SyndicationFeb/04/2011 - 11:25:09 am
The Birth of The Kantele
Many Finnish people know the "birthstory" of the Kantele, it is our national instrument.
A kantele is a traditional plucked string instrument native to Finland, Estonia, and Karelia. It is related to the Russian gusli, the Latvian kokle and the Lithuanian kanklės. Together these instruments make up the family known as Baltic psalteries. In Finland's national epic, Kalevala, the mage Väinämöinen makes the first kantele from the jawbone of a giant pike and a few hairs from Hiisi's stallion. The music it makes draws all the forest creatures near to wonder at its beauty. Later, after losing and greatly grieving over his kantele, Väinämöinen makes another one from a birch, strung with the hair of a willing maiden, and its magic proves equally profound. It is the gift the eternal sage leaves behind when he departs Kaleva at the advent of Christianity.
so, with that inroduction to the instrument that makes us all feel closer to the people of ancient times, here is the first page of the Birth of The Kantele.
I'll probably color it some time but here's just the black and white version for now ' v '
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