Kosti Vehanen (31 August 188713 March 1957) was a Finnish

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and composer. As a pianist he performed in more than 3,000 concerts on four continents. While he did perform as a concert soloist with major symphony orchestras and performed in recitals, he is best remembered for his prolific work as an accompanist with some of the most important singers of the first half of the 20th century. As a composer, he produced piano pieces, arrangements of folk songs, solo songs, two ballets, and a violin and cello fantasy. In addition, Vehanen also penned several memoirs, including 1941 book chronicling his decade long experience serving as

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throughout the United ...

's accompanist.

Life and career

Born in

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

, Vehanen entered the

Helsinki Music Institute The Sibelius Academy ( fi, Taideyliopiston Sibelius-Akatemia, sv, Sibelius-Akademin vid Konstuniversitetet) is part of the University of the Arts Helsinki and a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It al ...

in 1905. He studied at the institute through 1910 where he was a pupil of Sigrid Schnéevoigt. He then pursued further studies in Berlin and Paris, and with

Giovanni Sgambati Giovanni Sgambati (28 May 1841 – 14 December 1914) was an Italian pianist and composer. Biography Born in Rome, to an Italian father and an English mother, Sgambati, who lost his father early, received his early education at Trevi, in Umbria ...

in Rome. In 1912 Vehanen gave his first performances as a concert pianist in Turku and Helsinki. He was soon after engaged as a soloist with major symphony orchestras through Scandinavia and in Great Britain. He became a popular accompanist who was sought after by many famous singers due to his sensitive and skilful playing. He enjoyed particularly fruitful partnerships with

Aino Ackté Aino Ackté (originally Achte; 24 April 18768 August 1944) was a Finnish soprano. She was the first international star of the Finnish opera scene after Alma Fohström, and a groundbreaker for the domestic field. Biography Ackté was born in ...

, Maike Järnefelt, Antti Aune, Helge Lindberg and

Titta Ruffo Titta Ruffo (9 June 1877 – 5 July 1953), born as Ruffo Cafiero (double forename) Titta, was an Italian operatic baritone who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone" ("voice of the lion"), he was greatly admi ...

. He also performed regularly with soprano Maria Signe Liljequist (1876–1958), to whom he was married from 1924 to 1929. He accompanied Marian Anderson in her famous performance at the Lincoln Memorial on 9 April 1939, after she had been prohibited from performing at Constitution Hall. Vehanen died in Turku in 1957 at the age of 69.

Works

*''Mestarilaulaja Helge Lindberg'', Kirja 1929 *''Marian Anderson: A Portrait'', WSOY 1941 *''Rapsodia elämästä'', WSOY 1944 *''Muistojen mosaiikkia'', WSOY 1944 *''Markiisitar ja muita muistelmia'', Kanervan Kustannusliike 1949

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vehanen, Kosti 1887 births 1957 deaths Musicians from Turku Finnish male composers Finnish classical pianists Classical accompanists Male classical pianists 20th-century classical pianists 20th-century male musicians