The O-Sound (O-Töne)

TON *German - n. sound, tone, pip, note; intonation, rise and fall of the voice in speech; clay, type of soil used to make pottery and bricks, soil which contains high percentage of silicates of aluminum. 

O-Töne (sound bites, "original sounds") - annual contemporary Literature Festival held in the Museum Quarter in Vienna during July and August. This year the Festival had a head start with a preview concert on June 20 (Summer Solstice). After a reading by Hungarian author Péter Esterházy, Estonian singer Siiri Sisask performed a series of songs from her latest CD, "Linga Mea" to coincide with 20 years of Estonian re-independence (celebrated on August 20th.) See the article in Eesti Päevaleht here and read the German here.

Siiri was accompanied by Kristjan Randalu (piano) and his jazz quartet: Carsten Netz (clarinet, saxophone,, synthesizers) Oliver Potratz (bass) ja Paul Wiltgen (percussion), and the string quartet Helenos from Germany. Listen to clips from "Lingua Mea" here.  Can you here the influence of Korean and Mongolian music intertwined with Estonian Setu?

MQ Photo from Claudia Nicoleta's collection

Museum Quarter in Vienna - celebrates 10!

You could call this "Mother of all Museums" the European remedy to giant North American shopping malls, such as the  Vaughan Mills Mall (north of Toronto). But without the Bass Pro bait shop:-) Imagine 20 museums and cultural organizations presenting programs in performing arts, architecture, music, fashion, theater, dance, literature, children's and digital culture all in one area in roof, so to speak. Along with 40 living spaces and terrace cafés, bars, shops and a wonderful courtyard. This summer:

Leopold Museum - Egon Schiele lovers paradise.

MUMOK - exhibits moved outside, re-opening September 8  Kunsthalle- Salvador Dali exhibit. More exhibit info here.

The O-Töne Festival was started by Gabriela Hegedus and Christoph Möderndorfer in 2005 and featured contemporary Austrian authors presenting original works (unpublished) every Thursday evening in July and August.  This summer, from July 7 to August 25, an Austrian and European author will present as a duo - here's the lineup - what an amazing place to visit!

Opening concert: Meaghan Burke
Opening lecture: Sabine Gruber (AT): "Still Bach or The Longing"

• Melinda Nadj Abonji (CH): "doves fly"
  Linda pin (AT): "Not a single day"
• Giorgio Vasta (I): "The glass-eaters"
  Maja Haderlap (AT): "Angel of Forgetfulness"
• Roel Verschueren (B): "Shut up, if you speak"
  Clemens J. Setz (AT): "The love child at the time of Mahlstädter"
• Cărtărescu Mircea (RO): "The Body"
  Franz Schuh (Austria): "The crutch Cactus"
• Michal Hvorecký (SK): "Eskorta"
  Josef Haslinger (Austria): "Jachymov"
• Rudiš Jaroslav (CZ): "Konec v Punku Helsinkách"
  Evelyn shock (AT): "The freedom of the great Ferenc Puskas"
• Raittila Hannu (FIN): "Clarification"
  Peter Henisch (AT): "Grand Finale for Novak"

Öö nagu ööbik

Foto: Saarte Hääl

Syktyvkar, Komi Republic - June 12, 2011
Can you guess what this is? A symbol of the Finno-Ugric people, language and culture! The letter Ö was carved into granite by sculptor Aleksandr Võborov and unveiled in a ceremony in front of the Komi Cultural Centre last week. Although the idea to create a single unifying symbol was initiated by the Komi language and history expert Aleksei Rassõhajev in 2008, it took some time to organize. The  final location was decided by internet voting on the official administration website.

The letter Ö is revered by the speakers of the Komi, Khanty, Hansi and Udmurtia languages in Russia belonging to the Finno-Ugric family. It is interesting that the õ vowel is found in Russian, but ö, ü and ä are not!

In Estonian, from Saarte Hääl:
Komi keelt, rahvast ja kultuuri sümboliseeriva mälestussamba püstitamise idee pakkus välja komi keele, kirjanduse ja ajaloo instituudi teaduslik töötaja Aleksei Rassõhajev. Samba autor on skulptor Aleksandr Võborov. 

