kurkı - Martha is the shared winner of Åbo Akademi University Foundation’s 'Vox Quercus' composition competition 2022.

Man managed to eradicate the world's most common bird, the passenger pigeon, by hunting it to extinction. The last known passenger pigeon was called Martha, who lived in the Cincinnati Zoo in the United States. Martha died in 1914.

"Martha" is a story of faith in the ability to influence and change the world for better. Flourishing soil feeds our children and birds. Children are the future. Finnish botanist Pehr Kalm's (1716-1779) effort to promote the coexistence of man and nature through scientific means is also heard in the work. Pehr Kalm has conducted a study on the breeding biology of passenger pigeons that is still considered significant.

The soundscape and rhythm of the piece is based on the sounds of melting ice recorded in an old abandoned railway tunnel in Halikko, Finland. The sounds have been carefully programmed and appear in many different forms, as ambient sound effects and as a supporting rhythm. The soundscape dives under the bark of an old oak tree as it waits for spring, warmth, the awakening of nature and Martha's arrival on its branch.

Listen the song: https://kurkimusic.bandcamp.com/track/martha https://listen.tidal.com/album/290450983/track/290450984 https://open.spotify.com/track/1W5Hqf6peW6mw1ET0XRjzE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41i08XVI7rs

Lyrics:

Snow heavy on my bough In this winter sound Many days I've waited for the wings to land On his caring hand Over soil and sand Feathers hover anywhere the wind blows to

Ooh Await the fields to bloom Ooh Our time will be here soon It's growing from this soil he seeds The children and the birds to feed

He traveled overseas With his plants and seeds Soon the sun brought creepers climbing up my spine "Lord bless this wine" I could here him sigh When the birds came flying high above the room

Ooh Await the fields to bloom Ooh Our time will be here soon

It's growing from this soil he seeds The children and the birds to feed It's rising from this soil he seeds Water and the sun we need

Snow heavy on my bough In this winter sound Still I wait for feathers Hover over me Find this lonely tree And I still believe That the wind blows from the right direction

Wait for you I wait for you