Metsakukkia... ??... anyone know this tune?

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:20 pm

My husband wants to play this tune at the end of a piece for his Grandmother... the only notation I can find does not match the tune as I'm hearing it played... anyone familiar with it? Good source for tab or notation?

lemccullough · Post by **lemccullough** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:33 am

I learned it when I was playing with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, and it's on their "The Lovers' Waltz" CD (1997, Angel). It's not as difficult as it sounds either. I found several transcriptions on the web just typing in the name, but if you're stuck on a passage, write me.

Best,
L.E. McCullough

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:14 am

And its available in either The Waltz Book or The Waltz Book II. Cool tune!

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:07 am

Thanks much, guys!

It finally started to make sense when I finally remembered that the e on my C whistle wasn't going to be the same as the e on my D... (sound of palm slapping forehead)

I love Jay and Molly's version!

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:15 pm

That name sounds extremely Finnish. I think I've heard of this one, I might be confusing it with some other tune but isn't this the Canadian style tune that was written by a Finnish guy?

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:39 pm

Henke wrote:That name sounds extremely Finnish. I think I've heard of this one, I might be confusing it with some other tune but isn't this the Canadian style tune that was written by a Finnish guy?

Apparently a Finnish Waltz, "the Forest Flower".

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:58 pm

Ah, okay. Yeah, came to think I was confusing it, the Canadian style tune was named something else. Any idea who wrote it? The accordion player in my band is originally a Finnish trad player, he's an expert on these sort of things.

Dee Whistler · Post by **Dee Whistler** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:58 am

Hi!

Actually it's "Metsäkukkia" and means "Forest Flowers". It is the most or second popular wedding waltz in Finland. It is traditional and probably have arrived in Finland from East (Russia). Earliest recording in Finland was made in 1937 and after that it has been in numerous recordings. In Finland it is played often instrumentally with accordion, but in recordings it is the song-version one usually hears (The most popular ones being versions by Olavi Virta and Georg Ots -if anybody is interested). One finds sheet music for it at least from The Session.

Now I, as a Finn, am very interested in how this tune has arrived to Ireland and into irish repertoire? Because it's known by its finnish name, it has certainly came from here, but when. ? Does anybody know, when this waltz came to Ireland?

Dee

Dee Whistler · Post by **Dee Whistler** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:04 am

And for instrumental version by accordion go to: http://uralica.com/music2.htm

It is played there by Viljo Vesterinen, who was also the first to record it in Finland.

Dee

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:31 am

Finally this rung a bell. :roll: I have played the tune with Jackie Daly a few times. He called it the Flower of the Forest. I learned it off him but never managed to remember it by the time I got home. It's a simple tune though and lovely too.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:01 am

The "Boys Of The Lough" recorded this several years ago, - the"Sweet Rural Shade" album, I think, so I reckon it was Cathal McConnell who brought this into the Irish repertoire. I seem to remember it as a whistle-duet with Christy O'Leary. Music for this has been posted on the "session" website, along with more comment and discussion than is probably needed, and I will not guarantee the accuracy of the transcription. Hope this is of interest.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:44 am

On reflection, since Christy O'Leary has a well-known affinity for music from the Scandinavian countries, there's a strong possibility that he brought the tune to Cathal and the "BotL", so he might be the link between this tune and Ireland. Whatever - I'm sure it was one of them, unless the sleeve-notes say different. I will check, and amend the above if the old memory is playing tricks again.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 1:04 pm

For Dee Whistler - Boys Of The Lough sleeve notes say as follows :
"heard played at a musical gathering in Stromness, Orkney in 1986..."
....so it came via Scotland, somehow, but there again, the Orkney islands do have musical connections with Scandinavia.

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:00 pm

Another great "foreign sounding" waltz I discovered recently is "Close every door". I think the tune is from the show "David and his amazing..." It has a Jewish feel to it. Works great on the whistle.

Dee Whistler · Post by **Dee Whistler** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:44 pm

Thank you for the info!

So, I'll have to get the Boys of the Lough Cd somewhere. Love their stuff, only have not heard that paricular record.

Dee

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Metsakukkia... ??... anyone know this tune?

Metsakukkia... ??... anyone know this tune?

Metsakukkia

Metsäkukkia

recording

Forest Flower

p.s.

via Orkney

metsäkukkia