Short bio Aarre Merikanto
Birthday:
1893 in Helsinki, Finland
Died:
1958 in Helsinki, Finland
Genre:
Classical
Period:
Modern
Full biography Aarre Merikanto
Aarre Merikanto was a Finnish composer born on June 29, 1893, in Helsinki, Finland. He was the son of composer Oskar Merikanto and was brought up in a musical environment. Growing up, he showed an inclination towards music, particularly composition, and began studying under Leevi Madetoja.
Merikanto's early works included his first symphony, which premiered in 1914, and his opera "Juha," based on the novel by Juhani Aho. However, it was his orchestral works that gained him the most critical acclaim, such as his Suite for Orchestra (1915-1916) and his Symphony No. 2 (1919). Another notable work by Merikanto is his Symphony No. 3, which premiered in 1925.
Merikanto also composed chamber music and vocal music, including art songs and choral works. His art songs, particularly those based on texts by Finnish poets such as Eino Leino and Aleksis Kivi, are considered some of his finest works.
In addition to composing music, Merikanto was an active conductor and taught composition at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He was also a member of the Finnish Academy of Arts and Letters. Merikanto passed away on September 29, 1958, in Helsinki, leaving behind a rich musical legacy and a lasting influence on Finland's classical music scene.
Compositions featuring Aarre Merikanto
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis, for soprano, chorus & orchestra | 18:56 min | Choral | 1956 |
| 2 | Concerto for violin & orchestra, No 4 | 17:46 min | Concerto | 1954 |
| 3 | Symphony No. 3 | 22:12 min | Symphony | 1952 |
| 4 | Preludio for violin & piano | 4:01 min | Chamber Music | 1943 |
| 5 | Pieces (2) for orchestra | 8:46 min | Orchestral | 1941 |
| 6 | Concerto for cello, No 2 in D minor | 22:51 min | Concerto | 1941 |
| 7 | Canzona, for orchestra | 3:10 min | Orchestral | 1934 |
| 8 | Largo Misterioso, for orchestra | 4:13 min | Orchestral | 1930 |
| 9 | Pieces (10) for orchestra | 22:26 min | Orchestral | 1930 |
| 10 | Notturno, symphonic poem for orchestra | 9:47 min | Orchestral | 1929 |
| 11 | Concert piece for cello & orchestra | Concerto | 1926 | |
| 12 | Nonet for flute, English horn, clarinet, piano & string quintet | 19:19 min | Chamber Music | 1926 |
| 13 | Concerto for violin, clarinet, horn & string sextet | 22:35 min | Concerto | 1925 |
| 14 | Concerto for violin & orchestra, No 2 | 16:23 min | Concerto | 1925 |
| 15 | Pan, symphonic poem for orchestra, Op. 28 | 11:35 min | Orchestral | 1924 |
| 16 | Ekho, for soprano & orchestra | 10:00 min | Vocal Music | 1922 |
| 17 | Juha, opera, Op. 25 | Opera | 1920 | |
| 18 | Symphony No. 2 in A major ("War Symphony"), Op. 19 | 47:02 min | Symphony | 1918 |
| 19 | Piano Trio in A minor | 25:01 min | Chamber Music | 1917 |
| 20 | Symphony No. 1 in B minor, Op. 5 | 47:59 min | Symphony | 1914 |
| 21 | Piano Concerto No. 3 | 17:41 min | Keyboard | - |
| 22 | Piano Concerto No. 2 | 23:24 min | Keyboard | - |
| 23 | Symphonic Study for orchestra | 18:15 min | Orchestral | - |
| 24 | Scherzo for orchestra | 9:30 min | Orchestral | - |
| 25 | Six Piano Pieces, Op. 20 | 16:00 min | Keyboard | - |
| 26 | Studies (2) for orchestra: No. 1, Tranquillo | 2:38 min | Orchestral | - |
| 27 | Studies (2) for orchestra: No. 2, Cantabile | 2:13 min | Orchestral | - |
| 28 | Lemminkäinen, symphonic poem for orchestra, Op. 10 | 17:03 min | Orchestral | - |
| 29 | Tehkäme iloinen ilta, for male chourus (Let this night be merry) | 4:07 min | Choral | - |
| 30 | Vanha Kauko, for male chourus (Old Lemminkäinen) | 4:58 min | Choral | - |
| 31 | Viimeiselle, for male chourus (To the last living being) | 7:34 min | Choral | - |
| 32 | Keinu, for male chourus (The Swing) | 2:49 min | Choral | - |
| 33 | Andante, for organ | 2:13 min | Keyboard | - |
| 34 | Arietta, for orchestra | 1:42 min | Orchestral | - |
| 35 | Compositions (4) for Orchestra | 12:11 min | Orchestral | - |
| 36 | Fantasy for Orchestra | 17:23 min | Orchestral | - |
| 37 | Hiljaisuus, for male chourus (Silence) | 5:16 min | Choral | - |
| 38 | Hölmö, for male chourus (The Idiot) | 1:41 min | Choral | - |
| 39 | Intrada, for orchestra | 5:49 min | Orchestral | - |
| 40 | Juhannus, for male chourus (Midsummer) | 1:37 min | Choral | - |
| 41 | Pai pai paitaressu | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - | |
| 42 | Keinutan kaikua, for male chourus (Caressing the echo) | 2:02 min | Choral | - |
| 43 | Kottarainen, Op 36/2 | 1:00 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 44 | Kun päivä paistaa, Op 24/1 | 2:12 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 45 | Laula tyttö, Op 30/2 | 1:03 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 46 | Andante religioso for orchestra | 4:14 min | Orchestral | - |
