Metsäkukkia waltz

~ is played by the “Boys of the Lough”, by many IrTRad bands and even a few sessions, so it is traditional, isn’t it?

# Posted on Monday, September 27th 2004 by urs

I decided to bring this forward out of the dust of comments on a tune that for me it had inspired, also in g minor, “The Otters Waltz”:

https://thesession.org/tunes/3587

This is a case of ‘bare bones’, as I do too damned much to it at times, depending on my mood, and if I’m feeling particularly shmaltzy I cross the line, O.T.T….

This is for Jim Troy, something to do othe than smoke, since you say ‘g-minor’ does your head in. I know it ain’t the same thing, but try it with nicotine patches and a high proof rum. Maybe you can reach the place where you think you can play g-minor… Heh, heh, heh… I hope Jeremy lets this lovely little bit of shmaltz survive. Every now and then I need that kind of fix.

This one is from lovely Finland…

I realize how sparce and basic I left this after hearing it back on the midi. I will return with one other way with it, but I promise not too O.T.T. I will try to control my whims. I have some fun rhythmically with his one. I actually did learn it from a bunch of Finns, one with a wild button box, lots and lots of buttons… We even danced and played for a Finnish Lanssi (Lancers)…

The following is just one small group of possibilities with it:

|: D2 G2 A2 | B2 A2 G2 | (d6 | d6) |
D2 G3 A | B2 (3ABA G2 | e6 | e2 d2 c2 |
c2 d3 e | e2 d2 ^c2 | d2 de d^c | (3ded (3cdc (3BcB |
D2 ^F3 A | c2 B2 A2 | Gz zA G^F |1 G4 z2 :|
2 Gz g3 f ||
|: f6 | f2 g3 e | d6 | d2 e3 d |
c6 | c2 d3 c | (B6 | B2) d2 d2 |
(d6 | d2) (3cdc (3BcB | (A6 | A2) F2 A2 |
D ^C3 D2 | B4 A2 | G6 |1 Gz g3 f :|
2 G2 z2 g^f ||
|: g2 z2 d^c | d2 z2 BA | (3BcB (3ABA (3GAG | Gz (3Bcd g2 |
e4 d2 | c2 e2 g2 | (d6 | d6) |
d2 ^f3 g | a4 z2 | d2 g3 a | b4 z2 |
d2 ^f3 a | b2 z2 a2 |1 (g6 | g2) z2 g^f :|
2 (g6 | g2) z4 ||

One possible 4 bar intro/lead in, close to how I’d originally learned it:

D3 ^F A2 | (3cdc B2 (3ABA | G3 A G^F | G4 z2 ||

Just a moment ago I posted the Finnish “Forest Flower”
by Boys Of The Lough..
Since this one is quite similar to the one I posted, could
it be the same tune?

Yes, it is identical, only really just the key difference between them. Usually this tune is played in G minor, but I know that the whistle take for it by The Boys of the Lough seems to be C minor. I also was aware of the can of worms I’d open up if I put the titles above in ‘alternate’ names listing, considering there’s the Scottish take on this title. I have given “The Boys of the Lough”’s name for it…

My understanding is that the name is the common name in Finland for a wild flower found in the Finnish woods. Maybe someone who has Finnish as their native tongue can clarify for us all… I’d love to see a picture of the flower too…

Apologies, I’ve been mixing up ‘-’ with ‘( )’…

I will be back with the C minor take on this, courtesy of someone else’s later contribution of this tune that was axed.

The abc I wrote for “Forest Flower” before was deleted (thank god..) but I have a comment about this one:

1. It is great, but if you compare it to the one played on “Sweet Rural Shade” the order is wrong - The second part should be the last.. and the last part doesn’t go that high..
2. A lot of notes are missing, really looking forward to the updated version.

