Iltalaulu Antista

What do we know about Finnish culture and Finnish music especially? It is good that you’ve read Kalevala. It is more better if you’ve understand there something. Finland as the land of deep woods and cold lakes stays for the rest part of Europeans dark and gloomy hole with strange people.

Believe me. Finns have rich culture and the only reason they keep it by themselves is what Finns like calmness and silence. We will not touch them – I just wanna say some words about one song and one singer because suppose to know it will be interesting for you.

Finnish folk song Iltalaulu – Evening Song - was arranged in 1977 by Kari Kuosmanen. Now it is part of new-released CD Tilkkitäkki (02.08.2006) where nowdays Finnish singers sing folk songs. Their names will say you nothing. Antti Tuisku is among them. Antti Tuisku – one of the greatest Finnish favorites, little boy with silver voice and strange destiny. Three platin CDs, tones of attraction, thousands shows, small girls hero and light in the eyes. If somebody will paint Antti’s picture it will be St. Sebastian, remember? Not? Forget and blame it on my sensitive.

I don’t know why just Antti was given to sing Iltalaulu but when yesterday, even in the night, I put this CD and turn on my magnitole I understand ALL.

Crystal voice. No matter what power it has. Antti can sing with deep-deep feeling, sounds of her voice touches the most painful places in the soul and heal them. Antti feels music. He knows how to sing right and no note superfluous. He knows how to rule song. I think his destiny is to sing such king of songs. No miten ois. No paita pois. No “Peto”. No screaming rubbish crowd. Like Master from evergreen Russian novel Master and Margarita Antti has deserved not only the rest but also the light. Iltalaulu, this little Finnish folk pearl, is the continuous of Minun Jouluni CD when Antti showed us WHAT he is really is and what music he MUST sing. In Iltalaulu his voice is trembling, touching, soft, calm, pure, passionate and mysterious. This kind of song must be singed only this way. This kind of songs shows us not only a soul of song – let me say like this – but the soul of executor, Antti’s soul – sweet, soft and snow-white.

I wish those who love good music to listen to Antti’s version of Iltalaulu and to think in the silence – what treasure they have – just to listen to this childish voice. And, I hope this, you will understand, that cannot live without this song…


                        Natalie Drozd.