Martti Pokela

Martti Pokela
Martti with his wife Marjatta in 1965
Born
Martti Eliel Pokela

(1924-01-23)23 January 1924
Died23 August 2007(2007-08-23) (aged 83)
Occupation(s)Musician, educator
Known forMusic for kantele

Martti Eliel Pokela (23 January 1924 – 23 August 2007) was a Finnish folk musician and composer.[1] Pokela was an expert with the kantele, Finland's national musical instrument.[1][2][3][4]

Life and career

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Pokela and his wife, Marjatta Pokela, were widely credited with ushering in a revival in interest in Finnish folk music beginning in the 1950s.[1][5] Their daughter, Eveliina Pokela, began performing with them in the 1960s.[1][2]

Pokela merged traditional Finnish folk music with contemporary sounds. The family's albums have also been released outside of Finland.[1]

Pokela taught kantele playing at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and Kuopio until 1987.[1] He was the founder of the academy's folk music department, where he was named a full professor in 1980.[1][2]

He is buried in the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.[6]

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Albums

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  • Keskiyön Auringon Lauluja (1969)
  • Best of Kantele (1995)
  • Sonata For Kantele (1996)
  • Snow Kantele (1998)
  • "Tuulikumpu" (2001)
  • Improsette by Martti Pokela (2005)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Finland's Kantele Master Martti Pokela Dies". YLE. 2007-08-23. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  2. ^ a b c Jalkanen, Pekka (27 August 2007). "Pokela, Martti (1924 - 2007)". Kansallisbiografia. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Kansanmuusikko Martti Pokela on kuollut". Ilta-Sanomat. 23 August 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  4. ^ Lång, Markus; Väänänen, Timo (1993). "Martti Pokelan konserttikantelesävellyksistä". Musiikkitiede. 5 (2): 67–83. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  5. ^ Juvonen, Päivi. "Marjatta Pokela". Pomus. Archived from the original on December 22, 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Hietaniemen hautausmaa – merkittäviä vainajia" (PDF). Helsingin seurakuntayhtymä. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
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