Just because it is the hallowed “Boys of the Lough” does not mean they know what they are doing or that they get things right. While Cathal filled all the quiet spaces with notes, triplets and ornamentations, liking things ‘florid’, these are ‘just decorations’. He got the tune wrong, really. There are loads of other recordings of this tune out there, including Finnish ones. This transcription was learned from Finnish musicians, the craic was good. Hell, it is almost an alternate national anthem for them. They would know more about it than Cathal does, I promise. It sort of makes sense.

With any tune there are endless possibilities. Some people like to hang so many ornaments and flurries to the tune that you can’t see the tree for the bling, even obscuring the soul of the melody. Some tunes can take it. There is not hard and fast rule to this, except the bones of the melody that support and define the basic tune, which is what I’ve given here.

I’ve done disgusting things to this tune myself, and I can play the whole thing as a run of triplets, cuts, tips, rolls, slurs and other mayhem, which really wouldn’t be doing it justice. I shudder to say, but I have actually played it as non-stop triplets… YUCK!

Just to reiterate ~

THE ORDER IS WRONG ON “SWEET RURAL SHADE”! And that isn’t the only thing they screwed up…

LOL @ “can’t see the tree for the bling”!

|: “Gm” | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | “Cm” | ~ |
~ | ~ | “Gm” | ~ | “D7” | ~ | “Gm” |1 ~ :|
2 ~ ||
|: “F7” | ~ | “Bb” | ~ | “D7” | ~ | “Gm” | ~ |
~ | ~ | “D7” | ~ | ~ | ~ | “Gm” |1 ~ :|
2 ~ ||
|: “Gm” | ~ | ~ | ~ | “Cm” | ~ | “Gm” | ~ |
“D7” | ~ | “Gm” | ~ | “D7” | ~ | “Gm” | ~ :|
~ ||

Who loves yuh Dow?

|: “Am” E2 A2 B2 | c2 (3BcB A2 | e6- | -e6 |
“Am” E2 A3 B | c3 B A2 | “Dm” f6- | -f6 |
d2 e2 f2 | f2 e2 d2 | “Am” e4 c2 | A4 F2 |
“E” E ^D3 E2 | c4 B2 |1 “Am” A6- | -A4 E2 :|
2 “Am” A6- | -Az a2 ^g2 ||
|: “G” g2 zg g2 | g2 a3 f | “C” e2 ze e2 | e2 zf e2 |
“Dm” d2 zd d2 | d2 e2 d2 | “Am” c2 zc c2 | c2 d2 ^d2 |
e2 z2 ee | (3efe (3ded (3cdc | “Bm” B6- | -B4 F2 |
“E” E ^D3 E2 | c4 B2 |1 “Am” A6- | -Az a2 ^g2 :|
2 “Am” A6- | -A2 z2 a^g ||
|: “Am” a z3 e^d | e z3 cB | “Am” c z3 A^G | A2 c2 e2 |
“Dm” f4 e2 | d2 f2 a2 | “Am” e6- | -e4 E2 |
“E” E2 ^G2 A2 | B6 | “Am” E2 A3 B | c4 E2 |
“E” E2 ^D2 E2 | c4 B2 |1 “Am” A6- | -Az z2 a^g :|
2 A6- | -A6 ||

And the also about the above A minor transcription, that is also a ‘variant’, as an example of that difference the third part goes down instead of up. I’m pretty sure this way with it was from a North American New England style contradance band…

With me in the way of the memory…

~ 400 traditional couple dance tunes from North and South America and Europe ~ waltzes, polkas, tangos, schottisches, Swedish hambos, German zwiefachers, French bourées, early 20th century ragtime and foxtrot pieces ~ and then some…

Transcribed, edited and chorded by Peter Barnes
Canis Minoris, 1992

http://home.comcast.net/~peterbarnes/

Page #44: Metsakukkia, G minor
This is another fine transcription which also likes to take the third part low.

