jouhikko

Aino Peltomaa and Ilkka Heinonen are musicians who excel in the no-man’s-land between genres, organically shaping their music into something that defies labels. With backgrounds in both early and folk music, they challenge rigid expectations and the usual tendency to categorise. In this interview, they explore the power of collective creativity and embracing the unknown.

Rauno Nieminen turned the jouhikko and kantele into contemporary marvels. Recently awarded a lifetime achievement for his work, Nieminen’s work isn’t just about instruments – it’s a bridge between eras. In this article, Nieminen unveils the unexpected convergence of the old and new in the world of folk music.

Pekko Käppi’s recent albums lean toward poignant ballads, often with a subversive twist – and the eerie, unsettling sound of his electric jouhikko.

"I enjoy the world haapoja & illmari kollektiivi create, where a folk music mood coexists with rap aesthetics and a soundscape vibe. Folk music is in the air, and the sound is so earthy you can practically hear the soil under the fingernails."

"The Ilkka Heinonen Trio operates with a broad and downright electrifying range of colours."

"The JuuriJuhla-RotFest (Roots Festival) takes place in Espoo each year and says it has its own roots in the pelimanni folk dance music, although most of the concerts range much wider. It featured top names on the Finnish roots music scene."

"With everything else removed, the most distinguishable elements of his music remain: his unique voice and brilliant jouhikko playing."

The jouhikko, a traditional bowed lyre that represents a dead end in the evolution of musical instruments, is enjoying a renaissance not only in Finland but internationally too. Jouhikkos are being played and built as far afield as in the Americas, by amateurs and professional instrument makers alike. But what should a jouhikko actually look and sound like? What are the ideals governing its development? Jouhikko virtuoso Ilkka Heinonen adds his two cents.

“The music of Arctic Fire concert at the WOMEX 2019 was brave and contemporary, yet all of them drew in some way on archaic traditions in Finnish music.”

The kantele is seen as Finland’s national instrument and its mythological history is often reinforced: how Väinämöinen, a hero and the central character in our national epic, the Kalevala, builds the first kantele. The jouhikko is another instrument with a long history, known previously by the name jouhikantele (bowed kantele). Its living playing tradition gradually died down but was actively revived during the 20th century.

"Pekko Käppi and K:H:H:L's new album Matilda is both a sophisticated and raw continuation to its predecessor, the brilliant Sanguis Meus, Mama!"

"What can you actually play on the old folk instrument called the jouhikko (bowed lyre)? Ilkka Heinonen’s answer to that is: anything!"