Mari Kalkun’s New Album “Stories of Stonia” Weaves Ancient Epics and Modern Melodies

Mari Kalkun – Stories of Stonia (Real World Records, 2023)

On Stories of Stonia, Estonian singer Mari Kalkun uses her intimate, ethereal and exceptionally expressive vocals to present a set of songs firmly anchored in Estonian traditions, especially the Võru culture. However, Mari Kalkun also incorporates exquisite and alluring contemporary arrangements in the form of transfixing electronics, skillfully crafted vocal overdubs, echoing voices, traditional instruments like mesmeric kannel (zither), resonant trumpet and tuba, percussion, and exquisite piano.

Mari Kalkun co-produced the album together with English musician and song archivist, Sam Lee. The majority of compositions within Stories of Stonia begin with Mari’s evocative vocals as an anchor around which the additional instruments, effects and vocal overdubs are added.

“In the fast-paced, overheating and heavily consuming world, these songs have universal nature,” Kalkun says. “The central topic of the album is humanity’s controversial relationship with nature and whether the old runo-songs are able to speak out about over-consumption and climate change.”

Musicians: Mari Kalkun on vocals, zithers, piano, electronics, electric organ, violin, small percussion instruments, vibraphone, sauna whisk.

Guests: Tarmo Noormaa on Teppo accordion; Nathan Riki Thomson on double bass and prepared double bass; Daniel Herskedal on tuba, trumpet; Roland Seer and Martin Kikas on percussion; Tanel Kadalipp on bass and drum; and Runo singers Mari Kilu, Liisu Tamp.

In this song, Mari tells an epic creation story inspired by Estonian and Võro folklore, and the South Estonian landscape. According to the old Finno-Ugric myth, the world is created from the eggs of the bird, and that motif is also used here. In the song ’Munamäe Loomine’, Mari freely interprets the myth as if she received the eggs of the magical bird, creating and singing out the hills and hillocks of her home region, Rõuge. Mari and her family have for many hundreds of years lived in the South-East of Estonia, which is famous for its hilly landscape, somewhat similar to what we imagine being the home of the hobbits. These small hills are characteristic of her home region, and she considers these landscapes to be a strong influence on her music. With this song, she wants to express her love towards nature and terrain.

Munamägi (literally: Egg Hill) is a hill in Rõuge, Võrumaa, Estonia. It is an important landmark for the Estonians and is also the highest top of the rather flat Baltics. To conclude the song, Mari borrows a melody from an Indian traditional song which fits well with the idea of the song — that we create our world here and now, with our thoughts and decisions at this very moment. Songs of creation are one of the oldest types of Estonian archaic singing style, known as runo songs.

A composition which draws inspiration from a traditional Estonian myth of the great oak. It’s a story about the great oak that one day grows so tall that it hides the sun and the whole world becomes dark and cold. People in trouble are looking for ways to save the world, but nothing helps as the oak seems to be made out of iron. Eventually a small boy with a magical axe comes, cuts down the oak, rescuing the world from the darkness. Many practical things/possessions are made from the wood of the oak and the remains are thrown into the sea.

A song turning to Mother Earth, ’Maaimä’ is about the controversial relationship between humans and nature, comparing humans to bugs on the skin of the Earth. It’s a song addressing very contemporary problems such as the climate crisis, overpopulation, and consumption. Written in the Võro language by poet Leila Holts, there is another layer to the song as an expression of indigenous cultures in a contemporary context, being the track-keepers and alarmists of possibly negative developments for the nature.

’Tõistmuudu’ (meaning ’Otherwise’ in Võro language) is about the universal human nature and looking for an escape from the current crazy world — longing for a different kind of life more in tune with nature. The song is also an homage to all the tradition bearers and indigenous lifestyles in Estonia and around the world. The video for the song was shot on a lake in a snowstorm in Võrumaa, Spring 2023. The lyricist Jaan Kaplinski (1941-2022) was a writer, poet, and philosopher known for his focus on global issues and also Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism, but also for his strong support and writings in the Võro language. He was also nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature.

An upside-down creation song from the time when the stones were still soft. TVs, books, bagpipes, and trumpets are also created during the singing of this song. This song is inspired by another great Estonian poet and writer, Hasso Krull, and accompanied by fantastic Norwegian tuba/trumpet player Daniel Herskedal.

A story inspired by an old myth about a man who wants to craft himself a golden woman — an ideal wife made out of gold and silver. When the woman is forged and ready, to his surprise, he discovers that the woman is cold as gold in bed and has no soul in her.

A poetical journey under the Northern skies, the Milky Way and the flight of the swifts, telling about the universal nature of being a human. Our ancestors come from the same place – the low smoke huts. They have lived and fought to preserve life. The wells are filled with fresh water, the morning is clear and silent. The swallow, being the national bird of Estonia, can be compared to the native inhabitants and country and how we would like to be: small, agile, free.

A musically and lyrically multi-layered song expressing the worry and thoughts about my mother tongues – Estonian and Võro — both of them rather small in the context of the world. We are not sure if the destiny of these languages is to live or die in the future. As is said in the song lyrics, it is not certain whether we are at the wedding or funeral. These lyrics are written by contemporary Võro poet Triinu Laan. A line from the first poem published in Estonian (1818 by Kristjan Jaak Peterson) is used in the choral component of the song as well as an archive recording from 1936, taken from the Estonian Folklore Archives.

A lullaby composed by Mari. The lyrics are traditional from her home region of Võromaa. A mother and a father are awaiting their loved ones, their children, to come to home.