Playlist: Finnish Accordion in the 21st Century

Markku Lepistö: Mollipolkat Kuortaneelta (Minor-key Polkas from Kuortane)  

In the interview for this special issue's article, Antti Paalanen noted that one of the most distinctive traditions in Finnish accordion music might be the minor-key polkas that combine the melodic style characteristic of two-row accordions with Finland’s penchant for minor tonalities. Markku Lepistö, who has researched the early history of the accordion in Finland, presents a masterful interpretation of traditional minor key polkas from Kuortane, South Ostrobothnia, in this 2021 recording.

Enkel: Lupa elää (License to Live)

South Ostrobothnia is also strongly present in the folk festival favourites, Enkel, whose accordion players Leija Lautamaja and Miia Palomäki hail from the plains of Alavus. This energetic quartet, who combine traditional and original compositions, also includes violist Iida Savolainen and kantele player Maija Pokela.

Antti Paalanen: Alavilla mailla

“I listened to rock and heavy metal in the 1980s, and in the 1990s, when I was a teenager, electronic music was everywhere. I’ve tried to explore how my instrument could fit into these music cultures, seeking the rebel feeling that there was in the early 20th century: young people loved the accordion, but older people and the intelligentsia disparaged it.”

– Antti Paalanen

Suistamon Sähkö: Hummani hei (Giddy-Up My Horse)

Anne-Mari Kivimäki: Maalo

The melody and opening words of Tapio Rautavaara’s 1953 hit, a Finnish classic, were borrowed from the folk songbook compiled by ethnomusicologist Erkki Ala-Könni. Suistamon Sähkö updates the folk song into a late-night banger with their mix of East Finnish and Karelian traditions with machine beats and spoken word. The group’s sharp metallic accordion sound comes from Anne-Mari Kivimäki’s Soviet-era Notka accordion. Kivimäki’s artistic doctorate explored pre-war accordion culture in the Karelian Isthmus, a Baltic-Finnic layer also present in her latest single “Maalo”.

Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in F Minor, K.386 (arranged & performed by Janne Rättyä)

“This album demonstrates how Scarlatti masterfully blended refined baroque with folk music and dances from Spain and beyond. The very first sonata exudes southern temperament, and thanks to the instrument choice, one can even hear foreshadowings of Argentine tango that emerged over 200 years later. […] The sonatas are as diverse and light as Spanish tapas.” – Santeri Kaipiainen, Keskisuomalainen, 19 April 2014

Jean-Philippe Rameau: Pièces de clavecin avec une méthode, Suite in D Major, RCT 3: VIII. Les cyclopes (arranged & performed by Janne Valkeajoki)

Magnus Lindberg: Jeux d’anches (performed by Janne Valkeajoki)

Janne Valkeajoki’s accordion adaptations and recordings of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s (1683–1764) harpsichord suites feature splendid ornamentation, organ-like grandeur, and a playful, dashing energy. Valkeajoki’s earlier album focuses on Magnus Lindberg’s accordion works, including Jeux d’anches (1990), a piece dedicated to Matti Rantanen, a trailblazer in the field of Finnish art music for the accordion.

Lauri Supponen: Solsirépifpan (performed by Harri Kuusijärvi)

Harri Kuusijärvi: Kalix

Accordion virtuoso Harri Kuusijärvi began his performance career accompanying singalongs in his childhood home of Lankojärvi in Pello, later earning second prize in the international classical accordion competition Arrasate Hiria in 2011. Since then, he has explored his instrument’s possibilities in contemporary jazz, art rock, and experimental tango. The album Solsirépifpan, featuring music by composer Lauri Supponen, is arranged for an electro-acoustic accordion designed by Kuusijärvi himself. Kalix is the second single from Kuusijärvi’s new trio with bassist Jori Huhtala and drummer Mika Kallio.

Johanna Juhola: Elektroniikkakerho (Electronics Club)

Having established her reputation in tango nuevo at a young age, Johanna Juhola has since charted a distinctive, recognisable path as a soloist, in duos, and with her ensemble. “Elektroniikkakerho”, from her latest album A Brighter Future, combines tango influences with retro-futurism reminiscent of the 1970s.

Kimmo Pohjonen & Kronos Quartet: Uniko: II. Plasma

Kimmo Pohjonen, alongside Värttinä, was one of the first Finnish ethno-stars to achieve international success. Throughout his career, he has been a bold experimenter, embracing new technologies such as MIDI accordions, and engaging in cross-genre collaborations and multidisciplinary performances. The world-renowned Kronos Quartet recorded Pohjonen’s seven-movement work Uniko in 2011.

Veli Kujala: Hyperchromatic Counterpoint – IV. Accordion Hyperoriental

Gourmet: Nighttime Rag (for Hampi the Cat)

Composer-accordionist Veli Kujala is one of the few – if not the only – owners of a quarter-tone accordion in the world. His solo piece Hyperchromatic Counterpoint (2006–09) is a wild blend of Steve Reich’s minimalism, Johann Sebastian Bach’s polyphony, microtonal spectralism, blues, and influences from Arabic music. “Hypercromatic Counterpointremains my most extensive work to date”, writes Kujala in this issue’s column. On the other hand, the cheerfully eccentric Gourmet supergroup represents a completely different facet of Kujala’s musicianship. 

Vildá: Skállovárri

Northflip: Pilke

The fascinating combination of accordion and Northern Sámi yoik by Viivi Maria Saarenkylä and Hildá Länsmangarnered well-deserved attention in the years following its debut. Northflip, Saarenkylä’s more recent duo with guitarist J-P Piirainen, leans closer to Nordic folk traditions in its melodies and rhythms.

Teija Niku: Hetki

As the long-time artistic director of the Haapavesi Folk Festival, Teija Niku has explored both Balkan and Finnish traditions in her career. “Hetki” (Moment) is an original solo composition by Niku – a floating, beautiful, and heartfelt piece.

Maria Kalaniemi & Eero Grundström: Jepu

Maria Kalaniemi & Timo Alakotila: On yö ja tähdet taivahalla... (Rakovalkealla – Vid Lägerelden)

“The version of Rakovalkealla by Maria Kalaniemi and Timo Alakotila is one of my favourite accordion performances. It combines the accordion music of Tapio Rautavaara’s era with Alakotila’s modern arrangements featuring strings. I’d personally consider it among the essential Finnish accordion recordings.” – Antti Paalanen