photo: Minna Leinonen

for string quartet 

duration appr. 6 minutes

Finland is the swampiest country in the world, which gave its name to the work. The word also refers to a resonating sound ("I would play") and allowance ("I would allow") in Finnish. 

In this work, the swamp reflects opposites that can combine with each other and coexist.  Swamp is neither land nor water, but both: an element where these two meet. In folklore, the swamp is associated with something unknown and unconscious, a hidden, forgotten memory of the earth. In different times, swamp has symbolized our fears and dislikes, but also what we value and respect. The swamp has also been used to describe the ultimate human emotions: when you have hard times, you wallow in the swamp or sink into the bottomless bog, and when you win difficulties, you arise from the swamp. This contrast is one material of the work, following its own dramaturgy.

Soisin was co-commissioned by Kaustinen Chamber Music Week 2025 and Katrina Kammarmusik 2025. 

Thank you for supporting Soisin: Finnish Culture Foundation and Svenska Kulturfonden.

Review

Soisin contains violent, rapid outbursts and sudden changes, on the one hand, and a serene, delicate sound on the other. This dichotomy continues throughout the work.

Leinonen knows how to get different sounds out of a string quartet and a human being. The Valo Quartet played the piece skilfully. Perhaps the work could be thought of as an organic process in which the battle of life's opposing forces continues, always, in a new form"

- Anni Saari, Keski-Pohjanmaan sanomat 31st January 2025

"Soisin" is a work that transcends its brief duration. This concise piece, composed for string quartet, encompasses many worlds and is rich in details that are fascinating both in terms of content and interpretation. The performance was tense, lively, and also entertaining.

- Kikka Holmberg, Kulttuuritoimitus 16th April 2026

"Inspired by the swamp, a place so important and multifaceted to Finns, this piece is at once mysterious and cautiously revealing, at times threatening, yet also enabling growth and new beginnings, and ultimately uplifting. The strings swirl over the strings, the human voice weaves into the texture, the new seeks its way...and it resounds, as long as we allow it!"

-Jari Hoffrén Post festum 23th April 2026

Performances

15th April 2026 Tampere Biennale

Soisin (2025)

TampereRaw quartet:

Anna Angervo, violin
Linda Halme, violin
Heili Hannikainen, viola 

Maija Juuti, cello

6th August 2025 Katrina kammarmusikfestival, Åland

Cuarteto Quiroga:

Aitor Hevia, violin

Cibrán Sierra, violin

Josep Puchades, viola

Helena Poggio, cello

30th January 2025 Kaustinen

Soisin (F.p.)

Valo quartet:

Maria Włoszczowska, violin

Tim Crawford, violin

Lilli Maijala, viola

Amy Norrington, cello