Martti Erik Ala-Könni
Encyclopedia
Martti Erik Ala-Könni (2 February 1911, Ilmajoki
–2 September 1996, Tampere
) was a Finnish ethnomusicologist, researcher, and recorder of Finnish folklore. He received a doctorate degree in folk music in 1956 from the University of Helsinki
with a dissertation "Die Polska-Tänze in Finnland (Suomalainen Polska - in Finnish)" and directed the Department of Folk Tradition (currently the Department of Music Anthropology) of the University of Tampere
in 1965–1976. Ala-Könni accumulated a significant collection of traditional Finnish musical instruments, folk music
, and hymns, and took more than 100,000 folklore related photograph slides and negatives. Together with Martti Pokela
he contributed to the revival of the Finnish traditional musical instrument Kantele
when folk music began its resurgence in the 1960s.
Ala-Könni, known for his motto "Magnum animum labori inspira (Sytytä työhösi henki - in Finnish)", was from Ilmajoki
where he has a memorial, and he remained as an active friend and supporter of the Ostrobothnia
n culture throughout his life. He was one of the founders of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival
.
Ilmajoki
Ilmajoki is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The population of Ilmajoki is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water...
–2 September 1996, Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
) was a Finnish ethnomusicologist, researcher, and recorder of Finnish folklore. He received a doctorate degree in folk music in 1956 from the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
with a dissertation "Die Polska-Tänze in Finnland (Suomalainen Polska - in Finnish)" and directed the Department of Folk Tradition (currently the Department of Music Anthropology) of the University of Tampere
University of Tampere
The University of Tampere is a university in Tampere, Finland. It has 15,400 degree students and 2,100 employees. It was originally founded in 1925 in Helsinki as a Civic College , and from 1930 onwards it was known as a School of Social Sciences...
in 1965–1976. Ala-Könni accumulated a significant collection of traditional Finnish musical instruments, 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....
, and hymns, and took more than 100,000 folklore related photograph slides and negatives. Together with Martti Pokela
Martti Pokela
Martti Eliel Pokela was a Finnish folk musician and composer. Pokela was an expert with the kantele, Finland's national musical instrument.-Life and career:...
he contributed to the revival of the Finnish traditional musical instrument Kantele
Kantele
A kantele or kannel is a traditional plucked string instrument of the zither family native to Finland, Estonia, and Karelia. It is related to the Russian gusli, the Latvian kokle and the Lithuanian kanklės. Together these instruments make up the family known as Baltic psalteries...
when folk music began its resurgence in the 1960s.
Ala-Könni, known for his motto "Magnum animum labori inspira (Sytytä työhösi henki - in Finnish)", was from Ilmajoki
Ilmajoki
Ilmajoki is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The population of Ilmajoki is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water...
where he has a memorial, and he remained as an active friend and supporter of the Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia refers to various areas in Finland:* Ostrobothnia , province of the kingdom of Sweden before 1809* Ostrobothnia , in modern Finland* Other regions in modern Finland:** Southern Ostrobothnia** Central Ostrobothnia...
n culture throughout his life. He was one of the founders 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....
.