Robert Kajanus
Encyclopedia
Robert Kajanus was a Finnish
conductor and composer of Swedish descent.
. His music drew on the folk
legends of the Finnish people. He studied music theory with Richard Faltin and violin with Gustaf Niemann in Helsinki
, with Hans Richter
, Carl Reinecke
and Salomon Jadassohn
in Leipzig
, and Johan Svendsen
in Paris
.
He worked in Dresden
in the years immediately after his graduation, and returned to Helsinki in 1882. He founded the first permanent orchestra in Finland: the Helsinki Philharmonic Society (later to become the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
, Finland's national orchestra). He brought the orchestra to a very high performance standard very quickly, so that they were able to give quite credible performances of the standard late classical/mid-romantic repertory. Kajanus led the Helsinki Philharmonic for 50 years, and among the milestones of that history was the first performance in Finland of Beethoven
's Symphony No. 9
in 1888.
Kajanus was appointed director of music at the University of Helsinki
in 1897 and remained in the post for the next 29 years, a period in which he had a major impact on music education in his native country. He was also the founder of the Nordic Music Festival in 1919. He received many decorations, including the French Légion d'honneur
.
Kajanus was the father of the harp
ists Lilly Kajanus-Blenner (1885-1963) and Aino Kajanus-Mangström (1888-1951) and the violinist Kaj Kajanus (1908-1994); the grandfather of Johanna Kajanus, an award-winning Finnish/Norwegian sculptress; and great-grandfather of pop music
ian and composer Georg Kajanus
, who was famous for a while in Great Britain with his band Sailor
which enjoyed chart success in the mid 1970s.
, Maamme
(Our Country) and Christian Fredric Kress's Porilaisten marssi (March of the People of Pori), the honour march of the Suomen puolustusvoimien (Finnish Defence Forces
) and thus, effectively, the Finnish president
ial march.
. He was considered an authority on the interpretation of Sibelius's music, and he and Sibelius were close friends; this was compromised in 1898 when Sibelius was appointed to a university post for which Kajanus was himself a candidate. Kajanus appealed and the decision was overturned. However they reconciled for the orchestra's tour of Europe in 1900, where they appeared at the Exposition Universelle
at the invitation of the French government. Kullervo
, Sibelius's epic masterpiece, was written in the wake of Kajanus' symphonic poem Aino. Additionally, as a conductor, Kajanus was responsible for commissioning one of Sibelius' most popular and enduring works, En Saga
, following the success of Kullervo. Pohjola's Daughter
was dedicated to Kajanus. When Kajanus took the Helsinki Orchestra on a tour of Europe in 1900, both he and Sibelius served as conductors, in what proved to be the first performances of Sibelius's music outside of Finland. This ensured the spread of the young composer's reputation far beyond the borders of his homeland, the first Finnish composer to receive such attention.
Kajanus was the first to make recordings of Sibelius's First
, Second
, Third
and Fifth
symphonies. They were recorded in the early 1930s, with the London Symphony Orchestra
. The relationship between Kajanus and Sibelius was such that his interpretations of the composer's music are usually regarded as being extraordinarily close to Sibelius's own wishes.
In 1930, the Finnish government and Britain's EMI-Columbia label, perceiving a potentially wide audience for the composer's work, contrived to secure recordings of Sibelius's first two symphonies, and Kajanus was selected to record both at the insistence of the composer. In 1932, Kajanus recorded Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5, along with several of the orchestral suites and tone poems. Apart from being the most massive recording project ever attempted around the work of a living composer, these recordings were considered definitive for many years, and are still regarded as necessary listening for serious fans of Sibelius. Only his death in July 1933, at the age of 76, prevented Kajanus from recording the composer's complete extant works.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
conductor and composer of Swedish descent.
Life
Robert Kajanus was the most prominent Finnish composer before Jean SibeliusJean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
. His music drew on the folk
Folk culture
Folk culture refers to the lifestyle of a culture. Historically, handed down through oral tradition, it demonstrates the "old ways" over novelty and relates to a sense of community. Folk culture is quite often imbued with a sense of place...
legends of the Finnish people. He studied music theory with Richard Faltin and violin with Gustaf Niemann 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...
