Album Notes

Minne takes you on a voyage to the South and the Southwest, to the edge of the Earth where the sea meets the sky. It takes you to the Isle of Bliss, to the nursery, to the day the tiny white piano arrived - the first instrument Milla Viljamaa played and the beginning of her ongoing musical journey. 

Milla Viljamaa is a versatile composer and musician whose music has been described as visual and cinematic. The theme of her last album “Paras aika päivästä” was everyday life in all its rich detail. Now she has turned her gaze to the interface between myth and reality. The musical horizon is dominated by the harmonium, joined by a string quintet, human voices and the enchanting chords of the celesta.

Minne is a collection of poetry expressed through chamber music. In Finnish, Minne can be translated as “where” or “where to?” In Swedish, it means “memory”. The composer’s imagination takes flight and travels like a migratory bird, to hibernate in a mythical Tir na Nog, towards ever-changing inner landscapes moulded by feeling and memory, legends and fairy tales. What does she see? The sleek, shiny fins of a pike, a blade of grass that tickles your ear. A gentle Snow White, the menacing shadows of the forest, the scorching flames of passion. Fairy folk frolicking at the fair; Norwegian ravens Hugin and Munin whispering their secrets into Odin’s ear. Viljamaa’s music is permeated by the idea of scale - of how things are simultaneously big and small: there is fragility and strength in everything.

Minne is a miniature symphony composed of ephemeral impressions and ancient stories. Where is Minne? Once you find it, where will it take you? The secret is to stop and close your eyes, to let your mind fly where it chooses, to your loved one, across the Milky Way, to the edges of the universe.

Credits:
Milla Viljamaa compositions, harmonium, celesta, claviola, grand piano, vocals
Tommi Asplund violin
Kukka Lehto violin
Esko Järvelä viola
Vesa Norilo cello, wooden flute
Sara Puljula double bass, percussion
Roope Aarnio guitars

Recorded by Jyrki Saarinen and Teemu Korpipää.
Mixed by Teemu Korpipää.
Produced by Milla Viljamaa. 
Mastered at Finnvox by Minerva Pappi.
Artist photos by Markku Viljamaa.
Handmade graphics by Marjo Mälkönen.
Cover design by Paula Susitaival.
Liner notes by Elina Lajunen.
Translation by Emma Murros.

Track names translated:

1. Maahisten lystikäs yhdessäolo / Gambolling Goblins
2. Neiti Marplen tango / Miss Marple's Tango
3. Valkea kuin lumi / Snow White
4. Lintukodossa / On the Isle of Bliss
5. Hugin ja Munin / Hugin and Munin
6. Tinasotilaan laulu eli Paperiballerinan herättämät merkillisen intohimoiset tunteet / Tin Soldier's Passion for a Paper Ballerina
7. Ansa / The Trap
8. Myrsky kuumailmapallounessa / Dream of a Hot Air Balloon
9. Kaksinpeli / A Game of Singles
10. Mustan joen hauki / Black River Pike

All Compositions by Milla Viljamaa.