it's Finland again

trying to emulate Pentti Sammallahti - yes it's really a person's name, not really his fault, he's finnish, from a land where they just can't get enough consonnants in their words.

he put out this magnificent book, here far away, of pics from all over, including cold, desolate landscapes and cityscapes.

yet theye radiate unexpected warmth, from the magnificent quality of the print, and strange intimacy from the attention being drawn to those little isles of humanity seemingly lost in desolate whiteness.

you almost hear the opening tremolo and soaring entry of the solo violin from the 1st movement of Sibelius' violin concerto.

to give you an inkling of how besotted i am with this particular concerto, i have versions with Stern, Mintz, Oistrakh (2 different ones), Heifetz, and Neveu.