Finding Aids to Collections Organized by Topic in the Archive of Folk Culture

FINNISH AND FINNISH AMERICAN COLLECTIONS
IN THE ARCHIVE OF FOLK CULTURE
Acquired through 1995

Compiled by: Maris Jaagosild and Leena Rintala
Series Editors: Judith Gray and Ann Hoog

Publication Date: August 2000
Series Number: LCFAFA No. 24
ISSN 0736-4903

Sound Recordings and Multiformat Collections

AFS 2238-2486: Two hundred forty-nine 12-inch discs of instrumentals, songs, and stories recorded in Michigan and Wisconsin by Alan Lomax, August 10-November 1, 1938. The collection includes one-half linear inch of cards, correspondence, lists, and notes.

AFS 2334A-2337B1: Four discs containing six songs sung by Kalle Kallio and Emil Mäki, and one instrumental played on concertina by Charles Ketvertis. Recorded in Newberry, Michigan, September 1938. (Eighteen minutes; LWO 4872 reels 150B-151A)

AFS 2340A1: One disc containing "Kun aina olen valmis lähtemään" (When I am Leaving) sung by Andrew Jackson. Recorded in Newberry, Michigan, September 1938. (Two minutes; LWO 4872 reel 151A)

AFS 2346A1: One disc containing "Kolmekymmentä vuotis sodan marssi" (March of the Thirty-Year War) sung by Andrew Jackson. Recorded in Amasa, Michigan, September 1938. (Two minutes; LWO 4872 reel 151B)

AFS 2361A: One disc containing a Finnish schottische played on concertina by Henry Mahoski. Recorded in Amasa, Michigan, September 1938. (Two minutes; LWO 4872 reel 152B)

AFS 2362-2367: Six discs containing fifteen songs sung by Frank Mäki, Vernon Rautanen, Frank Viita, and Mrs. Marttila. Recorded in Amasa and Calumet, Michigan, September 1938. (Thirty-nine minutes; LWO 4872 reel 152B)

AFS 2376-2380: Five discs containing twelve songs sung by John Fredrickson, Mrs. Marttila, and Aina Pohjala. Recorded in Calumet, Michigan, September 1938. (Thirty-four minutes; LWO 4872 reel 153A-B)

AFS 2381-2384: Four discs containing "Loitsu ihottuman parantamiseksi" (Words of Healing) spoken by Aapo Juhani and sixteen tunes performed by Hjelmar Forster on harmonica and Aapo Juhani on accordion. Recorded in Calumet, Michigan, September 1938. (Thirty-nine minutes; LWO 4872 reel 153B)

AFS 2386-2389: Four discs containing eleven songs and tunes performed by Aapo Juhani, singing and on accordion, Lillian Aho, Peter Aho on kantele, and Hjelmar Forster on harmonica. Recorded in Calumet, Michigan, September 27, 1938. (Thirty minutes; LWO 4872 reel 154A)

AFS 2391-2392A1: Two discs containing a song sung by Aapo Juhani and a Finnish polka performed by Hjelmar Forster on harmonica. Recorded in Calumet, Michigan, September 28, 1938. (Nine minutes; LWO 4872 reel 154A)

AFS 2392A2-2394B: Three discs containing twelve songs sung by Amanda Heikkinen (Härkönen) and Kusti Similä. Recorded in Fulton, Michigan, September 1938. (Twenty-four minutes; LWO 4872 reel 154A-B)

AFS 2395-2397: Three discs containing six songs and one story sung and spoken by John Hyvönen. Recorded in Hancock, Michigan, September 1938. (Twenty-nine minutes; LWO 4872 reel 154B)

AFS 2398-2399: Two discs containing ten songs sung by Ilona Hallinen. Recorded in Allouez, Michigan, September 1938. (Thirteen minutes; LWO 4872 reel 154B)

AFS 2401A1: One disc containing "Löysin minä lankakerän" (I found a Ball of Wool) sung by Lillian Forester and Vilma Salmi. Recorded in Laurium, Michigan, October 1, 1938. (Two minutes; LWO 4872 reel 154B)

AFS 2467-2468: Two discs containing five songs sung and played on kantele by Wäinö Hirvelä. Recorded in Ironwood, Michigan, October 15, 1938. (Sixteen minutes; LWO 4872 reel 157B)

AFS 2471-2473: Three discs containing nine songs and kantele and mandolin instrumentals performed by Mrs. Wallen (?) and Mr. Kuran (?). Recorded in Ironwood, Michigan, October 15, 1938. (Seventeen minutes; LWO 4872 reel 158A)

AFS 3155-3313: One hundred fifty-nine 12-inch discs of instrumentals and songs recorded in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin by Sidney Robertson (Cowell), Charles Seeger, and Margaret Valiant, September 1936 - September 1937, for the Resettlement Administration. The collection includes one linear inch of lists and a copy of the program book for the 1937 National Folk Festival.

