Stories by

"In traditional cultures, singing, music-making and dancing are all one. Although music and dance have subsequently split into separate genres in Western countries, the age-old link has never been totally severed. The 4/2013 FMQ presents a selection of ways in which the marriage of music and dance is manifest in present-day Finland."

As trends wax and wane, street dance is becoming globally more prominent with each cycle. In Finland, it’s at the height of its popularity and making inroads into uncharted territory, both artistically and socially.

Avanti! was formed – with an exclamation mark – in April 1983. At that time, Finland was ruled by Urho Kekkonen and Finnish music by Joonas Kokkonen. Consensus was the name of the game, and any deviation was regarded as childish provocation.

"This album is focused more on the beautifully melodic and lyrical side to a surprising extent. The compositions are so strong that it is probably the right decision to construct the album around them and to let the melodies speak for themselves."

"The extensive output for male choir of Toivo Kuula (1883–1918) inspired two Finnish male choirs to release a complete recording on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of his birth. This allows for a tantalising direct comparison..."

Three internationally acclaimed Finnish choreographers - Marjo Kuusela, Kenneth Kvarnström and Tero Saarinen - describe how movement and music engage in dialogue in their dance works.

Schubert plays while you are threatened at gunpoint. A Saami yoik is refined into Japanese temple music. The soundscape for Le sacre du printemps is created from the rasping breathing of dancers. The sounds of contemporary dance works increasingly occupy a no-man’s-land between conventional composition and sound art.

"Pekka Kuusisto astounds the listener once again with his agility in Lindberg’s Violin Concerto (2006), a virtuoso work that is one of his most successful scores."

"How does a performance by three dancers merge with, differ from, complement or disagree with an enormous symphonic monolith? After all, Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony has already been interpreted, explained and provided with a note-by-note narrative time and time again. Personal Symphonic Moment by Elina Pirinen embraces the challenge."