Konsta Jylhä
Encyclopedia
In Finnish fiddling, Konsta Viljam Jylhä (14 August 1910 Kaustinen
– 13 September 1984) was a folk-virtuoso who made the traditional pelimanni-style
folk music
a Finnish
cultural phenomenon of wider currency, bringing his natural genius and traditional style to a burgeoning nationwide television audience, thus laying the foundation for a rich and popular traditional music scene in Finland.
A third generation Central Ostrobothnia
n master pelimanni (Mestaripelimanni); in the 1960s Konstas band Konsta Jylhä ja Purpuripelimannit became a mainstay of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival
, and iconic both in popular culture, and within the generation of master pelimanni to follow in his footsteps.
His best known pieces of original composition are Konstan Parempi Valssi ("Konstas Major Waltz") and espescially the hauntingly beautiful Vaiennut Viulu ("Mute Violin").
After being battered by a severe head injury suffered in logging accident in 1961 and some heart attacks suffered since 1962, he finally started to think about his relationship with God. After having read the American healing evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman's famous book, God Can Do It Again, and after attending a local Bible group, he became a born-again Christian, that is, committed his life to Jesus Christ, in or around 1974. During the last ten years of his life, he composed over forty Christian songs whose melodies often corresponded with his earlier folk music melodies. Their words were written by the local Bible group. Some of these Christian songs became popular in Finland among Christians of several denominations and evangelical movements (see Paavo Helistö, "The Story of Konsta Jylhä, a Fiddler and Folk Composer" / Konsta Jylhän pelimannin ja kansansäveltäjän tarina, published in Finland in 1997).
Kaustinen
Kaustinen is a municipality of Finland.It is part of the Central Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
– 13 September 1984) was a folk-virtuoso who made the traditional pelimanni-style
Traditional Nordic dance music
Traditional Nordic dance music is a type of traditional music or folk music that once was common in the mainland part of the Nordic countries — Scandinavia plus Finland. The person who plays this kind of music might be called speleman , spelman , spelemann , pelimanni or spillemand...
folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
cultural phenomenon of wider currency, bringing his natural genius and traditional style to a burgeoning nationwide television audience, thus laying the foundation for a rich and popular traditional music scene in Finland.
A third generation Central Ostrobothnia
Central Ostrobothnia
Central Ostrobothnia is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Ostrobothnia, Northern Ostrobothnia, Central Finland, Southern Ostrobothnia.- Historical provinces :For History, Geography and Culture see: Ostrobothnia- Municipalities :...
n master pelimanni (Mestaripelimanni); in the 1960s Konstas band Konsta Jylhä ja Purpuripelimannit became a mainstay of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival
Kaustinen Folk Music Festival
Kaustinen Folk Music Festival , celebrated yearly in July in Kaustinen, Finland, is the biggest folk music and dance festival in the Nordic countries. It was first celebrated in 1968....
, and iconic both in popular culture, and within the generation of master pelimanni to follow in his footsteps.
His best known pieces of original composition are Konstan Parempi Valssi ("Konstas Major Waltz") and espescially the hauntingly beautiful Vaiennut Viulu ("Mute Violin").
After being battered by a severe head injury suffered in logging accident in 1961 and some heart attacks suffered since 1962, he finally started to think about his relationship with God. After having read the American healing evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman's famous book, God Can Do It Again, and after attending a local Bible group, he became a born-again Christian, that is, committed his life to Jesus Christ, in or around 1974. During the last ten years of his life, he composed over forty Christian songs whose melodies often corresponded with his earlier folk music melodies. Their words were written by the local Bible group. Some of these Christian songs became popular in Finland among Christians of several denominations and evangelical movements (see Paavo Helistö, "The Story of Konsta Jylhä, a Fiddler and Folk Composer" / Konsta Jylhän pelimannin ja kansansäveltäjän tarina, published in Finland in 1997).