Uuno Klami

Uuno Klami ( born September 20, 1900 in Virolahti, † May 29 1961 in Virolahti ) was a Finnish composer.

Life

Klami studied 1920-1924 at the Helsinki Music Institute (later the Sibelius Academy ) at Erkki Melartin. In 1924/25 to studies included in Paris, where he met with Maurice Ravel, Florent Schmitt. The breakthrough as a composer came to him with a concert of his own works in 1928 in Helsinki (on the program Piano Concerto No. 1 "Une nuit à la Montmartre " and the " Karelian Rhapsody" were ). 1928/29, followed by studies in Vienna, among others, Hans Gál. From 1932 Klami worked as a music critic in Helsinki. Since 1938, he received, also thanks to a recommendation from Sibelius, a national artist board. 1959 Finnish award academics, he was awarded. At the age of 60 years Klami died during a sailing trip of a heart attack.

Since 2003/ 04 the International Uuno Klami Composition Competition will be held in 5 - year intervals in Helsinki.

Work

Although numerous works Klamis refer to the Finnish national epic Kalevala, the Finnish folk music plays only a minor role in his music. Instead, he developed a coined by contemporary international influences style, particularly French models ( Ravel, Les Six ), and Russia ( Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich sometimes later ) reflected.

The main focus of work was on Klamis orchestral works. Special popularity in Finland reached beside the " Karelian Rhapsody" (1927 ) but also his oratorio " Psalmus " (1936). Remained particularly known in Finland until today also are the " Kalevala Suite" (1933 /43), the orchestral suite " Sea Pictures" ( 1930-32 ) and several shorter orchestral compositions. Klami also wrote two piano concertos, a violin concerto, a " Czech draw Forensic fantasy " for cello and orchestra, and two symphonies. A large-format ballet " vortex " remained unfinished.