitivistic frenzy

UUNO KLAMI Kalevala Suite-4 and 5.wmv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gOVFXcu1C8&feature=related

What’s the sampo?

Don Rosa’s sampo

Gallen-Kallela The defence of the Sampo

Don Rosa’s sampo

The image of the sampo

Smötkyn Riiko alias Riiko Kallio 1921 (Kalevalaseuran vuosikirja 12, 1932)

today …

Sampo today ….

Sampo and agriculture

It has more goods than the land. Old Väinämöinen only managed to bring

us the plowing, the sowing, and the growth of all kinds.

Jyrki Malinen 1871(SKVR I184)

Sampo’s fertility according to Ontrei Malinen

Here the plowing, here the sowing,here the crops of all kindsto the poor lands of the North,to the great farms of Finland.Here the moons, here the suns!

Ontrei Malinen 1833 (SKVR I179a)

Sampo and salt

It remained grinding in the sea forever, there in the White Sea; last it ground salt, and there it is, grinding salt in the sea. One cannot drink the water, the sea is so salty.Moarie Tenesseff 1872 (SKVR I173)

Klami’s Kalevala

No more nationalims Pantheism and Primitivism

Influence of Stravinsky More joyful and positive interpretation of paganism In Klami’s Kalevala Suite there is no human sacrifice

The epic is interesting for mystical and telluric forces

Relevance for the future generations of composers

Words in the sampo

It means Väinämöinen’s sampo. Väinämöinen went to the dark North to fetch the sampo. It was something akin to a millstone. There are lots of words in the sampo.

Anni Lehtonen 1915 (KRA Paulaharju 9765–9769)

I open the chest of words,spread the many-colored lidacross my knees.The sampo lacks no words,Lemminkäinen, no charms. Arhippa Perttunen 1834 (SKVR I31278)

Lemminkäinen’s Island Adventures (1934)

Very rhythmic Sensual energy of the Finnish Don Juan

Prémiere in Sortavaala (nowadays Russia) in 1935 100 years of Old Kalevala The piece “gaven much enjoyment” to the audience

Previously part of one version of Kalevala Suite Problem: different style No influence from Stravinsky’s Rite Some influence from Sibelius (trumepet theme, Fifth Symphony) Boisterous and colourful athmosphere: Klami

The travel inside the body of Vipunen

1938. Baritone, male chorus and orchestra

Original theme: the “shamanic travel” of Väinämöinen in the body of the dead old tietäjä Vipunen in order to find some magic word

The theme anticipated the shamanic interpretations of the ’70 and ‘80

RUNE XVII.WAINAMOINEN FINDS THE LOST-WORD

WAINAMOINEN, old and truthful,Did not learn the words of magicIn Tuoni's gloomy regions,In the kingdom of Manala.Thereupon he long debated,Well considered, long reflected,Where to find the magic sayings;When a shepherd came to meet him,Speaking thus to Wainamoinen:

"Thou canst find of words a hundred,Find a thousand wisdom-sayings,In the mouth of wise Wipunen,In the body of the hero;To the spot I know the foot-path,To his tomb the magic highway,Trodden by a host of heroes;Long the distance thou must travel,On the sharpened points of needles;Then a long way thou must journeyOn the edges of the broadswords;Thirdly thou must travel fartherOn the edges of the hatchets."

Antero Vipunen: giganticdead tietäjä, fused with nauture and threes

Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen

Väinämöinen "Ilmarinen, worthy blacksmith,

Make a shoe for me of iron,Forge me gloves of burnished copper,Mold a staff of strongest metal,Lay the steel upon the inside,Forge within the might of magic;I am going on a journeyTo procure the magic sayings,Find the lost-words of the Master,From the mouth of the magician,From the tongue of wise Wipunen.“

(…)

Wise Wipunen, full of song-charms,Opens wide his mouth and swallowsWainamoinen and his magic,Shoes, and staff, and iron armor.

Väinämöinen’s spell

Väinämöinen: "Rise, thou master of magicians,

From the sleep of Tuonela,From thine everlasting slumber!“

Väinämöinen and Vipunen

Väinämöinen in Vipunen’s belly

Väinämöinen torturing Vipunen

Väinämöinen

"I shall set my forge and bellowsDeeper, deeper in thy vitals;I shall swing my heavy hammer,Swing it with a greater powerOn thy heart, and lungs, and liver;I shall never, never leave theeTill I learn thine incantations,Learn thy many wisdom-sayings,Learn the lost-words of the Master;Never must these words be bidden,Earth must never lose this wisdom,Though the wisdom-singers perish."

The secret words of Vipunen

Old Wipunen, wise magician,Ancient prophet, filled with power,Opens fall his store of knowledge,Lifts the covers from his cases,Filled with old-time incantations,Filled with songs of times primeval,Filled with ancient wit and wisdom;Sings the very oldest folk-songs,Sings the origin of witchcraft,Sings of Earth and its beginningSings the first of all creations,Sings the source of good and evilSung alas! by youth no longer,Only sung in part by heroesIn these days of sin and sorrow.Evil days our land befallen.

Cheremissian Fantasy

Uuno Klami - Cheremissian Fantasy, Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJzPO_4nQ0w

Cheremisses (Mari) are one Finno-Ugrian people

Uuno Klami - Cheremissian Fantasy, Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHu3UdJpF8E&feature=related

Uuno Klami - Revontulet (Aurore Boréale)

Uuno Klami - Revontulet (Aurore Boréale) op. 38 Fantaisie pour orchestre [1946]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShEoY4XgSNg