Fredrik Pacius

Fredrik Pacius (or "Friedrich Pacius") (Audio|Sv-Fredrik_Pacius.ogg|pronunciation; March 19, 1809 Hamburg – January 8, 1891 Helsinki) was a German composer and conductor who lived most of his life in Finland. He has been called the "Father of Finnish music".

Pacius was appointed as a music teacher at the University of Helsinki in 1834. In Helsinki he founded a musical society, a student choir and an orchestra. In 1848 Pacius wrote the music to the poem "Maamme" by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, which was to become Finland's national anthem. Pacius’s music was also used for the Estonian national anthem "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" and Livonians national anthem "Min izāmō, min sindimō".

In 1852 he composed "Kung Karls jakt" (The Hunt of King Charles) which was the first Finnish opera, with a libretto in the style of Romantic nationalism, like the national anthem designed to ensure Finland's Grand Duke (i.e. Russia's Emperor) on the total loyalty of his subjects in Finland. The libretto was written by the author and historian Zacharias Topelius in close collaboration with the composer.

His compositions also include a violin concerto, a symphony, a string quartet and several other operas.

External links

* [http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/mainframe?readform&CD84D3E8EA030D05C22567F400403499 Finnish Music Information Center page on Pacius' Vocal Works]