AFS 3247A4-5: One disc containing two Finnish songs sung by Marjorie Edgar of Marin on St. Croix, Minnesota. Recorded at the National Folk Festival, Chicago, by Sidney Robertson (Cowell), May 1937. (One minute; LWO 4872 reel 215B)

AFS 3268-3273: Six discs containing two narratives, two kantele instrumentals, three violin instrumentals, and twenty-one Finnish songs (six played with kantele and four with violin). Performed by Mrs. Herman Heino, Cecilia Kuitunen, Anna Leino Maija Särkipato, Mary Särkipato, Otto Särkipato, Matt Simi, Olga Simi, and Sue Simi. Recorded in Cloquet, Ely, Virginia, and Winton, Minnesota, by Sidney Robertson (Cowell), August 16-17, 1937. (Fifty minutes; LWO 5111 reel 440A)

AFS 3274-3275; 3298B: Three discs containing two kantele instrumentals and seven Finnish songs, performed by Marie Moilanen, Elsa Perälä, Matti Perälä, and Ulrika Vainionpää. Recorded in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, by Sidney Robertson (Cowell), September 19, 1937. (Twenty-four minutes; LWO 5111 reels 440A, 441A)

AFS 4159-4193: Thirty-five 12-inch discs of instrumentals and songs recorded in Wisconsin by Robert F. Draves and Helene Stratman-Thomas (Blotz), August 19-September 5, 1940. The collection includes five-eighths linear inches of descriptions and lists.

AFS 4185; 4191-4193: Four discs containing eleven Finnish songs sung by Martha Leppänen Hayes and Jalmar Nukala with piano accompaniment by Mamie Wirtanen Nukala. Recorded in Superior, September 3, 1940. (Twenty-five minutes; LWO 4872 reels 285, 286A)

AFS 4195-4325: One hundred thirty-two 12-inch discs from the California Folk Music Project, a field survey of instrumentals, religious services, and songs recorded in northern California by Sidney Robertson (Cowell) September 1938-March 1940, under the joint sponsorship of the Music Department of the University of California at Berkeley, the Library of Congress, and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The collection includes numerous photos, scale drawings of musical instruments, transcriptions of lyrics and music, as well as several linear feet of field notes, correspondence, and other documentation. This collection is also available on the Web through the American Memory Historical Collections, a major component of the Library of Congress's National Digital Library Program: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afccchtml/cowhome.html

AFS 4260: One disc containing five songs in Finnish and one song in English sung by C.A Koljonen, Celia Koljonen, Fina Petersen, and Mary Salonen. Recorded in Central Valley, September 4, 1939. (Nine minutes; LWO 4872 reel 291B)

AFS 4274-4275: Two discs containing ten Finnish songs sung by John Soininen. Recorded in Berkeley, November 5, 1939. (Twenty-one minutes; LWO 4872 reel 292B)

AFS 10,292-10,295: Four 10-inch discs of folk music of Finland and Norway. Transferred to the Music Division of Library of Congress from the Co-operative Acquisitions Project. The collection includes fourteen sheets of songs lists, transcripts, and other documentation.

AFS 10,293: One disc containing two Finnish songs "Maame" [National anthem of Finland] and "Pohjanmaan Jääkäripataljoonan Marssi" (March of the Battalion of Light Infantry), composed by F. Pacius, performed by the Odeon Orchestra. Recorded in Helsinki, 1929. (Five minutes)

AFS 10,294: One disc containing nine Finnish songs sung by Arvi Antti (?) Ilmari Sovijärvi. Recorded in Vienna, Austria, April 16, 1935. (Five minutes)

AFS 11,879: One 10-inch tape containing kantele instrumentals, laments, and Teppo Repo's compositions for flute and reed pipe. Collected by Aleppo Seilo. Donated through the Kalevala Duplicating Project, ca. 1961. (One hour; LWO 3224)

AFS 18,000-18,001: Two 7-inch tapes of dance tunes, humor, and songs, mostly immigrant and non-English language material, from 78 rpm commercial recordings of Armenian, Finnish, German, Greek, Hawaiian, Hungarian, Italian, Irish, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Serbian, Sicilian, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Yugoslavian material. Gift of Pekka Gronow and Richard Spottswood.

AFS 18,001A: One tape containing Finnish American recordings from the 1920s to early 1930s featuring Leo Kauppi, Erik Kivi, John Rosendahl, Hiski Salomaa, Antti Syrjäniemi, Kosti Tamminen, and Viola Turpeinen. (Thirty-two minutes; LWO 8858 reel 2A).

