PILKNE IN PASTORAL: Plant a Seed, Pluck a Sound

In medieval Baltic mythology Pikne is generally considered the God of thunder. According to the myths collected by Matthias Johann Eisen, Pikne is the brother of Kõu and the son of Uku. The evil underworld god Vanatühi stole his whistle or bagpipes. Without blowing it, the gods couldn't help the farmers who were praying for rain. Uku was angered and sent Pikne back to Earth, where he worked as a farmhand. He visited a wedding, where he pretended to be a musician and regained his magic instrument. Like the Pied Piper, Orpheus, Paul Atredies, and the Sirens, Pikne is a mythic figure whose magic power is music.

Inspired by this mythic confluence, part of my efforts in the MoKS project will be devoted to a simple integration of music, environment, and agriculture in the form of forest installations. In the nearby forests of Mooste I will be installing some or all of the following: tree harps, earth basses, branch chimes, long range trumpets, and fields of aeolian bells. Each installation will have a culinary pantry for birds, a table and two chairs, perhaps a human nest, and a mini-garden, tended, throughout the month. We will be gathering at these locations for guided musical interactions, garden parties, and other transient activities.