Uuno Klami


Uuno Klami was a Finnish composer. He was born in Virolahti. Many of his works are related to the Kalevala. He was influenced by French and Spanish music, and especially by Maurice Ravel, for whom he had a particular esteem.
The core of Klami's oeuvre consists of an assortment of works related to the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, among the most notable being: the five-movement Kalevala sarja, inspired by Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring; the symphonic poem, Lemminkäisen seikkailut saaressa ; and, the unfinished ballet, Pyörteitä, which survives as two suites. As central to Klami's legacy is the six-movement orchestral suite, Merikuvia ; the Karelian Rhapsody ; and, Psalmus, an oratorio for soloists, mixed, chorus and orchestra. He also wrote two numbered symphonies, in 1938 and 1945, respectively, as well as two piano concerti, a Violin Concerto, and the Cheremissian Fantasy for cello and orchestra.
He participated in five armed conflicts, including two wars in Karelia, the Finnish Civil War, the Winter War of 1939–40 and the Continuation War of 1941–44.

Biography

Klami studied music in Helsinki with Erkki Melartin and later in Paris and Vienna. Klami's Karelian Rhapsody, part of his first composition concert in 1928, was a succès de scandale that brought him considerable attention. His main works include the Kalevala Suite and the unfinished ballet Whirls. The oratorio Psalmus has a unique place in Finnish sacred music and is one of the most highly regarded works by a Finn other than Sibelius. Klami also experimented with the symphonic form in his two Symphonies and Symphonie enfantine, and the concerto form in his two Piano Concertos and the Violin Concerto. Being a master of miniature orchestral works, the orchestral suite Sea Pictures is also regarded as one of his major achievements. On 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.
Klami died of a heart attack in Virolahti at age 60 while sailing his favorite boat "Miina".

Major compositions