AFS 22,473: One 10-inch tape of an interview with Finnish folklorist Lauri Honko. Recorded at the Library of Congress by Alan Jabbour, January 21, 1981. The interview discusses issues of interest in the study of folklore and folklife. (Fifty-eight minutes; RWA 7349)

AFS 24,112-24,114: Three 10-inch tapes of "The Kalevala and Finnish Identity in Finland and America: A Symposium Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Kalevala," presented by the American Folklife Center and the Embassy of Finland, held at the Library of Congress on January 24, 1985. Speakers include Aili Waris Flint, Austin S. Flint, Lauri Honko, Kai Laitinen, Yvonne Hiipakka-Lockwood, Thomas Vennum Jr., and William A. Wilson. (Six hours; RWA 8573-8575)

AFS 24,208-24,209: Two cassettes of Kalevalaic songs performed by Nelipolviset (The Tetrametrics) with accompanying booklet, "Kalevalaisia Lauluja: Sävelmät, Sanat ja Selitykset" (Kalevalaic Songs: Tunes, Words, and Explanations), issued by the Finnish Literature Society in 1979, and a booklet, "Perinnelipas 1: Lauluja, Loitsuja, Loruja" (Heritage Notebook 1: Songs, Rhymes, Riddles), selections from the Finnish Literature Society Folklore Archive, 1977. (Ninety minutes; RYA 6117-6118)

AFS 24,299-24,357: Fifty-nine 10-inch tapes of public speeches and other spoken statements containing dialect samples, recorded at various locations in North America by various collectors, and compiled by the Center for Applied Linguistics for a project entitled "A Survey and Collection of American English Dialect Recordings." The collection includes fourteen linear inches of documentation, including an introduction and preface, a list of contents, content summaries, and transcripts.

AFS 24,325A: Interviews with three residents of Idaho recorded by Steve Siporin, Idaho Commission on the Arts in Boise, Idaho, 1981.

AFS 24,325A2: A 73-year-old Finnish American woman from Donnelly discusses the heavy influx of Finns to Idaho, life in the past, food, neighbors, saunas, school, and difficulties for newly arrived Finns. (Twenty minutes; RWB 3874A)

AFS 24,343A: Interviews with three Finnish American residents of Minnesota, recorded by Michael Linn, University of Minnesota-Duluth, 1983.

AFS 24,343A1: An 80-year-old woman from Cedar Valley Township discusses the lumbering business, her jobs as a cook after her children left home, family history, school, skiing to school, and childhood games and activities. (Twenty-three minutes; RWB 3892A)

AFS 24, 343A2: A 41-year-old man from Duluth discusses his personal history, life in Finland, sports, language problems, favorite television programs, auto mechanics, computerization in automobiles, and a near drowning. (Eighteen minutes; RWB 3892A)

AFS 24,343A3: An 85-year-old man discusses his personal history, mining and lumbering experiences, firefighting experiences, and military service. (Twenty-one minutes; RWB3892A)

AFC 1995/012: Ten cassettes of interviews with master artist/apprentice pairs participating in South Dakota's Traditional Arts Program and two artist demonstration series at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre, South Dakota. Recorded and conducted by Michael F. Miller, October-November, 1992.

AFS 1995/012, T009;T010: Interview of Annikki Martilla and Peggy Worthy concerning Finnish rag rug weaving. Recorded in Savo, South Dakota, by Michael F. Miller, October 9, 1992. (Fifty-nine minutes)


Glossary of Select Terms Used in This Finding Aid

Kalevala: The Finnish national epic, compiled and edited by Elias Lönnrot, based on old folk poetry he had collected in Finland and Karelia. Appearing first in 1835, an expanded version was published in 1849. This New Kalevala is the version upon which most translations are based.

Kalevalaic Song: Poetic song tradition using an unusual, archaic, trochaic tetrametre (often called the Kalevala metre). Characterized by alliteration and parallelism as well as an absence of stanza structure. When sung, the lines have four or five stresses, and the melodies cover a narrow range, usually only five notes.

Kantele: A stringed instrument played mainly by plucking. The five-stringed kantele became Finland's national folk instrument through Kalevala performances. The three main categories of the instrument are carved kanteles, box kanteles, and concert kanteles. The earliest kanteles were hollowed out of a single piece of wood and had from five to fifteen strings tuned to a pentachord. The diatonic box kantele is made out of separate pieces of wood having up to thirty-six strings. The concert kantele, with a lever-tuning mechanism and thirty-six or more strings, was developed in the 1920s.

Lament: Freely improvised, non-metric poem, recited to a melody that is adapted to suit the words. Common use of micro-intervals and micro- rhythm, which is often increased by the multiplying melismas towards the end of the lament. Expression of grief and other strong emotions, performed by women in situations like funerals, weddings, or when a close relative is going off to war.

Reed pipe: Wind instrument in which the vibrating reed is cut into the side of the instrument itself, with finger-holes added to obtain sounds of different pitches.