Here is another way with it, taking it down instead of up:

K: G minor - Part 3

|: g^f | .g2 z2 d^c | .d2 z2 BA | .B2 zG G^F | (3GAG B2 d2 |
e2 ef ed | c2 ce g2 | d2 de d^c | d4 D2 |
D2 ^F3 G | A4 GF | D2 G2 A2 | B3 D DE |
D3 ^C2 D | B4 A2 | G6- |1 -Gz z2 :|
2 G6- ||

K: G minor

|| c2 d2 e2 | e2 d2 ^c2 | d4 B2 | G4 E2 |
D2 ^C2 D2 | B4 A2 | G6- | G4 z2 ||

The following is for Ofer of Israel, alias “TheSheep” (?). This is from his transcription and a few things from Cathal, roughed out late last night. This morning I have the resultant bloody headache. On “The Boys of the Lough” recording they reversed the second and third part. What follows is in the generally accepted order of the parts. If you choose to reverse those parts, well, I’m not going to contribute to your delinqency…

{*} / {**} = single / double cut

K: Cmin

|: (3.G.G.G |
{*}G2 c3 d | e2 {**}d2 c2 | g2 g^f ga | g4 (3.G.G.G |
{*}G2 c3 d | e2 {**}d2 c2 | a2 ag ab | a3 b {*}ba |
{**}f2 g3 a | {**}a2 g3 f | {**}f2 e3 f | {**}g6 |
G2 ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | {**}c2 c^B cd | {**}c4 :|

|: c’^b |
{**}b6- | b2 c’3 a | {**}g6- | g2 a a2 g |
{**}f6- | f2 g3 f | {**}e6- | e2 f f2 e |
{**}d6- | d2 e3 d | c6- | c3 z G2 |
{*}G2 ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | {**}c2 c^B cd | {**}c4 :|

|: c’^b |
.c’z g3 ^f | .gz e3 d | .ez c4- | c4 fg |
a2 ag ab | ~a3 ~a2 {*}b | ~g3 ^f ga | ~g2 {*}g^f ga |
g2 f3 e | ~f3 e fg | |f2 e3 d | e6 |
G2 ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | {**}c2 c^B cd | {**}c4 :|

I should mention, ‘TheSheep’, Ofer of Israel, also had another possible ending, rather than | c4 c’b | his transcription also gave:

| c2 c’2 b2 |

No need to be so extreme 🙂 (I really hope you’re not serious)

Anyway, thanks to you we’ve got really good versions of this
wonderful Waltz, many thanks for the effort ceolachan,
hope I’ll contribute abc tunes, one day, that can
be viewed normally 🙂

Extreme, who me? Sometimes delinquency is a kick, fun. It is better done with company. If you need any help with ABCs, just ask. If I can help without confusing I would always be glad to…

I sometimes give alternate takes and keys in the original notes, so it will play to the midi and show up on the sheet, but only sometimes. I don’t like to over do that. I hope you can make sense of the versions given here, and if you want something transposed to your preferred key, just ask and I’ll email it to you…

Keep well ~ 😉

kukka / kukkia = flower, to flower, to blossom, to bloom

Metsä = a wooded area, woodland, forest, woods
= a) (ecology) generally, an ecosystem characterised by a more or less dense and extensive tree cover; b) (ecology) more particularly, a plant community predominantly of trees and other woody vegetation, growing more or less closely together; c) (silviculture/forest management) an area managed for the production of timber and other forest produce, or maintained under woody vegetation for such indirect benefits as protection of catchment areas or recreation. Connotes a larger area than a wood; d) an area of land proclaimed to be forest under a Forest Act or Ordinance.

