Armas Launis

Full biography Armas Launis

Armas Launis (1884-1959) was a Finnish composer, ethnomusicologist, professor, writer, and journalist. He had a keen interest in North African Orient, which was evident in his travel writing, opera compositions, and musicological works. Although he is generally better known as an opera composer, his output includes a wide variety of genres, ranging from orchestral music to choral works, songs, and chamber music. He was also a pioneer in the collection and publication of folk music from Ingria, Karelia, and Estonia, and his work in this area has contributed greatly to the understanding of these musical traditions. Launis was a prolific writer, contributing articles to newspapers and journals, as well as publishing books on music and culture. His musical compositions can be described as eclectic, drawing on both Finnish folk traditions and Western classical music. Today, his works are still performed and recorded, and he is considered to be one of the most important Finnish composers of the early 20th century.