Uuno Klami

Uuno Klami (20 September 1900 – 29 May 1961) was a Finnish composer. He was born in Virolahti. Many of his works are related to the Kalevala. He was also influenced by French music, in particularly by Maurice Ravel and the group "Les Six". Klami is one of the only composers to have participated in five armed conflicts (2 wars in Karelia, the Finnish Civil War, the Winter War of 1939-40 and the Continunation War of 1941-44).

Klami studied music in Helsinki with Melartin and later in Paris and Vienna. His main works include the "Kalevala Suite" and the unfinished ballet "Whirls". The oratorio "Psalmus" (1936) has a unique place in Finnish sacred music and is one of the greatest works by a Finn not named Sibelius.Fact|date=February 2008 Klami also experimented with the symphonic form in his two Symphonies (1938 and 1945) and "Sinfonie enfantine" (1927), and the concerto form in his two Piano Concertos (No. 1 'Une nuît à la Montmartre' and No.2 for Piano and Strings) and the Violin Concerto (1943). Being a master of miniature orchestral works, the orchestral suite "Sea Pictures" should also be regarded as one of his greatest achievements. With the recommendation of Sibelius he was granted a small lifetime income from the government. In 1959 he was made a member of the Finnish Academy (one of Finland's highest honors).

The energetic "Karelian Rhapsody" was the first Finnish orchestral work to be published in Finland, and a long-time favourite in radio concert programs.

Klami died of a heart attack in Virolahti at age 60 while sailing his favorite boat "Miina".

Major compositions

*Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 8 "Une nuit a Montmartre" (1925)
*Scenes from a Puppet Theatre (1925, orch. 1931)
*Karelian Rhapsody, Op. 15 (1927)
*Symphonie enfantine, Op. 17 (1928)
*Opernredoute, Op. 20 (1929)
*Cheremissian Fantasy for Cello & Orchestra, Op. 19 (1931)
*Hommage a Haendel, Op. 21 (1931)
*Sea Pictures (1930-32)
*Scenes from a Country Life (1932)
*Serenades joyeuses (1933)
*Lemminkainen's Island Adventures (1934)
*Helsinki March (1934)
*Karelian Dances (1935)
*The Cobbler on the Heath-Overture (1936)
*Psalmus for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1932-36)
*Suite for String Orchestra (1937)
*Symphony No. 1 (1937-38)
*In the Belly of Viipunen for baritone, men's chorus & orchestra (1938) (from "The Kalevala")
*Suomenlinna-Overture, Op. 30 (1940)
*Kalevala Suite, Op. 23 (1933-1943)
*Concerto for Violin & Orchestra, Op. 32 (1943)
*King Lear-Overture, Op. 33 (1944)
*Symphony No. 2,op. 35 (1945)
*The Prodigal Son Incidental Music to the play by Marin Drzic (1945)
*The Cyclist-Rondo for Orchestra (1946)
*Suite for small orchestra, Op. 37 (1946)
*Karelian Marketplace, Op. 39 (1947)
*Aurora borealis fantasy for Orchestra, Op. 38 (1948)
*Concerto No. 2 for Piano & Strings, Op. 41 (1950)
*All'Ouvertura, Op.43 (1951)
*Tema con 7 variazioni e coda for cello & orchestra, Op. 44 (1954)
*Song of Moon Lake for baritone & orchestra (1956)
*Pyorteita (Whirls-Flames) Ballet inspired by the Kalevala L(Act One completed, Act Two impiano score orchestrated by Kalevi Aho, Act Three lost) (1957-60)_
*The Bearer of the Golden Staff Cantata (1960-61)

ources

*Aho, Kalevi & Valkonen: "Uuno Klami: Elama ja treokset" Werner Soderstrom Osakehtio, Helsinki, 1999
*Korhonen, Kimmo: "Inventing Finnish Music" Finnish Music Information Centre 2003
*Lehtonen, Tiina-Maija: "Uuno Klami/ Works" Suomen Kultuurirahaston Kymenlaakson rahasto 1986
*Tyrvainen, Helena: "The Success story of the man who forged the sampo" Finnish Music Quarterly 2/2000 pp. 2-11

External links

* [http://www.kolumbus.fi/justal/klami/ Information on Klami]