Jos talonpojalla olisi ollut piano – pelimannimusiikin estetiikka pianistin ilmaisun laajentajana

Abstract

Imagining the peasant at the piano: folk music aesthetics as an expansion of pianistic expression

The piano has not traditionally been considered a folk instrument, and its broader use in folk music contexts emerged only in the early 1990s alongside the development of folk music education. This article examines the artistic process behind a 2023 concert performed with a violinist specialised in Finnish pelimanni music. Employing practice-based and artistic research methods, I explore how the stylistic and aesthetic qualities of pelimanni violin playing can be applied to piano expression. 

Through my artistic work, I developed practical techniques for translating traditional violin features into piano expression, revealing that such adaptation extends beyond technical solutions to a holistic approach to folk music aesthetics. The study offers insights for pianists engaging with folk music, and opens perspectives on aurally based music-making practices in contemporary musical expression.