Finnish tango

The Finnish tango is the tango Argentino 1930s similar, but the Finnish version is more common in minor rather than major and has more descending than ascending melodies. The texts are usually, occasionally sung in Finnish in Swedish, but also in foreign languages ​​such as German or Spanish.

Besides humppa and another couple dancing tango is very widespread in Finland born before 1960. But young people today often still dominate the basic steps of tango. The Finnish tango is not danced as artful dance of South American species. The couples move mostly in the basic step. The dance is not considered a performance, but as a leisure activity.

Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki uses very happy Finnish tango as part of the soundtrack to his films. About the Tango he ruled: " The Tango is now time our national music. "

Important performers and interpreters of Finnish tango include

• Olavi Virta
• Topi Sorsakoski
• Eino Gron
• Reijo Taipale
• Pasi Kaunisto
• M. A. Numminen

The two most influential composers Toivo Kärki ( who also wrote under various pseudonyms ) and Unto Mononen. There are also many important composers, including Pentti Viherluoto, Walter Rae and Rauno Lehtinen. The repertoire includes international tangos that were transferred into Finnish and have adopted almost the shape of a stand-alone versions.

As the tango came to Finland

End of the 19th century was the tango in South America. When he came to Finland in 1913 ( all over Europe this year was packed from the Tango fever), the Finns felt understood by the Russian government by the tango in their suffering. The Tango expressed that about which to speak was impossible.

Even in winter war 1939 /40, during the robbery of the USSR on the now independent Finland, offered the melancholy force and dynamic passion of the tango, the dance of the government was forbidden even a valve for the population. From composing, however, the people did not stop and created its own style of music full of poetry, sadness and depth.

Toivo Kärkis Sikhs ' oon moderate suruinen (, why I 'm sad '; German version: So sad and alone) led to the Second World War, the first golden age of Finnish tango one. Toivo Kärki (1915-1992), originally a jazz musician, joined the sentimentality of Russian romances with the rhythm German marching music.

After the second, short flowering by musicologists as defiance of the Finnish rural population was dismissed on the Anglo-American " steel wire music " in the 1960s, the tango has been permanently both in the city and in the country. This began in the 1980s, the third bloom of the Finnish tango, which is still continuing.

The Finnish tango today

Tango music is now maintained in restaurants and dance halls, on the ferry to Sweden and Estonia, but especially in the summer when so-called " Lavatanssi " ( Dance on the wooden floor ) on the weekends. The numerous dance bands play usually alternating every two pieces tango, humppa, Jenkka and waltzes, to eventually pop, Latin and danceable pop or rock music styles. Tango is played but also still on the accordion. On festive occasions, village festivals, but also in pedestrian zones, the Tango is to be found.

In summer, the so-called Tango market place since 1985 each in July in Seinäjoki for one week instead. On this occasion, tens of thousands of visitors from around the world to Seinäjoki. This large, multi-day festival has grown into a song contest. Nevertheless, by 2008 each year were chosen a Tango Queen and a King of Tango, since only either a king or a queen. This is often the prelude to a career as a tango and pop artist. Occasionally, Tango princesses and princes - have become successful.

Harri Kaitila, Finnish tango tenor, transfers since 1999, Finnish tango into German. Previously had MA Numminen selected tangos, interpreted with a hint of irony in German language. Timo Valtonen also considered as currently important representative of the Finnish tango in Europe, especially in Germany. As a " cultural ambassador " of Finland celebrates the charismatic singer and entertainer with his formation Tangon Taikaa the traditional Finnish tango with modern influences from jazz or world music.