Monday at Last with the kantele

Monday at Last is the concert series where Cecilia Zilliacus and Kati Raitinen invite guest artists to join them in performances of both new and older music. This time, the invited guest is Eija Kankaanranta – a leading soloist on the Finnish national instrument, the kantele, who has also arranged all the works in this programme.

The kantele is more than 2,000 years old and was once believed to have the power to enchant all the creatures of the forest. Its shimmering, beautiful sound is showcased here in newly composed works by Juhani Nuorvala and Lotta Wennäkoski, as well as music by Finland’s national composer Jean Sibelius. The instrument’s virtuoso potential is revealed in a version of Bach’s Goldberg Variations for kantele, violin and cello.

The beautifully atmospheric music of Japanese composer and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto has captivated millions of listeners around the world. Among many other projects, he composed music for several video games and was awarded an Oscar for the film The Last Emperor (together with David Byrne). He also wrote more intimate works, such as A Flower is Not a Flower for piano, which is heard here in an arrangement for kantele, violin and cello.