Minna Leinonen, Touko Hujanen & Jussi Suonikko

Photo: Touko Hujanen

For Flute, video and fixed media

Outside our solar system, there is a probe, in which a child´s voice transmits a message from the pass: Hello from the children of Planet Earth. In an old Finnish provincial song, it is said that freedom will be found through peaceful means, but the country must be created anew. From the space ambient to self-sufficient institute the views of the work lead to a fossil-free life, where generations are looking for a connection to each other and to the earth we are leaving behind. 

The Land We Leave was commissioned by Malla Vivolin in collaboration with composer Minna Leinonen, photographer Touko Hujanen and sound designer Jussi Suonikko. 

Children´s choir Tactus is singing Nälkämaan laulu (meaning "Song of the Hunger Land") on the fixed media, conductor Emmi Klemola. Nälkämaan laulu  is a Finnish poem by Ilmari Kianto. It was turned into a song by Oskar Merikanto, and this song is the regional anthem of the Kainuu region. 

The work is dedicated to excellent Malla Vivolin and it was supported by Wihuri Foundation.

video editor: Ville Hautakangas

Reviews

"The polyphony of different arts worked in the premiered piece The Land We Leave. The poetic photographs of Touko Hujanen, who documented the subsistence economy in a gruff way, the flute part played by Malla Vivolin and the sounds of the Tactus children's choir and farm work from the tape successfully merged with each other. The music and pictures had a strong smell of the earth."

Harri Hautala, Aamulehti 18th September 2023

Performances

16th September 2023 Tampere-talo, Small auditorium

Malla Vivolin, flute and Anders Pohjola, electronics

23th September 2023 Musiikkitalo Camerata

Malla Vivolin, flute and Anders Pohjola, electronics

25th January 2025 Kaustinen Chamber Music Weeks

Jenny Villanen, flute and Arto Anttila, electronics