Sammas sai valmis juba möödunud aastal, kuid selle kunstilise väärtuse ja asukoha üle käis seni tuline vaidlus. Sobiva asukoha leidmiseks korraldati Sõktõvkari administratsioonijuhi blogis internetihääletus, kus enamus hääli anti selle poolt, et sammas püstitataks komi kultuuri keskuse ette. 

Komi, aga ka handi, mansi, mari ja udmurdi keeles on soomeugrilik ö-täht igati auväärsel kohal. Venemaa keele- ja kultuurikeskkonnas on aga tegemist pigem ainulaadse tähega.

Aavita Aabits, Edgar Valter

When learning the following Estonian vowels or täishäälikud, we learn to associate them with the following words: 

Õ = õun,  Ä= ämblik, Ö = ööbik, Ü = ümbrik

....but does Ö in Estonian always stand for ööbik? Here's a list of the many possible variations in Estonian counties, from http://www.estinst.ee

Our nightingale has gone elsewhere this year.
Meie ööbik on tänavu mujale läinud.

Hiiumaa: Saaremaa: Muhumaa: Läänemaa: Vigala: Kihnu: Harju-Risti: Kuusalu: Järvamaa: Põhja-Virumaa: Vaivara: Kodavere: Karksi: Southern-Tartumaa: Võrumaa: Setomaa:

Meide ööbik aa seaesta maeale läin Meite ööbik oo siasta mäale läind Meite üöbik uo sieoasta mõjale läin Meite ärjälend oo tänäkond maale läin Mede künnilind uu tänabö maeale läind Mede künniljõnd ond tänävasta maalõ läin Mete üöbik oo tänabu maeal läin Meie üöbik on tänävu muuale mend Me õitselind on tänavu maale läind Meie kirikiut one tänävu mojale lähänd Mei sisokaine ono (olo) tänä vuo mojale mennö Meie sisask one tänävuade mõjale lähnud Mee kiriküüt' om täo muial lännü Meie tsisask om tinavu muiale lännu Mii sisask um timahavva muialõ lännüq Mii sisas'k om timahavva muialõ l'änüq

Did you know that:
-  ö  is a character used in several extended Latin, Uralic as well as the Azeri, Turkish,Turkmen, Uyghur (Latin script), Crimean Tatar, and in the Uto-Aztecan language Hopi alphabets?
- In Seneca ö is used to represent [ɔ̃], a back mid rounded nasalized vowel?
- Sweden to phase out Å, Ä and Ö, true or false? Read the story here.
- There is actually a wonderful Estonian signer, Siiri Sisask? 

Võlu muusika ja sõnad

Võlusaared (Magic Islands) on uus Toronto Lasteaia ja Täienduskoolide raamatukogu nimi, mida esitas 1. keelekümbluse klassi õpilane August Jalakas nime valimise võistlustel. See nimi tuletab meelde kohti, mis asuvad maa ja taeva vahel, kuhu saab rännata kujutlusvõimedega.

Siiri Sisask (the word means nightingale) has captured the essence of Estonia with this song...what magic is in this mountainless land, with its seemingly never-ending forests and miry swamps, where the night eats up the day, and the day that swallows up the night...what land is this? She is one of Estonian pop music’s most intriguing and beloved stars, with a style that defies classification. Eclectic is a word that comes to mind. Who else could record both Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven and Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven? This is her latest release from 2009, "11"; she alone plays the piano, without her usual partner Kristjan Randalu.

Mis maa see on?
Siin pole ühtgi mäge,
Vaid metsad lõputud ja laukasood.
Kuid siinne rahvas täis on imeväge,
Ja kummalised nende laululood.
Mis maa see on?
Kord öö sööb ära päeva,
Kord päev on nõnda pikk, et neelab öö.
Ühtmoodi mõlemad siin mööda läevad.
Kui võõras puhkab, kohalik teeb tööd.