Rhymed folk songs in a long 19th century
Abstract
The article examines the popular tradition of rhymed folk songs and its disregarded status by the elite in a long 19th century. By utilizing prefaces of folk song collections, letters, scientific writings, and newspapers, it asks what the reasons for the low definitions of this genre were. This investigation is analyzed in respect of the reception of the material. The focus of the article is to elucidate the complex value of rhymed folk songs both in collecting and publishing practices of oral tradition as well as in the national project that was targeted to guide the peasants towards a good life. The new, rhymed folk song tradition had its background in Swedish melodies and translations, and thus was defined as foreign by some of the elite. However, there were some attempts to publish collections of rhymed folk songs, e.g., by Elias Lönnrot, H. A. Reinholm, and Lauri Soini, but these projects never actualized extensively. The article argues that the lack of published collection has been one of the reasons for the low status of rhymed folk songs.
Keywords: Oral tradition, rhymed folksongs, disregarded tradition, 19th century, appreciation, publications
