Arja Kastinen’s Kantervo Unveils the Soul of Karelian Kantele Music

Arja Kastinen – Kantervo (Temps Oy, 2023)

Kantervo is Arja Kastinen’s sixth solo album. This spellbinding, meditative set of recordings is part of her research project “Kantele of the Runosong Culture and the Dialogue of Creativity”. Kantervo contains new music on musical instruments copied from museum kanteles. The aesthetic of the music is based on the Karelian kantele improvisation of the 19th century and early 20th century. Specifically, Arja Kastinen uses an ancient plucking technique and modified tuning. Furthermore, she also uses newer playing techniques and several tracks combine different kanteles.

In Finnic runosong culture, the intertwining melodies of Kantele music and the art of improvisation have resonated for centuries. This rich tradition persisted as a vibrant force in the secluded corners of Karelia until the dawn of the 20th century. The profound cultural importance of both the instrument and the harmonies it produced is unmistakable. Notably, this significance is vividly portrayed in the recorded descriptions of kantele playing in Karelia and echoed in over 400 runosongs recounting the mythical birth and enchanting melodies of the kantele, meticulously documented in the invaluable collection SKVR (Ancient Poems of the Finnish People).

The Kantervo album, a testament to this cultural legacy, draws inspiration from the very fabric of SKVR. Delving into the runosongs from Viena Karelia that explore the mythical origins and enchanting tunes of the kantele, the album takes on the evocative title of “Kantervo” – a poetic synonym that encapsulates the essence of the venerable kantele itself.

Arja Kastinen, DMus, is a visiting researcher at the Sibelius Academy, Uniarts Helsinki, on the research project Kantele of the Runosong Culture and the Dialogue of Creativity.

Kantervo artwork by Tuomas Ylönen.

Tracks:

1. Vesikivelle (13-and 5-string kanteles with bronze strings) by Arja Kastinen.
2. Poropetra (a 14-string kantele with steel strings and a 5-string kantele with bronze strings) by Arja Kastinen.
3. Jouten laulo (a 12-string kantele with brass strings and a 15-string kantele with steel strings) by Arja Kastinen.
4. Laivaretki (a 15-string kantele) by Arja Kastinen.
5. Heinän päillä (a 15-string kantele) by Arja Kastinen.
6. Kullervo, feat. Ogoi Määränen 1936, SKSÄ 2011:54 (a 5-string and a 13-kantele with bronze strings by Arja Kastinen & Ogoi Määränen & Traditional.
7. Poigu Kalervo (a 5-strin kantele with bronze strings) Traditional & Arja Kastinen
8. Jogapuu, feat. Matrona Kyyrönen SKS KRA FON 1915:66d (a 13-and a 5-string kantele with bronze strings & a 5-kantele with viscose strings) by Matrona Kyyrönen & Arja Kastinen.
9. Kantervokalan evästä, feat. Oskari Lehtonen (a 12-string kantele with brass strings & a 15-string kantele with steel strings & percussion) by Arja Kastinen & Oskari Lehtonen.
10. Soitimbo(a 14-string kantele with steel strings and a 13-string kantele with bronze strings) by Arja Kastinen.

Buy Kantervo.