Music and poetry |
observations
on nature![]() music and poetry ![]() observations on ways of life ![]() |
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![]() Acerbi's drawing of a Finnish farmhouse living room |
Acerbi as an ethnographer He has among other things the oldest preserved text for the well-known poem 'Jos mun tuttuni tulisi' (If only my beloved came). In Vaasa Giuseppe Acerbi had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the Kalevala song melody and allitteration in the song 'Älä sure Suomen kansa' (Do not mourn, Finnish nation). In all probability it was in Kemi that Acerbi recorded the notes for the well-known lullaby 'Nuku, nuku nurmilintu' (Sleep, sleep little bird). This is the first preserved variant of this famous lullaby. In Ylitornio Acerbi heard and recorded the well-known poem on the floods of the river Tornionjoki in the year 1677 written by Antti Keksi. This poem was later recorded as a broad sheet ballad and is still known and sung. Acerbi has a very low opinion of the music of the Lapps (the Sami). He considers them musically unskilled and regards their music as mere howling.
Giuseppe Acerbi succeeded excellently in his examples of folk poetry.
It is remarkable how he managed to get such first rate examples of Finnish
poetry. It is even more remarkable as folk poetry was in no way a priority
in his travel plans. However, the poems he recorded have been preserved
to this date and form part of Finnish national heritage. |
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