Toivo Timoteus Kuula (7 July 1883 – 18 May 1918) was a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

composer and conductor of the late-Romantic and early-modern periods, who emerged in the wake of

Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius ( ; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and 20th-century classical music, early-modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest com ...

, under whom he studied privately from 1906 to 1908. The core of Kuula's oeuvre are his many works for voice and orchestra, in particular the ''Stabat mater'' (1914–18; completed by Madetoja), ''The Sea-Bathing Maidens'' (1910), ''Son of a Slave'' (1910), and ''The Maiden and the Boyar's Son'' (1912). In addition he also composed two ''Ostrobothnian Suites'' for orchestra and left an unfinished symphony at the time of his murder in 1918 in a drunken quarrel.Salmenhaara, Erkki.
Kuula, Toivo (Timoteus)
in ''Grove Music Online'' (2001)

Life and career

He was born in the Vehkakoski village of the Alavus town and registered as a native in the city of

Vaasa Vaasa (; sv, Vasa, , Sweden ), in the years 1855–1917 as Nikolainkaupunki ( sv, Nikolajstad; literally meaning "city of Nicholas),

(then Nikolainkaupunki), when Finland still was a

Grand Duchy A grand duchy is a sovereign state, country or territory whose official head of state or ruler is a monarch bearing the title of grand duke or grand duchess. Relatively rare until the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the term was oft ...

under

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n rule. He is known as a colorful and passionate portrayer of Finnish nature and people. Kuula became

's first composition student. He is best remembered for his large output of melodic choir and vocal works. His instrumental works include two ''Ostrobothnian Suites'' for orchestra, a violin sonata, a piano trio, and an unfinished Symphony. Kuula's major choral work is often considered the cantata ''Stabat Mater'', which was completed in spring 1915 (original version, later lost) but revised, beginning 1917 and unfinished at the time of his death. He also wrote a few dozen highly artistic piano works, and 24 songs, many of them first performed by his wife, the singer Alma Kuula. Kuula has been considered even more talented composer than his teacher Sibelius. A

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

critic once said that Kuula's music reaches parts of the human spirit where one is forced to deep examination of one's self. Kuula was known to be a fierce

Fennoman The Fennoman movement or Fennomania was a Finnish nationalist movement in the 19th-century Grand Duchy of Finland, built on the work of the ''fennophile'' interests of the 18th and early-19th centuries. History After the Crimean War, Fennoma ...

. He died in the provincial hospital in Viipuri in 1918 after being mortally wounded 18 days earlier on

Walpurgis Night Walpurgis Night (), an abbreviation of Saint Walpurgis Night (from the German ), also known as Saint Walpurga's Eve (alternatively spelled Saint Walburga's Eve), is the eve of the Christian feast day of Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century abbess in ...

by a bullet fired by a Jäger. The bullet was fired as a result of a quarrel that happened at the Hotel Seurahuone in conjunction with the first victory celebration of the White victory in the

Civil War of Finland The Finnish Civil War; . Other designations: Brethren War, Citizen War, Class War, Freedom War, Red Rebellion and Revolution, . According to 1,005 interviews done by the newspaper ''Aamulehti'', the most popular names were as follows: Civil W ...

. Ironically, "Kuula" means "bullet" in Finnish. Kuula is buried in

Hietaniemi cemetery The Hietaniemi cemetery ( fi, Hietaniemen hautausmaa, sv, Sandudds begravningsplats) is located mainly in the Lapinlahti quarter and partly in the Etu-Töölö district of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. It is the location for Finnish state ...

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

. Toivo Kuula married Alma Silventoinen in 1914; the couple had one daughter, Sinikka, who later became a professional pianist.

