Erkki Aaltonen Explained

Erkki Aaltonen (17 August 1910 – 8 March 1990) was a Finnish composer.

Biography

Born in Hämeenlinna (Tavastehus), Finland, he was a student of the violin at the Helsinki Conservatory and of composition in privacy with Väinö Raitio and Selim Palmgren.^[1] He directed the Kemi Music Institute from 1966 to 1973. His musical selections were often of a topical nature.^[2]

Selected works

• Symphonies

No. 1 (1947)

No. 2 (1949) Hiroshima^[3]

No. 3 (1952) Popular

No. 4 (1959)

No. 5 (1964) Hämeenlinna rhapsody

• Piano Concerto 1948
• Piano Concerto 1954
• Folk music for orchestra 1953–1960
• Ballet suites from Lapponia 1956, 1959
• Violin Concerto (1966)
• Piano Sonata (1932, revised 1972)
• Oboe Sonata (1945)
• Preludi ja allegro (Prelude and Allegro) for viola and piano (1983)
• five string quartets
• piano pieces
• songs

Notes and References

1. Book: Slonimsky, Nicolas. Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians.. 1978. Schirmer Books. New York. 0-02-870240-9. 1. 6th. Aaltonen, Erkki.
2. Web site: Erkki Aaltonen- Author.
3. Book: Lifton, Robert Jay. Robert Jay Lifton

   . Robert Jay Lifton. Death in life: survivors of Hiroshima. 1987. UNC Press Books. 0-8078-4344-X. Another symphony, entitled Hiroshima, was written by a Finnish composer, Erkki Aaltonen, and performed in that city on 15 August 1955, by the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra.. 473.