This is also on ‘In Good Company’ - Best of Kevin Burke - under the title Flowers of the Forest

2-parts variant pops up in a (superficially?) unlikely place - as the air to the song Ershter Vals on the Klezmatics’ first album. Just the bare bones, which can’t do justice to Lorin Sklamberg’s glorious rendition:

L:1/4
K:Am
E|F2E|A2B|c3-|cAB|cAB|cdc|B3-|B2E|\
F2E|B2c|d3-|dBc|dBc|def|e3-|e2E|\
F2E|A2B|c3-|cAB|cBc|dcd|e3-|efe|\
dcB-|Bed|cBA-|Adc|BcB|BA^G|A3-|1A2:|2Aec|:\
e3-|eec|e3-|eee|f3-|ffd|f3-|fBc|\
d2d|dcd|e3-|edc|B2f|e2^G|A3-|1Aec:|2A2|]

The liner notes call it “A familiar Russian tune known in the US as Expectation, Yiddishized by [Chaim Towber] Banner’s sentimental words.”

Submitted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/5942

Ah, I’d never guessed it was already here. Moving over there.

Metsään on tullut jo syys
Lohduton yön hämäryys
Vain hongat huokaillessaan suojaavat kukkia maan
Hongiston suojaan on jäänehet pienoiset
Metsäorvokit nuo, syksy unhoitti laasta pois
Yksinäin allapäin saavun kukkien luo
Poimin ne armaallein, anteeksi saan
Tien onnelaan tunnen taas löytänein

Niin kesä saapuu jo uus
Kukkien uus ihanuus
Metsässä puut vihannoi
Sunnuntain hääkellot soi
Vierelläin ohjaan näin kirkkohon morsion
Metsäkukkia on hällä morsiuskimpussa
Hymyillen tietäen katseet yhtyvät nyt
Vain me tunnemme sen, on matkan pää liittomme tää
Syy metsäkukkien


For all you Tapio Rautavaara fans……

Brings a tear to your eye….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK5zjFu1tGY

play video

I would offer a rough translation, but it is even cheesier.

“THE ORDER IS WRONG ON ”SWEET RURAL SHADE“! ”

That’s because they got the tune from me, and I learned it from the Danish band ’Sand på gulvet“. They played it as ”Skovblomster" and after Cathal took a shine to our rendition of it, I gave him a copy of Nils Thorlund’s manuscript.
Apparently, that is the way they play it on Fyn, in Denmark. Henning, the box player got it there.
A very different version, but cheesy too.

BTW, Ceol, it is plural - forest flowers. The words of the song make that clear. Yer man picks the violets that survived in the shelter of the pines, for his bride to be.

Oh well, if you insist:


Autumn has already come to the forest,
Desolate, darkness of the night,
Only the sighing pine trees protect the flowers of the land,
In the shelter of the pines, the small ones have survived,
The wood violets*, autumn has forgotten to wipe away,
Sad and alone, I come to the flowers,
Picking them for my loved one, I have forgiveness,
The road to the land of happiness, I feel I’ve found once more.

And so another summer has arrived,
New flowers are in bloom,
The trees in the forest are green,
Sunday’s wedding bells are ringing,
By my side, I lead the bride to the church,
Flowers of the forest she has in her bouquet,
Now smiling, our eyes knowingly meet,
Only we feel the ending of the road, our union,
Is due to the flowers of the forest.

* Wood violet, more commonly known in Britain as the dog violet (viola riviniana). The names in Scandi lands translate better as “wood” or “forest violet”.


Well, I did say there was a fair bit of cheese involved.

I hope this will add more pathos to future renditions of this classic.

Definitely, lay it on thick… 😀 Thanks Weejie…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eVfRW3LRsg

play video

K: C minor ~ but we haven’t that option in the drop down menu, so it is listed as the relative key of F Dorian, the same key signature, 3 flats.