Compositions

A simplified works list (by Joel Valkila) on the basis of Tero Tommila's Catalogue of Works:T. Elmgren-Heinonen: ''Toivo Kuula: elämäkerta'' (Porvoo, 1938/R) ith list of works/ref> * Op. 1 Violin Sonata *'' Op. 2 Five Songs for Voice and Piano (also arranged as chamber works)'' *'' Op. 3a Five Pieces for Violin and Piano: I. Cradle Song, II. Nocturne, III. Folk Song (I), IV. Folk Song (II), V. Scherzino'' *'' Op. 3b Three Piano Works: I. Elegy, II. Wedding March, III. Little Gavotte'' *'' Op. 3c Incidental Music to "Isä ja Tytär"'' *'' Op. 4 Seven Songs for Male Choir'' *'' Op. 5 Festive March for Chorus and Orchestra (or Brass)'' ---- *'' Op. 6 Two Songs for Voice and Piano'' *'' Op. 7 Piano Trio'' *'' Op. 8 Two Songs for Voice and Piano'' *'' Op. 9 Ostrobothnian Suite No.1 for Orchestra: I. Pastorale, II. Folk Song, III. Ostrobothnian Dance, IV. Devil's Dance, V. Song of the Dusk (II. & III. also as arranged for Violin and Piano)'' *'' Op. 10 Prelude and Fugue for Orchestra'' ---- *'' Op.11 Seven Songs for Chorus'' *'' Op.12 'Merenkylpijäneidot' ("Sea-Bathing Maids") for Voice and Orchestra/Piano'' *'' Op.13 Festive March for Orchestra/Piano'' *'' Op.14 'Orjan poika' ("Son of a Slave") – Symphonic Legend for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus and Orchestra (also 3-movement Suite for Orchestra)'' *'' Op.15 Cantata 'Kuolemattomuuden toivo' ("Hope for Immortality")'' ---- *'' Op.16a Two Songs for Voice and Piano'' *'' Op.16b Two Pieces for Organ: I. Prelude, II. Intermezzo'' *'' Op.17a South Ostrobothnian Dance Suites I & II for Violin and Piano'' *'' Op.17b Twelve South Ostrobothnian Folk Dances for Voice/Violin and Piano'' *'' Op.17c Two Pieces for Violin and Piano: I. Scherzo, II. Melodia lugubre'' *'' Op.18 'Impi ja pajarin poika' ("The Maiden and the Son of a Blacksmith") for Voice and Orchestra/Piano'' *'' Op.19 Three Fairy-Tale Pictures for Piano'' *'' Op.20 Ostrobothnian Suite No.2 for Orchestra: I. Tulopeli, II. Rain in the Forest, III. Menuet, IV. Dance of the Orphans, V. The Devils Making Magic Flames'' ---- *'' Op.21 Three Songs for Chorus'' *'' Op.22/1-2 Two Pieces for Cello and Orchestra: I. Chanson sans paroles, II. Elegy (Suru)'' *'' Op.22/1-2 Two Pieces for Violin/Cello and Piano: I. Chanson sans paroles, II. Elegy (Suru)'' *'' Op.22/3 Song for Voice and Piano'' *'' Op.23 Four Songs for Voice and Piano'' *'' Op.24 Four Songs for Voice and Piano'' *'' Op.25 Stabat Mater for Chorus and Orchestra (Note: Not left unfinished as has been stated)'' ---- *'' Op.26 Six Piano Pieces: I. Round Dance, II. Pastorale Atmosphere, III. Dance Improvisation, IV. Nocturne, V. Rauha (Adagio), VI. Funeral March'' *'' Op.27a Eight Songs for Male Choir'' *'' Op.27b Nine Songs for Male Choir'' *'' Op.28/1-2 Two Pieces for Brass Orchestra: I. At the Mountain, II. A Tune'' *'' Op.28/4 March of the Cudgelmen for Choir and Orchestra (or a capella)'' *'' Op.29a Three Songs for Voice and Piano'' *'' Op.29b Four Songs for Choir'' *'' Op.29c Two Songs for Male Choir'' *'' Op.30a Incidental Music to 'Kandaules' '' *'' Op.30b Incidental Music to 'Medicit' '' *'' Op.30c Incidental Music to 'Taikapeili' ("The Magic Mirror")'' ---- *'' Op.31a Two Songs for Voice and Orchestra/Piano'' *'' Op.31b Four Songs for Choir'' *'' Op.32 Incidental Music to 'Meripoikia' ("The Sea Boys")'' *'' Op.33 March of the Carburators for Piano nfinished' *'' Op.34a Seven Songs for Male Choir'' *'' Op.34b Three Songs for Chorus'' *'' Op.35 Three Songs Arrangements for Voice and Orchestra'' ---- *'' Op.36 Symphony nfinished Introduction'' *'' Op.37 Two Song Transcriptions for Piano'' ---- + Six Posthumous Piano Pieces (Two unfinished) + Six Posthumous Orchestral Pieces (Two unfinished) + Twenty-Two Posthumous Chamber Pieces (Five unfinished) + Fourteen Songs (Three unfinished) + One Posthumous Cantata

Selected recordings

*
Complete Works for Solo Piano
'' Adam Johnson. Grand Piano GP780 (2018) *
Finnish Songs
'. Kirsi Tiihonen, Satu Salminen. Marco Polo 8.225177 (2004) *

'. Turku Philharmonic Orchestra,

Leif Segerstam Leif Selim Segerstam ( , ; born 2 March 1944) is a Finnish conductor, composer, violinist, violist and pianist, especially known for writing 350 symphonies as of August 2022, along with other works in his extensive oeuvre. Segerstam has condu ...

. Ondine ODE1270-2 (2015) *
Orjan poika
'' Suomen Laula Choir,

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Finnish: ''Radion sinfoniaorkesteri'', Swedish: ''Radions symfoniorkester'') is a Finnish broadcast orchestra based in Helsinki, and the orchestra of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle). The orchestra prima ...

. Jussi Jalas. Broadcast on BBC Radio 3, 23 August 2018 *
Piano Trio in A Major
'. Kreeta-Julia Heikkilä, Tuomas Lehto, Roope Gröndahl. YouTube. *

''

Susan Gritton Susan Gritton (born 31 August 1965) is an English operatic soprano. She was the 1994 winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Award and has sung leading roles in a wide-ranging repertoire from Handel and Mozart to Britten, Janáček and Strauss. Life a ...

BBC Concert Orchestra The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British concert orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale sym ...

Martyn Brabbins Martyn Charles Brabbins (born 13 August 1959) is a British conductor. The fourth of five children in his family, he learned to play the euphonium, and then the trombone during his youth at Towcester Studio Brass Band. He later studied compositi ...

. Dutton Epoch CDLX 7272 (2011) *
Violin Sonatas
'. Nina Karmon, Oliver Triendl. CPO 555 148-2 (2018)

References

External links

Collected Solo Songs published by Edition Tilli Ltd.FIMIC Articles on Kuula

Toivo Kuula syntyi Alavudella saunassa
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kuula, Toivo 1883 births 1918 deaths People from Vaasa People from Vaasa Province (Grand Duchy of Finland) Finnish classical composers Finnish conductors (music) 20th-century classical composers Pupils of Jean Sibelius People of the Finnish Civil War (White side) Finnish murder victims People murdered in Finland Deaths by firearm in Finland Finnish male classical composers Burials at Hietaniemi Cemetery 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century male musicians Fennomans 20th-century Finnish composers