A. W. Yrjänä
Encyclopedia
Aki Ville Yrjänä better known by the stage name
, A. W. Yrjänä (ˈɑːʋeː ˈyrjænæ), is a poet
and the singer, bassist
, and primary songwriter
of the Finnish
rock
band CMX
. In addition to his musical work he has published four collections of poems.
and comparative religion
, and his texts often contain strong mythological
imagery. His symbol
ic texts are considered to be a major part of CMX's appeal. Yrjänä himself has said: "I've never tried to write cryptic text, but it seems I just think in a complicated manner."
Yrjänä also plays the guitar, and usually composes
on the guitar rather than his primary instrument, the bass guitar
. He can be heard playing the guitar on the occasional CMX song (such as "Hautalinnut" from Aion
), as well as on "Pop-musiikkia
" by Neljä baritonia. He has produced Rautakantele
and co-produced a number of other CMX albums as well as albums by other artists, such as Pohjannaula
, Wilma and Little Mary Mixup.
In 1997, Yrjänä wrote Silta Niilin yli that consisted of 18 songs for a seven-piece orchestra. It was performed on the Joensuun Laulujuhlat festival. He has also collaborated with Sanna Kurki-Suonio and Henrik Otto Donner in composing a musical piece for the celebration of the 150th birthday of the Finnish national epic
Kalevala
. It was performed in the Helsinki Ice Hall in February 1999.
, one of Finland's most popular contemporary poets, commented that the book "surprised him" and referred to Yrjänä as a "very promising fellow". In response to criticism that the book contained too much obscure references for the average reader, Yrjänä published an appendix to Arcana on the CMX web site. He wrote that he "did not explain the poems - a poem can't be explained - only clarified the background of some expressions."
of the poems. Arcana and Rota were later published as a CD
audio book
Arcana & Rota, performed by Yrjänä himself.
appreciated Yrjänä's exotic imagery and knowledge of different philosophies and religions, although he felt that the writer's language lacks the finer nuances of some of his more experienced colleagues. Yrjänä has said in an interview that when Somnia was finished, he thought it was great, but half a year later he started thinking that half of the poems could have been left out. Published in 2003, it was Yrjänä's first book for Johnny Kniga publishing
company. The first two collections were published by Like.Helsingin kaupunginkirjasto - Sanojen Aika - Kirjailija
, metaphysics
and ancient mythology
were largely put to the background and accompanied by a melancholical everyday tone. Helsingin Sanomat regarded it as Yrjänä's best work so far. The poet himself has stated that there will be another four (or possibly five) books to the same series, and that the starting letters of the books will form a word. According to him, Mechanema started its life as a single epic poem, but the idea was later abandoned because he considered the book would become too hard for both the writer and the reader.
With Terveet Kädet
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
, A. W. Yrjänä (ˈɑːʋeː ˈyrjænæ), is a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and the singer, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, and primary songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
of the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band CMX
CMX (band)
CMX, originally Cloaca Maxima, are a Finnish rock band. They originally played hardcore punk, but soon expanded to play a wide variety of rock formats, including progressive rock, heavy metal, and mainstream rock n roll. Throughout their career, they have been influenced by progressive rock bands...
. In addition to his musical work he has published four collections of poems.
Music
Yrjänä has studied theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and comparative religion
Comparative religion
Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions...
, and his texts often contain strong mythological
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
imagery. His symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
ic texts are considered to be a major part of CMX's appeal. Yrjänä himself has said: "I've never tried to write cryptic text, but it seems I just think in a complicated manner."
Yrjänä also plays the guitar, and usually composes
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
on the guitar rather than his primary instrument, the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. He can be heard playing the guitar on the occasional CMX song (such as "Hautalinnut" from Aion
Aion (CMX album)
Aion is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word Aion is Ancient Greek for "age, life-force" and also a Finnish verb form meaning "I intend "....
), as well as on "Pop-musiikkia
Pop-musiikkia
"Pop-musiikkia" is a single released in November 1997 by Neljä baritonia , a band consisting of Ismo Alanko, Kalle Ahola , Ilkka Alanko and A. W. Yrjänä . It is the only song the band recorded, and has been certified platinum in Finland...