I promised someone I’d give the ‘Boys of the Lough’ whistle duet of this a close scrutiny. So, I’ve chased up that listen and this ‘simplified’ take on their ways is the result, based from a start on thesheep’s transcription from June 13th, 2005, minus the {cuts} and any other ornementation ( ~ ). Also, I’ve given it in the Finnish order, but here is the same thing as the boys actually take it, they having reversed the B/2nd & C/3rd parts of the original. More on that above in the comments, beautifully explained by Weejie, with added pathos, appreciated as always. 😉

X: 7
T: Metsäkukkia
R: waltz
S: The Boys of the Lough
O: Finland
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Cmin
|: .G/.G/.G |\
G2 c2- cd | e2 d2 c2 | g2 g^f ga | g4 .G/.G/.G | G2 c2- cd | e2 d2 c2 | a2 ag ab | a3 b ba |
f2 g2- ga | a2 g2- gf | f2 e2- ef | g6 | G2 ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 |[1 c2 c=B cd | c4 :|[2 c6- | c4 ||
|: c’=b |\
.c’z .g2 z^f | .gz e2- ed | e2 c4- | c4 fg | a2 ag ab | a4- af | g2 g^f ga | g2- g^f ga |
g2 f2- f=e | f3 =e fg | |f2 e2- ed | e6 | G2 ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | c6- | c4 :|
c’=b |\
b6- | b2 c‘2- c’a | g6- | g2 a2- ag | f6- | f2 g2- gf | e6- | e2 f2- fe |
d6- | d2 e2- ed | c6- | c6 | G2 ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | c6- | c4 c’=b |
b6- | b2 c’2 ag | g6- | g2 a2 g2 | f6- | f2 g2 f2 | e6- | e2 f2 e2 |
d6- | d2 e2- ed | c6- | c6 | G2 ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | c2 c=B cd | c4 |]

The next task was for me to do some kind of acceptable transcription for a second part, following some of what is done in the recordings the ‘Boys’ have done. I will set some time aside, but, in a Chinese curse kind of way, I have been dealing with ‘interesting’ times. 😉 Maybe others would want to give it a go and see what you come up with, or, just have a go at a second part, preferably along the lines of those lovely ways they have with such things in the far North, that collective area some refer to as Scandinavia. In this household we do love the varied and interesting music and dance traditions there, and I love the pickled fish. I only wish my wife appreciated the pickled fish as much as I do. Only once in awhile, as when she’s a work do, she lets me have pickled fish and a strong blue cheese. 🙁

Cut off in the cut & paste:

A minor transcription using D fingering and played on a(n)
C wind = G minor
F wind = C minor

I’d forgotten to add,
E minor transcription (to follow) using D fingering and played on a(n)
F wind = G minor
Bb wind = C minor

Interesting that you mention a “Chinese curse”, Ceol.
I went to hear Cathal in Kilmarnock some years ago. He played this tune for me, remembering where he had got it. The thing is, he played it on a Chinese bamboo flute in some odd key that nobody else could play along with.
Only Cathal……

I have one of those Chinese flutes, roughly in the key of B. 😀 It’s not like Cathal wouldn’t have known it was in a curious key.

Apologies, did I confess semi-consciousness, yet again? Nothing new there, eh. Anyway, I didn’t mean E minor, that should have been G minor, a transcription that is already here. E minor is a daft key, winds would have to push up into the third octave a little bit too high, or move up and down. 😏 I was confusing myself with G minor, already here, and at the time was playing it on a Bb instrument, which puts it at E of F minor depending on the fingering… 😏

G minor transcription using D fingering and played on a(n)
G wind = C minor
Bb wind = E minor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmLFAtRsR1I

play video

I learnt this a good many years ago from the source mentioned and in the form given in the ABC below. I can’t recall having heard any other despite the extensive discography to this listing! (To which my source ought to be added, I suppose, but I can’t seem to see how…..)
I have only just discovered what it actually is because I made a SoundCloud audio clip including it as untitled (https://soundcloud.com/jem-hammond/scandinavian-waltz-tom-bhettys-waltz-take-2rcco-6845-mp3) and a FB connection has informed me. 🙂

