Stories by

The history of electronic music in general is yet a short one, and affords an interesting angle on the passing of time. Experiments made 40 or 50 years ago may seem to us rather primitive now, but how will the high technology of today look to those working in this field fifty years from now?

"He’s more pop than ever, bringing to mind especially Finnish singer-songwriters from past decades. But he has not forgotten who he is: a modern runo singer, a storyteller knowing well the musical tradition of his country and playing his bowed lyre, jouhikko, brilliantly."

Erik Bergman spent nearly half of his life travelling and visited almost every corner of the globe. Although he was a true cosmopolitan and exoticist, he managed to maintain a recognisable and personal musical style in all his compositions. For Bergman, foreign cultures were objects to identify with rather than mere reservoirs for musical ideas.

"It is a refreshing experience for a Finn to listen to Tii ilo: there’s musically something quite familiar, but you don’t get much of the lyrics."

Musicologist and composer Erkki Salmenhaara provides an introduction to the work of the Franco-Russo-Karelian cosmopolitan who was Uuno Klami.

Amid the maelstroms of crisis rocking the world, the FMQ takes a look at musicians’ finances. What is the colour of money in the world of music, and what is the outlook?

"Its versatility is undoubtedly just one of the reasons why the guitar has established such a visible role in the world; in a way it has become the paradigmatic instrument of contemporary Western society. Playing the guitar embodies many of today’s fundamental values, such as sociability, success and supreme mastery. Rock guitar, in particular, is often very showy but also highly technical, and a clear hierarchy prevails within the band; these things are again typical of the present day and age. "

"These days Esa-Pekka Salonen is a superstar who spends seven months of each year composing and the rest conducting some of the world’s finest orchestras. He has seen the music scene in Finland change fundamentally since the founding of the FMQ."

Georg Malmstén was a man of many musical talents, and one of the most popular of his kind. While the Finnish recording industry was still only just in its infancy, Malmstén made the first children’s record with Finnish lyrics and orchestral accompaniment and in doing so paved the way for the popular Finnish children’s song as we know it today.