Program MI – Micranthes stellaris
MI is an exploration of the boundary between the living and the non-living, asking what is alive and what has already faded into extinction. This program and the related album is dedicated to flowers, more specifically Arctic endangered flowers. Medieval literature is rich with flower imagery, much of it preserved in monasteries. Yet, like many Arctic flower species, a large part has already been lost. However, new manuscripts are still being discovered, and the rich musical tradition lives on through dedicated musicians and audiences. Similarly, many of the Arctic flower species can still be rescued and preserved. It is not too late! This concert weaves together medieval repertoire – Bridgettine chants, the works of Hildegard von Bingen, Fenno-ugrian and Estonian folk songs – with my own compositions and texts inspired by Arctic flowers. I hope that through these themes I can bridge together elements of music and memory, echoing the fragile yet persistent nature of our cultural and ecological heritage. Lost, rediscovered. Destroyed, vanished, rescued.
The name of the program MI refers to an arctic flower Micranthes stellaris as well as my piece Mieli meni (“And so the Mind Went”), creating a dialogue between different mental states and the beauty of the nature around us. MI is also the third note of the Gamut scale. The concert unfolds in four parts: I Micranthes stellaris, II Platanthera oligantha, III The Suffering and Recovery of Mother Earth IV Stream of Life. So, I wish you a warm welcome to the world of flowers – into a realm of colors, fragrances, atmospheres, and soundscapes. I hope you will enjoy the ride!
Line-up:
Ensemble Gamut!
Aino Peltomaa | voice, medieval harp, kantele, percussion
Ilkka Heinonen | jouhikko, voice, electronics
Anna-Liisa Eller | kanne
Ensemble Gamut! is a fresh, experimental collective of early music and folk music specialists, who are constantly searching for new ways to perform early music. Led by Aino Peltomaa, they have created their unique sound by combining and daringly rearranging elements from medieval music and Finnish folk songs with improvisation and electronic soundscapes. The name of the ensemble is derived from medieval music theory (Guido of Arezzo), but also means a colour reproduction, a subset of colours. Kamut means “friends” in Finnish, and the word Kamu is also short for ”kansanmusiikki”, meaning folk music. MI, the third album of Ensemble Gamut! weaves together medieval repertoire with Peltomaa’s own compositions and texts inspired by Arctic endangered flowers. Their sophomore album RE was nominated in the Finnish music awards Emma Gaala (”Ethno of the year”). Their albums UT, RE and MI have attracted widespread interest among international music critics across genres, and have frequently been featured among the best albums in yearly listings of classical, early as well as progressive music. Ensemble Gamut!’s imaginative style has been described as ”refreshing, soothing, intriguing and enlightening”. Their acclaimed performances have enchanted audiences from club gigs to museums, medieval churches and concert halls.
Links: Youtube: youtube.com/@ensemblegamut Facebook: facebook.com/ensemblegamut Instagram: instagram.com/ensemblegamut Website: ensemblegamut.com
Festival funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special-purpose fund – within the framework of the “Music” programme, implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance.