X:9
T:Metsäkukkia
T:(Forest Flowers)
C:Traditional
O:Finland
D:“La Plume de Paon” by Breton band Tud - 1997 album (TUD002) where, in the insert, it is cited as “Scandinavian” but has no title or more specific provenance.
R:Waltz
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:224
K:Em
G>F|.E E>F|GFE|B>^A B/c/|B>G G/F/|.E E>F|GFE|c>B c/d/|c3|A>B c|cBA|B/A/ G>A|
BAG|B c/B/ ^A/B/|g2 f|e>e e|e:|]|:e>d|.e B>A|.B G>F|.G E2-|EAB|c>B c/d/|c>A c/A/|
B B/^A/ B/c/|B3|BA^G|A>G F|G G/F/ G/A/|GA^A|B c/B/ ^A/B/|g2 f|e>e e|e:|]|:e_e|d3|
efc|B B/^A/ B/c/|B2^G|A A/^G/ A/B/|A>G F|G G/F/ G/A/|GA^A|B c/B/ ^A/B/|g2 f|e>e e|e:|]

From a 1997 album by Breton band Tud - “La Plume de Paon”, TUD002. Credited as “Scandinavian”, untitled.

I think I heard this waltz on a de Dannan record, but can’t for the life of me remember the name. Any ideas out there in the session community? Thanks guys.

10 so-called “settings” here already. Not sure about “De Dannan”, but Cathal McConnell and Christy O’Leary used to play it as a whistle duet with “The Boys Of The Lough”, I seem to remember.

X: 4
T: Metsäkukkia
R: waltz
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
K: Amin
|: “Am” E2 A2 B2 | c2 (3BcB A2 | e6- | -e6 | “Am” E2 A3 B | c3 B A2 | “Dm” f6- | -f6 |
d2 e2 f2 | f2 e2 d2 | “Am” e4 c2 | A4 F2 | “E” E ^D3 E2 | c4 B2 |[1 “Am” A6- | -A4 E2 :|[2 “Am” A6- | -Az a2 ^g2 ||
|: “G” g2 zg g2 | g2 a3 f | “C” e2 ze e2 | e2 zf e2 | “Dm” d2 zd d2 | d2 e2 d2 | “Am” c2 zc c2 | c2 d2 ^d2 |
e2 z2 ee | (3efe (3ded (3cdc | “Bm” B6- | -B4 F2 | “E” E ^D3 E2 | c4 B2 |[1 “Am” A6- | -Az a2 ^g2 :|[2 “Am” A6- | -A2 z2 a^g ||
|: “Am” a z3 e^d | e z3 cB | “Am” c z3 A^G | A2 c2 e2 | “Dm” f4 e2 | d2 f2 a2 | “Am” e6- | -e4 E2 |
“E” E2 ^G2 A2 | B6 | “Am” E2 A3 B | c4 E2 | “E” E2 ^D2 E2 | c4 B2 |[1 “Am” A6- | -Az z2 a^g :|[2 A6- | -A6 |]

# Added by ceolachan 12 years ago.

I know this is Finnish but in general what would you call this kind of music?

I like it and want to learn more but I don’t know where to look.

Am I right in thinking it sounds a bit Isreali/Klezmer/Eastern European?

In a wide tonality perspective, this what a lot of Western hemisphere music in minor keys sounds like. Minor scale, usually with a raised 7th (implying a dominant major chord, say Gm - Cm - D7, or Am - Dm - E7). Take French musettes (listen to Máirtín O’Connor), Tico Tico (Dermot Byrne), La Partida (Kevin Burke w Open House), Emma’s waltz (Damien Mullane on Youtube), Nico’s Mermaid (C: Siobhan Peoples), and the list goes on…

This is a hauntingly beautiful waltz taught to me by Andy Rigby at the “Lake School of Irish Music and Dance” which is held in Koroit, Victoria, Australia in the first week of January each year. The tune was requested by one of the other flute students but no-one really had any idea of it’s correct title. Any information would be appreciated.

Already here ……. 🙂 https://thesession.org/tunes/4585
Marin

Em version

Tune #6 in a minor is a completely different tune - OZHIDANIE - a well known RUSSIAN WALTZ