Near, far – The musicians' thoughts III/V

Musician interview 7.5.2020

EARLY MUSIC AND CHOOSING INSTRUMENTS

The core of the Finnish Baroque Orchestra's work are live performances and warm encounters. The corona spring will be different as our common experiences are moved forwards in time. In our blog series in five parts, our musicians tell about their thoughts and backgrounds. While reading the interviews of the orchestra members, mostly freelancers, the people come closer. It draws a picture of talented and versatile people, and a group of musicians interested in making the world a better place. The musician's thoughts have been compiled from the musician interviews that have been published monthly during three years. 

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Anthony Marini
Anthony Marini

Why do you enjoy playing music that is over 300 years old?

I love the curiosity and spirit of discovery that comes with playing early music. I also feel like the “historically informed” approach gives a great amount of artistic freedom, as well as many musical tools that have fallen out of use.
- Anthony Marini

A simple person like me is moved by simple things. A single surprising resolving harmony in a chorale by Bach or an inconspicuous modulation in a song by Schubert. But exactly the same means of achieving exaltation are used in the popular music of the 2020s, too. Maybe soon we will reach the same level of mastery as 300 years ago? 
- Jussi Seppänen

Already the meantone temperament of early music brings the sort of peace that you don’t get anywhere else. 
- Eero Palviainen

How did you end up with your instrument? Who or what made you choose it?

When I was little, according to the family legend, I had demanded to go to music school, and I had told my parents that my instrument will be either the piano or the flute. In the entrance test, however, I surprisingly told the board that I wanted to play the violin. So the decision was made right then and there. But we did go to a violin shop with my dad just before the entrance test, so I probably fell in love with the instrument behind my parents’ back. I still think the violin is beautiful and lovely also as an item, and I really enjoy visiting violin makers.
- Irma Niskanen

I was a great fan of Agatha Christie as a child, and I had read all her books before I turned nine. These murder stories were also what I most enjoyed watching on TV – and I happened to fall in love with the sound of the oboe immediately when I heard it in the signature tune for the screen adaptation of Jane Marple. I remember asking my mother what that instrument was, and fortunately she knew. Oboe was not, however, an option in the music classes in Turku back then, so before this dream came true I had to play the violin for seven years. During my professional studies in the modern oboe, I was introduced to the Baroque oboe. Once graduated, I started studying again with the Baroque oboe as my main instrument.
- Piia Maunula

You can read the complete presentations of the musicians here: https://fibo.fi/en/info/blog/

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