Five kanteles! Four players! Lots of gorgeous harmony!
Tonight’s diversion was Kardemimmit (“Cardamom,” I think), a four-girl ensemble from Finland. They began playing together around the age of 10, when the head of their music academy suggested they start a band, and now 23 years later they come to New Mexico. (Doubtless the highlight of their career.)
A kantele is a Finnish folk instrument “belonging to the southeast Baltic box zither family,” which I’m sure tells you a lot. Think of it as a dulcimer with a heck of a lot more strings. The large concert kantele on the table has something like 40 strings, plus levers to alter the pitch of the strings. The sound is sweet and bell-like, and provided lovely accompaniment to the singers’ harmonies.
Nothing wrong with harmony, is there?
