Matias Häkkinen –Freedom of the tune – a concert in and out of shackles
In Matias Häkkinen’s third doctoral concert, organ, harpsichord and other fixed-tuned instruments shackle freely tuned melodic instruments.
Suddenly, wind and stringed instrument players find themselves unable to fine-tune the pitch based on their wishes and the situation; instead, the only pitches available are dictated by the number of keys in the fixed-tuned instruments. As a result, the small instruments will have to follow the large ones and the constraints set by their tuning, i.e. the central tone and Pythagorean tuning system. While this creates predictability and discipline, can it produce pleasure for musicians or listeners, or can the most interesting and satisfying sound be only achieved when everyone aims to play their instruments ‘as purely as possible’ on their own terms? The programme includes Renaissance music with a Renaissance orchestra ensemble.
Performers
- Ensemble Nylandia’s Renaissance orchestra conductor Matias Häkkinen
Additional information: Eeva Hohti, eeva.hohti@uniarts.fi
Suddenly, wind and stringed instrument players find themselves unable to fine-tune the pitch based on their wishes and the situation; instead, the only pitches available are dictated by the number of keys in the fixed-tuned instruments. As a result, the small instruments will have to follow the large ones and the constraints set by their tuning, i.e. the central tone and Pythagorean tuning system. While this creates predictability and discipline, can it produce pleasure for musicians or listeners, or can the most interesting and satisfying sound be only achieved when everyone aims to play their instruments ‘as purely as possible’ on their own terms? The programme includes Renaissance music with a Renaissance orchestra ensemble.
Performers
- Ensemble Nylandia’s Renaissance orchestra conductor Matias Häkkinen
Additional information: Eeva Hohti, eeva.hohti@uniarts.fi