, with Hans Richter
Hans Richter (conductor)
Hans Richter was an Austrian orchestral and operatic conductor.-Biography:Richter was born in Raab , Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire. His mother was opera-singer Jozsefa Csazenszky. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory...
, Carl Reinecke
Carl Reinecke
Carl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke was a German composer, conductor, and pianist.-Biography:Reinecke was born in Altona, Hamburg, Germany; until 1864 the town was under Danish rule. He studied with his father, Johann Peter Rudolph Reinecke, a music teacher...
and Salomon Jadassohn
Salomon Jadassohn
Salomon Jadassohn was a German composer and a renowned teacher of piano and composition at the Leipzig Conservatory.-Life:...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, and Johan Svendsen
Johan Svendsen
Johan Severin Svendsen was a Norwegian composer, conductor and violinist. Born in Christiania , Norway, he lived most his life in Copenhagen, Denmark....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
He worked in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
in the years immediately after his graduation, and returned to Helsinki in 1882. He founded the first permanent orchestra in Finland: the Helsinki Philharmonic Society (later to become the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra based in Helsinki, Finland...
, Finland's national orchestra). He brought the orchestra to a very high performance standard very quickly, so that they were able to give quite credible performances of the standard late classical/mid-romantic repertory. Kajanus led the Helsinki Philharmonic for 50 years, and among the milestones of that history was the first performance in Finland of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Symphony No. 9
Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is the final complete symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. Completed in 1824, the symphony is one of the best known works of the Western classical repertoire, and has been adapted for use as the European Anthem...
in 1888.
Kajanus was appointed director of music at the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
in 1897 and remained in the post for the next 29 years, a period in which he had a major impact on music education in his native country. He was also the founder of the Nordic Music Festival in 1919. He received many decorations, including the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
Kajanus was the father of the harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
ists Lilly Kajanus-Blenner (1885-1963) and Aino Kajanus-Mangström (1888-1951) and the violinist Kaj Kajanus (1908-1994); the grandfather of Johanna Kajanus, an award-winning Finnish/Norwegian sculptress; and great-grandfather of pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ian and composer Georg Kajanus
Georg Kajanus
Georg Kajanus is a Norwegian composer and pop musician, best known as the lead singer and songwriter of the British pop group, Sailor.-Early years:...
, who was famous for a while in Great Britain with his band Sailor
Sailor (band)
Sailor are a British pop group, best known in the 1970s for their hit singles "Glass of Champagne" and "Girls Girls Girls", written by the group's lead singer and 12-string guitar player, Georg Kajanus.-In the 1970s:...
which enjoyed chart success in the mid 1970s.
Selected works
Kajanus composed over 200 works, of which Aino and the Finnish Rhapsodies are enduringly popular. He also devised orchestral arrangements of the Finnish national anthemNational anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
, Maamme
Maamme
Maamme or Vårt land is the title of Finland's national anthem. There is no law on an official national anthem in Finland, but Maamme is firmly established by convention....
(Our Country) and Christian Fredric Kress's Porilaisten marssi (March of the People of Pori), the honour march of the Suomen puolustusvoimien (Finnish Defence Forces
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
) and thus, effectively, the Finnish president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
ial march.
- Adagietto
- Aino, symphonic poem for male chorus and orchestra (1885)
- Suomalainen rapsodia (Finnish rhapsody) no. 1 in D minor, Op. 5 (1881)
- Suomalainen rapsodia (Finnish rhapsody) no. 2 in F major (1886)
- Huutolaistytön kehtolaulu (The Pauper Girl's Lament)
- Kullervon surumarssi (Kullervo's Funeral March), Op. 3 (1880); contains the folk tune "Velisurmaaja" ("The brother-slayer")
- Lyrische Stücke (1879)
- Overtura sinfonica for orchestra (1926)
- Piano Sonata (1876)
- Sechs Albumblätter (1877)
- Sotamarssi (War March), with lyrics by A. Oksanen - arr. by Arvo Kuikka as an honour march of the Suomen ilmavoimat (Finnish Air ForceFinnish Air ForceThe Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions...
