Performance of new version_ at Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival 2019
For kantele, video and electronics

“Lotus” was premiered already in 2006 by Matleena Knuuti and later performed by Eva Alkula in the world renown festival Kuhmo Chamber Music. In many ways this piece marked the beginning of the career of Miika Hyytiäinen. For 2019 Kuhmo Chamber Music has asked Hyytiäinen to make a new version, premiered by Elisa Kerola (photo by Juuso Westerlund)

“Lotus” is based on the myth of lotus eaters or Lotophagi of Greek mythology. These people consumed the lotus fruits and flowers for their narcotic effect and due to their apathy finally became themselves the nutrition of the water plants.

Also in the piece “Lotus”, the material is dream-like and invites the listener to a world where everything is slowly falling and disappearing. The dissolving musical material of the kantele, the intimate whispering of the tape and the visual art by Carita Berg create a Gesamtkunstwerk where the audience must be careful where they step. As the culmination of the piece the solo performer is asked to compose a new melodic motive for the piece, but even that just molders to small parts and brings us deeper in a peaceful sleep with lotuses.