" by Neljä baritonia. He has produced Rautakantele
Rautakantele
Rautakantele is a 1995 album by the Finnish rock group CMX. "Rautakantele" is Finnish and means "The Iron Kantele".Rautakantele is the most stylistically eclectic of CMX's albums...
and co-produced a number of other CMX albums as well as albums by other artists, such as Pohjannaula
Pohjannaula
Pohjannaula was a Finnish folk rock music band formed in 1998. The band was split up in February 2011.-Band members:*Samuli Mäkisalo - vocals and guitar*Juha-Matti Pesonen - guitar*Tomi Rikkola - viola*Tuomo Kuure - bass*Hermanni Peltola - drums...
, Wilma and Little Mary Mixup.
In 1997, Yrjänä wrote Silta Niilin yli that consisted of 18 songs for a seven-piece orchestra. It was performed on the Joensuun Laulujuhlat festival. He has also collaborated with Sanna Kurki-Suonio and Henrik Otto Donner in composing a musical piece for the celebration of the 150th birthday of the Finnish national epic
National epic
A national epic is an epic poem or a literary work of epic scope which seeks or is believed to capture and express the essence or spirit of a particular nation; not necessarily a nation-state, but at least an ethnic or linguistic group with aspirations to independence or autonomy...
Kalevala
Kalevala
The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
. It was performed in the Helsinki Ice Hall in February 1999.
Arcana
In 1997, Yrjänä released his first poem book, Arcana. Tommy TabermannTommy Tabermann
Tommy Tabermann was a Finnish contemporary poet and politician, radio personality and journalist...
, one of Finland's most popular contemporary poets, commented that the book "surprised him" and referred to Yrjänä as a "very promising fellow". In response to criticism that the book contained too much obscure references for the average reader, Yrjänä published an appendix to Arcana on the CMX web site. He wrote that he "did not explain the poems - a poem can't be explained - only clarified the background of some expressions."
Rota
Rota was published in 2000 and divided the opinions of critics: some criticized his language as not being mature enough for serious poetry, and argued that he makes "very simple mistakes, the kind they warn you about on writing courses." Others praised Yrjänä for his mythological visions and the massive intertextualityIntertextuality
Intertextuality is the shaping of texts' meanings by other texts. It can include an author’s borrowing and transformation of a prior text or to a reader’s referencing of one text in reading another. The term “intertextuality” has, itself, been borrowed and transformed many times since it was coined...
of the poems. Arcana and Rota were later published as a CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
audio book
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
Arcana & Rota, performed by Yrjänä himself.
Somnia
Yrjänä's third book, Somnia, was a similar success. Jukka Koskelainen of Helsingin SanomatHelsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
appreciated Yrjänä's exotic imagery and knowledge of different philosophies and religions, although he felt that the writer's language lacks the finer nuances of some of his more experienced colleagues. Yrjänä has said in an interview that when Somnia was finished, he thought it was great, but half a year later he started thinking that half of the poems could have been left out. Published in 2003, it was Yrjänä's first book for Johnny Kniga publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
company. The first two collections were published by Like.Helsingin kaupunginkirjasto - Sanojen Aika - Kirjailija
Mechanema
In Mechanema (2006), the themes of alchemyAlchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
, metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
and ancient mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
were largely put to the background and accompanied by a melancholical everyday tone. Helsingin Sanomat regarded it as Yrjänä's best work so far. The poet himself has stated that there will be another four (or possibly five) books to the same series, and that the starting letters of the books will form a word. According to him, Mechanema started its life as a single epic poem, but the idea was later abandoned because he considered the book would become too hard for both the writer and the reader.
With Terveet KädetTerveet KädetTerveet Kädet are a Finnish hardcore punk band, the first in Finland. The group was founded in Tornio in January 1980. They have had a major influence on bands from all over the world, especially in Brazil...
- Pahan voima -87 (EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, 1987) - Oma koloni (EP, 1988)
- Anno Domini (EP, 1989)