Jul 8, 2022·edited Jul 8, 2022Liked by Richard Seager
Wow! That was a bit of an out there music choice - a Finnish polkka.
I didn't put the text through a translator. As you said, a lot of it sounds like gibberish; and even though I have no real grasp of Finnish, it looks like gibberish as well, which is not to defame the language. Apparently, it's a fiendishly difficult one to learn, descended as it is from Hungarian, another challenging language. Are you able to give us a quick one or two sentence synopsis and why you chose it?
Since I was a teenager, half a century ago, I've loved the music of Sibelius, Finland's preeminent composer. I don't know if you are familiar with him, but his music is still widely performed and recorded today. Pertinent to your polkka choice is his attractive, fifteen-minute, three-movement work, Karelia Suite.
His most popular work is the anthemic Finlandia, which exists in both an orchestral version and a version for orchestra and chorus. I would presume both are available to view on youtube, though I usually don't recommend listening to classical music on computer or mobile phone. Nevertheless, I've chosen a scaled-down, a capella, flash mob version, more in keeping with one of your videos, which was also sung a capella. The open-air street acoustic isn't ideal, but because I know the music, I quite like it.
There's another small-scale a capella version on youtube, performed in a more ingratiating indoor acoustic but, you wouldn't believe it, the singers are all wearing face masks. So, no free promotion from me.
Perhaps the most historically interesting Karelian polkka is the Sakkijarven Polkka. Here's a video with English subtitles.
I know you're a bit of a history buff, so you might like this four-minute documentary about its historic significance during the early years of the second world war. Then again, maybe I'm addressing a connoisseur of the Finnish polkka, who knows all there is to know about the subject.
Following the Winter War with the Soviets in 1939 -1940, Finland temporarily aligned itself with Germany, which made the following piece of music possible.
Some background first: By far the most popular soldiers' marching song is Lili Marleen, sung by at least the German, French, British and Italian armies. But the Germans also had another very popular marching song called Erika. Yes, another marching song about a girl.
Youtube used to have the original 1939 recording by Herms Niel, who also wrote it, but it looks like it has been taken down. I'm not sure why because the German techno remix is still up, though I wouldn't test your computer or mobile phone speakers with it. (My neighbour, who is of German heritage, likes to give it a good thrashing on her big speakers every now and then).
Anyway, because of the alliance with Germany, Finland got its own Finnish version of Erika, renamed as Kaarina. The first link sounds like a wartime recording, so it's got that authentic atmosphere about it. The second link sounds more modern. Both have English subtitles.
If you're old enough to remember that old, 1960s war movie, Battle of the Bulge, and that scene where a bunch of Nazi soldiers sings the Panzerlied to much foot stamping, then those two youtube videos won't remind you of it.
And finally, I couldn't quite work out why Barry O'Kenyan chose a video which was so short on actual music. Okay, I'm stereotyping, but whoever heard of an Irishman or one of Irish descent who didn't have music in his DNA. So, for Barry, here's a great Irish folksong, Carrickfergus, sung by Allison Moorer, with a nice selection of acoustic instruments to support her.
Wow! That was a bit of an out there music choice - a Finnish polkka.
I didn't put the text through a translator. As you said, a lot of it sounds like gibberish; and even though I have no real grasp of Finnish, it looks like gibberish as well, which is not to defame the language. Apparently, it's a fiendishly difficult one to learn, descended as it is from Hungarian, another challenging language. Are you able to give us a quick one or two sentence synopsis and why you chose it?
Since I was a teenager, half a century ago, I've loved the music of Sibelius, Finland's preeminent composer. I don't know if you are familiar with him, but his music is still widely performed and recorded today. Pertinent to your polkka choice is his attractive, fifteen-minute, three-movement work, Karelia Suite.
His most popular work is the anthemic Finlandia, which exists in both an orchestral version and a version for orchestra and chorus. I would presume both are available to view on youtube, though I usually don't recommend listening to classical music on computer or mobile phone. Nevertheless, I've chosen a scaled-down, a capella, flash mob version, more in keeping with one of your videos, which was also sung a capella. The open-air street acoustic isn't ideal, but because I know the music, I quite like it.
https://youtu.be/0vq4lYpxXTk
There's another small-scale a capella version on youtube, performed in a more ingratiating indoor acoustic but, you wouldn't believe it, the singers are all wearing face masks. So, no free promotion from me.
Perhaps the most historically interesting Karelian polkka is the Sakkijarven Polkka. Here's a video with English subtitles.
https://youtu.be/eiOoAllYYNw
I know you're a bit of a history buff, so you might like this four-minute documentary about its historic significance during the early years of the second world war. Then again, maybe I'm addressing a connoisseur of the Finnish polkka, who knows all there is to know about the subject.
https://youtu.be/5rSSn6jmrrU
And here's a more up-to-date version, similar to the last video on your list.
https://youtu.be/tYQYaX2H7hA
Following the Winter War with the Soviets in 1939 -1940, Finland temporarily aligned itself with Germany, which made the following piece of music possible.
Some background first: By far the most popular soldiers' marching song is Lili Marleen, sung by at least the German, French, British and Italian armies. But the Germans also had another very popular marching song called Erika. Yes, another marching song about a girl.
Youtube used to have the original 1939 recording by Herms Niel, who also wrote it, but it looks like it has been taken down. I'm not sure why because the German techno remix is still up, though I wouldn't test your computer or mobile phone speakers with it. (My neighbour, who is of German heritage, likes to give it a good thrashing on her big speakers every now and then).
Anyway, because of the alliance with Germany, Finland got its own Finnish version of Erika, renamed as Kaarina. The first link sounds like a wartime recording, so it's got that authentic atmosphere about it. The second link sounds more modern. Both have English subtitles.
https://youtu.be/uJIT9qaPHaQ
https://youtu.be/qEEqjt6G0ME
If you're old enough to remember that old, 1960s war movie, Battle of the Bulge, and that scene where a bunch of Nazi soldiers sings the Panzerlied to much foot stamping, then those two youtube videos won't remind you of it.
And finally, I couldn't quite work out why Barry O'Kenyan chose a video which was so short on actual music. Okay, I'm stereotyping, but whoever heard of an Irishman or one of Irish descent who didn't have music in his DNA. So, for Barry, here's a great Irish folksong, Carrickfergus, sung by Allison Moorer, with a nice selection of acoustic instruments to support her.
https://youtu.be/_NUlABvwVTQ
This is the best music to my ears:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTsedrj1XKI
Full of surprises aren't you Rich?!