The piece melds various fundamentally different compositional approaches, such as improvisation and the use of pre-recorded sound material. The kantele part is strongly influenced by the improvisation tradition of nineteenth-century Finland, and the instrument he uses is essentially a replica of the ones used in that era. The electronic component combines obsolete analog technology with current digital audio-editing capabilities. The piece becomes an intersection of different disciplines and eras, with a strong focus on the local musical tradition, the everyday soundscape, and the technological context of making music.
The project addresses underlying questions: how can such complexities be interwoven into a single performance, and what are the myriad options one has to navigate to distinguish between a local and global tradition in the current cultural climate?
