Loituma is a
Finnish quartet
In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments.
Classical String quartet
In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...
whose members combine the
Finnish vocal tradition with the sounds of the
kantele. Loituma were selected Ensemble of the Year at the 1997
Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.
History
Loituma’s initial incarnation was in the autumn of 1989 as a septet called ''Jäykkä Leipä'' ("Stiff Bread"), born in the
Sibelius Academy’s Folk music department. The original lineup included singers
Sanna Kurki-Suonio and
Tellu Paulasto Tellu Turkka (formerly Tellu Paulasto, Tellu Virkkala, born 1969, Koskenpää) is a Finnish fiddler and singer in the contemporary folk / neo-folk music genre. She studied violin at the Jyväskylä Conservatory from 1978 to 1985, at the Savonlinna ...
, who later left for
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
to join
Hedningarna.
Over the years, the group has persistently followed its own musical path, incorporating diverse influences into its music. One of the cornerstones of Finnish
folk music is the art of singing, through which the stories and feelings which comprise aspects of the Finnish heritage are conveyed, aided by backing musicians Martti Pokela and Toivo Alaspää. Another cornerstone of Loituma's art is a Finnish folk instrument called the
kantele, which is featured in varied ways in their recordings.
Loituma members compose or arrange the tunes themselves, but often use
improvisation
Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
. Lyrics come from many sources, including two main traditional sources: the
Kalevala, the national epic of Finland; and the
Kanteletar (
Lönnrot's collection of Finnish folk poetry). The lyrics are in
Finnish.
Loituma gained great popularity in 2006 when the
Loituma Girl (also known as Leekspin), a looped
flash animation of an
anime girl
Orihime Inoue from the ''
Bleach
Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color (whitening) from a fabric or fiber or to clean or to remove stains in a process called bleaching. It often refers specifically, to ...
'' series twirling a leek, set to a
scat singing section of "
Ievan polkka" from Loituma's 1995 debut album ''Things of Beauty'',
was posted in Russian
LiveJournal. The animation instantly became an
Internet phenomenon and the song clip soon enjoyed overwhelming popularity as a
ringtone
A ringtone, ring tone or ring is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming call. Originally referring to and made by the electromechanical striking of bells, the term now refers to any sound on any device alerting of a new incoming ...
, with most of the young urban population aware of the "Yak zup zop" lyrics.
Russian meme and cultural phenomena wiki Lurkmore - Yak Zup Zop article
/ref>
Band members
* Anita Lehtola-Tollin — vocals, 5-string kantele
* Hanni-Mari Autere
Hanni-Mari Autere (also known as Hanni Autere) is a Finnish fiddle-singer, folk singer, and musician. She is a member of Loituma. Autere has become known for the singing freestyle in the song Ievan polkka
"Ievan polkka" (Finnish for "Ieva' ...
— vocals, fiddle
A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...
, 5-string kantele, alto recorder, double bass, Lapin drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
* Sari Kauranen — kanteles, vocals
* Timo Väänänen — kanteles, vocals
Discography
Albums
* ''Loituma'' (released in Finland in 1995) / ''Things of Beauty'' (released in the United States in 1998)
* ''Kuutamolla'' (released in Finland in 1998) / ''In the Moonlight'' (released in United States in 1999)
Singles
References
External links
Loituma on MySpace
{{Authority control
Finnish folk musical groups
Musical groups established in 1989
Musical quartets
A cappella musical groups