| 47 | Lento cantabile, for orchestra | 3:32 min | Orchestral | - |
| 48 | Oi muistatko vielä sen virren Jukka | 4:03 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
Albums featuring Aarre Merikanto
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Aarre Merikanto, Petri Sakari, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra – Symphonies 1 & 3(SACD, Hybrid, Multichannel, Stereo, Album) | 2011 | Alba Records |
| 2 |  |
Aarre Merikanto, Matti Raekallio, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Tuomas Ollila – Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 - Two Studies For Small Orchestra - Two Pieces For Orchestra (1941)(CD, ) | 1998 | Ondine |
| 3 |  |
Tuomas Ollila, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Aarre Merikanto – Aarre Merikanto - Orchestral Works - Ollila(CD, Album) | 1998 | Ondine |
| 4 |  |
Aarre Merikanto(2×CD, Compilation, Remastered) | 1996 | Finlandia Records |
| 5 |  |
Aarre Merikanto - Jorma Hynninen, Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, Raimo Sirkiä, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jukka-Pekka Saraste – Juha (Opera In Three Acts)(2×CD, , Box Set, ) | 1996 | Ondine |
| 6 |  |
Sergei Prokofiev, Aarre Merikanto – Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante - Merikanto: Cello Concerto No. 2(CD, ) | 1995 | Ondine |
| 7 |  |
Aarre Merikanto / Kaija Saarikettu, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, James DePreist – Violin Concertos 2 & 4(CD, Album) | 1991 | Finlandia Records |
| 8 |  |
Hindemith, Merikanto, Lindberg, Zimmermann, Anssi Karttunen, London Sinfonietta, Esa-Pekka Salonen – Hindemith Merikanto Lindberg Zimmermann, Karttunen London Sinfonietta Salonen | 1990 | Finlandia Records |
| 9 |  |
Toivo Kuula, Aarre Merikanto, Usko Meriläinen, Leif Segerstam - Liisa Pohjola, Paavo Pohjola, Ensti Pohjola – Finnish Chamber Music(CD, ) | 1989 | BIS |
| 10 |  |
Aarre Merikanto, Ulf Söderblom, Matti Lehtinen (2), Raili Kostia, Hendrik Krumm, Taru Valjakka, Finnish National Opera Orchestra And Chorus – Juha(2×CD, Album) | 1988 | Finlandia Records |
| 11 |  |
Karita Mattila, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir, Ulf Söderblom – Paul Hindemith: Das Marienleben, Op 27 / Aulis Sallinen: Four Dream Songs / Aarre Merikanto: Genesis | 1988 | Finlandia Records |
| 12 |  |
Avanti!, Aarre Merikanto, Paavo Heininen, Magnus Lindberg – Merikanto / Heininen / Lindberg(CD, Album) | 1988 | Finlandia Records |
| 13 |  |
Avanti!, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Martti Talvela, Eero Heinonen (2), Jean Sibelius, Aarre Merikanto, Magnus Lindberg, Yrjö Kilpinen, Leevi Madetoja, Toivo Kuula – Kansallisosakepankki Sata Vuotta(CD, Promo) | 1988 | PIA-TON |
| 14 |  |
Choral Works = Kuoroteoksia - Viimeiselle = To The Last Living Being(LP, Album) | 1987 | Ondine Records |
| 15 |  |
Aarre Merikanto, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Leif Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka Saraste – Orchestral Works | 1987 | Finlandia Records |
| 16 |  |
Concerto For Violin, Clarinet, French Horn And String Sextet / Nonet / Works For Male Choir | 1986 | Ondine |
| 17 |  |
Pehr Henrik Nordgren, Erkki Salmenhaara, Aarre Merikanto, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Juha Kangas – New Finnish Music 4(LP, Album) | 1981 | Tactus Oy |
| 18 |  |
Aarre Merikanto, Väinö Raitio, Radion Sinfoniaorkesteri, Paavo Berglund, Okko Kamu, Irma Urrila, Ulf Hästbacka, Taru Valjakka – Aarre Merikanto; Väinö Raitio(LP, Stereo) | 1978 | Fennica Nova |
| 19 |  |
Aarre Merikanto, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Veikko Höylä - Eero Heinonen (2) – Concert Piece For Cello And Chamber Orchestra / Partita Per Orchestra / Concerto No. 2 For Piano And Orchestra(LP) | 1977 | His Master's Voice |
| 20 |  |
Duo Pohjola, Ligeti / A. Merikanto / Sallinen / Meriläinen / Segerstam – Duo Pohjola(LP, Stereo) | 1975 | BIS |
| 21 |  |
Aarre Merikanto - Matti Lehtinen (2), Raili Kostia, Hendrik Krumm, Taru Valjakka, Ulf Söderblom – Juha | 1972 | Finnlevy |
| 22 |  |
I. Bezrodny - K. Szymanowski / A. Mericanto / G. Gershwin / G. Ernst – Концерт Игоря Безродного = Recital By I. Bezrodny | 1960 | Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga |
| 23 |  |
Jean Sibelius, Uuno Klami, Aarre Merikanto – Untitled(LP, Album) | - | Suomen Säveltäjät |
| 24 |  |
Aarre Merikanto, Anu Komsi, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Petri Sakari – Symphony 2 / Ekho(CD, ) | - | Alba Records |
| 25 |  |
Aarre Merikanto - Ulf Söderblom, Finnish National Opera Orchestra, Finnish National Opera Chorus – Juha(3×LP, Album, Stereo, Box Set, ) | - | Musical Heritage Society |
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