Arctic Silence is a selection of ancient Finnish songs. In these haunting melodies you can hear silence speak. I have chosen songs that are at the same time ancient and modern and in their quiet beauty speak to American audiences. Many of the songs are accompanied by 5-and 10-string KANTELE (Finnish folk harp). Finnish folk poetry tells that when the Kantele was played for the first time, the sound was so beautiful that everybody started to cry. When the tears touched the water of the ocean, they turned to pearls. -- Merja Soria

Available Sound Samples (mp3 format): Track 1 - Duui Didl (30 sec) Track 11 - Alalaarian Alalammi (30 sec) Track 2 - Aamulla Varhain (40 sec) Track 12 - Melkutus (40 sec)*** Track 8 - Kylä Vuotti Uutta Kuuta (40 sec)

***The track 12 was featured in the National Geographic Television's program "Beyond the movie: Lord of the Rings" "I first heard the music on the National Geographic special on Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. It is absolutely beautiful. The music is performed with Merja's heavenly "elvish" voice accompanied only with the Finish lute. If you ever wanted to hear Galadriel or Arwen singing, this is the soundtrack to get!" ---Yau-ming, Review at Amazon.com, January 2, 2003   More Reviews: "Her vocals are so haunting, her folksongs scholarship impeccable…Soria doesn't need to clutter songs with much instrumentation, her voice carries the day all on its own." ---Sing Out! Summer 2002   "Soria plays these traditional songs with wistful pleasure and a freshness, not so much in a strict traditional manner as in a creative style…" ---Dirty Linen , Spring 2002   "…certainly, she has stripped away the rackety style into which many modern players of this kind of music have fallen, and she has produced a shining example of Finnish roots music." "The quieter songs are absolute gems…Merja's shimmering kantele strings make Simon and Garfunkel seem overproduced." ---Oren Tikkanen, New World Finn, October 2001   "...Arctic Silence on kuitenkin Sorian soololevy, jossa vierailijoita on saasteliaasti. Tunnelma on siten pieni ja intiimi, tunnetuista kansanmusiikkisavelmista Soria etsii herkkia puolia. Tulos on onnistunut: Liika yrittamattomyys on viehattavaa, kokonaisuudessa on 60-lukulaisen folkin herkkyytta." ---Hannu Saha, Aksentti (FINLAND), July 2002

To buy this CD from Merja, please send a check for US$17 to: Merja Soria P.O. Box 153242 San Diego, CA 92195 Please email Merja (msoria@cox.net) if you have any questions.