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Sibelius’s music has, naturally, been a popular topic among Finnish music researchers. Three recent dissertations open new perspectives on the composer’s orchestral and vocal music. We let the new ‘Sibelius doctors’ elaborate on their research.

Laulu', a film directed by Selma Vilhunen, portrays the encounter of people, their life stories, joys and sorrows in the heartland of runo singing.

Raoul Björkenheim is a guitarist and composer in a constant search for new levels of expression. This versatile musician is at home on two continents and in various musical styles. For him, improvisation is a matter of life philosophy and music should have true personal value.

"It is mind-boggling to think just how much Finland and Finnish music have changed over the past 30 years."

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."