Vaka vanha Väinämöinen itse tuon sanoiksi virkki: "Näistäpä toki tulisi kalanluinen kanteloinen, kun oisi osoajata, soiton luisen laatijata." Kun ei toista tullutkana, ei ollut osoajata, soiton luisen laatijata, vaka vanha Väinämöinen itse loihe laatijaksi, tekijäksi teentelihe. Laati soiton hauinluisen, suoritti ilon ikuisen. Kust' on koppa kanteletta? Hauin suuren leukaluusta. Kust' on naulat kanteletta? Ne on hauin hampahista. Kusta kielet kanteletta? Hivuksista Hiien ruunan. Jo oli soitto suorittuna, valmihina kanteloinen, soitto suuri hauinluinen, kantelo kalaneväinen. Tuli tuohon nuoret miehet, tuli nainehet urohot, tuli pojat puol'-ikäiset sekä pienet piikalapset, tytöt nuoret, vaimot vanhat, naiset keskikertaisetki, kanteletta katsomahan, soittoa tähyämähän. Vaka vanha Väinämöinen käski nuoren, käski vanhan, käski keskikertaisenki soittamahan sormillansa tuota ruotaista romua, kalanluista kanteletta. Soitti nuoret, soitti vanhat, soitti keskikertaisetki. Nuoret soitti, sormet notkui, vanhat väänti, pää vapisi: ei ilo ilolle nousnut, soitto soitolle ylennyt
The melody is also used in a very old Finnish lullaby. Different words. It's compelling, in part because it's in 5/4. Unusual for those of us in the Western tradition, but it has a driving force. BTW - I was unaware that there was such a vibrant Finnish community in the Frisco area. Thanks for that.
Thanks a ton for uploading it! I recently took an interest in the Kalevala and wanted to learn more about it- including how it might've sounded. This is so interesting! Cheers!
I listened to this out of simple curiosity because I’m interested in the history of the Finnish community here in Berkeley-I had no idea that’s where the music was recorded. Turns out Soininen was a Berkeley resident who emigrated from Finland. He would have been part of the Finnish community which really blossomed as a result of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake when the west end of town became a refuge. The two Finnish halls built by the community back in the early 1930’s are still in use, and there is still a Lutheran Church that conducts Sunday services in Finnish. I’m impressed by the distinctive community institutions, lively progressive politics, and Lutheran presence that the Finns brought to Berkeley life, and this recording may well be another example of the living links Finnish Americans brought to Berkeley from their homeland.
Published 1939? Finnish American? In 1939 Finland entered WW2 fighting against the Soviets in The Winter War. So, maybe this song got to the US because of Finnish Immigrants escaping that war. Pretty neat stuff
Vaka vanha Väinämöinen
itse tuon sanoiksi virkki:
"Näistäpä toki tulisi
kalanluinen kanteloinen,
kun oisi osoajata,
soiton luisen laatijata."
Kun ei toista tullutkana,
ei ollut osoajata,
soiton luisen laatijata,
vaka vanha Väinämöinen
itse loihe laatijaksi,
tekijäksi teentelihe.
Laati soiton hauinluisen,
suoritti ilon ikuisen.
Kust' on koppa kanteletta?
Hauin suuren leukaluusta.
Kust' on naulat kanteletta?
Ne on hauin hampahista.
Kusta kielet kanteletta?
Hivuksista Hiien ruunan.
Jo oli soitto suorittuna,
valmihina kanteloinen,
soitto suuri hauinluinen,
kantelo kalaneväinen.
Tuli tuohon nuoret miehet,
tuli nainehet urohot,
tuli pojat puol'-ikäiset
sekä pienet piikalapset,
tytöt nuoret, vaimot vanhat,
naiset keskikertaisetki,
kanteletta katsomahan,
soittoa tähyämähän.
Vaka vanha Väinämöinen
käski nuoren, käski vanhan,
käski keskikertaisenki
soittamahan sormillansa
tuota ruotaista romua,
kalanluista kanteletta.
Soitti nuoret, soitti vanhat,
soitti keskikertaisetki.
Nuoret soitti, sormet notkui,
vanhat väänti, pää vapisi:
ei ilo ilolle nousnut,
soitto soitolle ylennyt
The melody is also used in a very old Finnish lullaby. Different words. It's compelling, in part because it's in 5/4. Unusual for those of us in the Western tradition, but it has a driving force.
BTW - I was unaware that there was such a vibrant Finnish community in the Frisco area. Thanks for that.
Thanks a ton for uploading it! I recently took an interest in the Kalevala and wanted to learn more about it- including how it might've sounded. This is so interesting! Cheers!
well
good luck prenouncing the names
You can hear it in Finland still today. We've not let the Kalevala die, it is taught to in schools to children.
I listened to this out of simple curiosity because I’m interested in the history of the Finnish community here in Berkeley-I had no idea that’s where the music was recorded. Turns out Soininen was a Berkeley resident who emigrated from Finland. He would have been part of the Finnish community which really blossomed as a result of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake when the west end of town became a refuge. The two Finnish halls built by the community back in the early 1930’s are still in use, and there is still a Lutheran Church that conducts Sunday services in Finnish. I’m impressed by the distinctive community institutions, lively progressive politics, and Lutheran presence that the Finns brought to Berkeley life, and this recording may well be another example of the living links Finnish Americans brought to Berkeley from their homeland.
Published 1939? Finnish American? In 1939 Finland entered WW2 fighting against the Soviets in The Winter War. So, maybe this song got to the US because of Finnish Immigrants escaping that war. Pretty neat stuff