Erna Tauro
Encyclopedia
Erna Tauro, née Pergament, (16 August 1916 Viborg4 June 1993 Stockholm ) was a Finnish-Swedish pianist and composer.
, daughter of Isak Pergament and Rifka née Rosenthal, and niece of Moses Pergament and Simon Parmet. The family moved to Berlin
in 1921 and later to Helsinki
. Tauro studied piano and music theory in Berlin, and according to some sources, also studied music at the Sibelius Academy
in Finland. During World War II
, Tauro worked as a nurse and also an accompanist. From 1955 to 1969 she was principal accompanist at the Little Theater in Helsinki
and composed music for a number of plays and musicals.
Her composition "Höstvisa" ("Autumn Song ") with lyrics by Tove Jansson
won third prize in the 1965 Finnish Broadcasting Song Contest. The same year, she won second place with the song "Den gamla brudkläderskan" ("The Old Bridal Wife") with lyrics by Huldén Evert.
In 1969, Tauro received a position as musical director for Fiddler on the Roof in Stockholm, and in 1977 she settled permanently in that city. She married Risto Ilmari Tauro, and they had one daughter born in 1945. She died in Stockholm in 1993.
Tauro is best known for the songs for Moomin
, a series of children's books by Tove Jansson which were translated into plays and animation. Music for the last play, King Moomin Valley, was finished by composer Mika Pohjola
after the death of Jansson and Tauro and premiered in August 2008.
Biography
Erna Tauro was born in ViborgVyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
, daughter of Isak Pergament and Rifka née Rosenthal, and niece of Moses Pergament and Simon Parmet. The family moved to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1921 and later to Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. Tauro studied piano and music theory in Berlin, and according to some sources, also studied music at the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
in Finland. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Tauro worked as a nurse and also an accompanist. From 1955 to 1969 she was principal accompanist at the Little Theater in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
and composed music for a number of plays and musicals.
Her composition "Höstvisa" ("Autumn Song ") with lyrics by Tove Jansson
Tove Jansson
Tove Marika Jansson was a Swedish-Finnish novelist, painter, illustrator and comic strip author. She is best known as the author of the Moomin books.- Biography :...
won third prize in the 1965 Finnish Broadcasting Song Contest. The same year, she won second place with the song "Den gamla brudkläderskan" ("The Old Bridal Wife") with lyrics by Huldén Evert.
In 1969, Tauro received a position as musical director for Fiddler on the Roof in Stockholm, and in 1977 she settled permanently in that city. She married Risto Ilmari Tauro, and they had one daughter born in 1945. She died in Stockholm in 1993.
Tauro is best known for the songs for Moomin
Moomin
The Moomins are the central characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish by Schildts in Finland. They are a family of trolls who are white and roundish, with large snouts that make them resemble hippopotamuses...
, a series of children's books by Tove Jansson which were translated into plays and animation. Music for the last play, King Moomin Valley, was finished by composer Mika Pohjola
Mika Pohjola
Mika Pohjola is a Finnish-born jazz pianist and composer, who resides in New York City. He is one of the most prolific Scandinavian jazz musicians in his generation.-Childhood in Helsinki, Finland 1971-87:...
after the death of Jansson and Tauro and premiered in August 2008.
Works
Selected works include:- Kahdeksikko, musical
- Oli kevät, musical
- Guldbröllop, musical
- Moomin behind the scenes, songs for a play
- Höstvisa
- Den gamla brudkläderskan
- Troll i kulisserna