) - Sinfonietta in B flat major for strings, Op. 16 (1915)
- Suite ancienne for strings (1931)
- Violin Sonata (1876)
Kajanus and Sibelius
Kajanus had a decisive impact upon the development of the career of Jean SibeliusJean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
. He was considered an authority on the interpretation of Sibelius's music, and he and Sibelius were close friends; this was compromised in 1898 when Sibelius was appointed to a university post for which Kajanus was himself a candidate. Kajanus appealed and the decision was overturned. However they reconciled for the orchestra's tour of Europe in 1900, where they appeared at the Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1900)
The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from April 15 to November 12, 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next...
at the invitation of the French government. Kullervo
Kullervo
In the Finnish Kalevala, Kullervo was the ill-fated son of Kalervo. He is the only irredeemably tragic character in Finnish mythology.-Rune 31 - Kullervo, son of Evil:...
, Sibelius's epic masterpiece, was written in the wake of Kajanus' symphonic poem Aino. Additionally, as a conductor, Kajanus was responsible for commissioning one of Sibelius' most popular and enduring works, En Saga
En Saga
En saga is a tone poem written by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius in 1892. After hearing Sibelius' choral work Kullervo, the conductor Robert Kajanus encouraged Sibelius to compose a purely orchestral work, which turned out finally to be this work...
, following the success of Kullervo. Pohjola's Daughter
Pohjola's Daughter
The tone poem Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49, was composed by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius in 1906. Originally, Sibelius intended to title the work Väinämöinen, after the character in the Kalevala . The publisher Robert Lienau insisted on the title Pohjola's Daughter, which Sibelius then...
was dedicated to Kajanus. When Kajanus took the Helsinki Orchestra on a tour of Europe in 1900, both he and Sibelius served as conductors, in what proved to be the first performances of Sibelius's music outside of Finland. This ensured the spread of the young composer's reputation far beyond the borders of his homeland, the first Finnish composer to receive such attention.
Kajanus was the first to make recordings of Sibelius's First
Symphony No. 1 (Sibelius)
Jean Sibelius's Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39 was written in 1898, when Sibelius was 33. The work was first performed on 26 April 1899 by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by the composer, in an original version which has not survived. After the premiere, Sibelius made some...
, Second
Symphony No. 2 (Sibelius)
Jean Sibelius's Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 43 was started in Winter 1900 in Rapallo, Italy, and finished in 1902 in Finland. It was first performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Society on 8 March 1902, with the composer conducting...
, Third
Symphony No. 3 (Sibelius)
The Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52, by Jean Sibelius is a symphony in three movements composed in 1907. Coming between the romantic intensity of Sibelius's first two symphonies and the more austere complexity of his later symphonies, it is a good-natured, triumphal, and deceptively...
and Fifth
Symphony No. 5 (Sibelius)
Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82 is a major work for orchestra in three movements by Jean Sibelius.-History:Sibelius was commissioned to write this symphony by the Finnish government in honor of his 50th birthday, which had been declared a national holiday. The symphony was originally...
symphonies. They were recorded in the early 1930s, with the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
. The relationship between Kajanus and Sibelius was such that his interpretations of the composer's music are usually regarded as being extraordinarily close to Sibelius's own wishes.
In 1930, the Finnish government and Britain's EMI-Columbia label, perceiving a potentially wide audience for the composer's work, contrived to secure recordings of Sibelius's first two symphonies, and Kajanus was selected to record both at the insistence of the composer. In 1932, Kajanus recorded Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5, along with several of the orchestral suites and tone poems. Apart from being the most massive recording project ever attempted around the work of a living composer, these recordings were considered definitive for many years, and are still regarded as necessary listening for serious fans of Sibelius. Only his death in July 1933, at the age of 76, prevented Kajanus from recording the composer's complete extant works.