Kuula, Toivo

(1883-1918)

Toivo Kuula (1883-1918) studied the violin and music theory with Martin Wegelius at the Helsinki Music Institute in 1900–03. Later he became Sibelius’s first composition pupil. In 1908 he studied with Marco Enrico Bossi in Italy, and in 1909 with Hans Sitt in Leipzig and Marcel Labey in Paris.

His principal student works, the Violin Sonata (1907) and the Piano Trio performed in 1908, attracted great attention as large-scale chamber works had only rarely been heard in Finland; Kuula was also perceived to be a young champion of Finnish-speaking music culture.

Kuula was director of music in Oulu (1910–11), in Helsinki (1912–15) and in Viipuri (1916–18). In 1914 he married the singer Alma Silventoinen, for whom he wrote most of his songs and with whom he made extensive concert tours. Toivo Kuula died tragically at the final stages of the Finnish Civil War.

Toivo Kuula’s dark, impetuous, modally inclined Romanticism is mixed with influences absorbed from the new French music, in particular in the orchestration reminiscent of the French colours and the Impressionism of Debussy.

Kuula has become best known for his much-loved songs and for his arrangements of folk tunes from his native southern Ostrobothnia. He is also noteworthy as a choral composer, and his partsongs can be divided into three types: complex polyphonic songs; simpler songs; and light, rhythmically expressive, even humorous songs, including the folk-style Kanteletar settings.

Fennica Gehrman has published all the major works by Kuula such as the famous Stabat Mater Op. 25. His works for the strings and for the voice have been published in extensive collections.

Aamulaulu / Morgonsång, arr. Hovi

Aubade

for low voice and orchestra

2022-0000-str E-duuri / E major

Duration: 2

Aamulaulu / Morgonsång, arr. Koskimies

Aubade (1905)

for medium voice and string orchestra

str G- ja A-duurissa / Versions in G and A major

Duration: 2

Autumnal Mood / Syystunnelma [arr. Koskimies]

(1904)

for ochestra

1221-2210-01-harm-str [d minor]

Duration: 3

Epilogue

Epilogi

1122-2100-10-harp

Duration: 3

Eteläpohjalaisia kansalauluja (Vihko II)

for voice and orchestra

I Poijat ne kulkee kyliä 1121-2210-10-hp-str II Tuoltapa näkyy 1121-2210-01-hp-str III Hautalan Heikki 102(II=cl.b)1-0000-11-str IV Tuuli se taivutti 1121-2210-11-hp-str V Ketolan Jukka 1021-2000-10-str VI Hae pois vaan sormukses 1121-2210-10-hp-str VII Luullahan jotta on lysti olla 0021-2000-00-hp-str

Duration: 20

Eteläpohjalaisia kansanlauluja (sov. Kimmo Hakola)

baritonille, harpulle ja jousiorkesterille (1908/2012)

hp-str

Duration: 20

Häämarssi [arr. Jussi Jalas]

Wedding March

2(II+picc)222-2210-11-str

Duration: 5

Häämarssi [salonkiorkesteri]

Wedding March (1908)

for small orchestra

1.0.1.0-0.1.1.0-0.2(Timpani, Tamburo, Gran cassa, Piatti, Triangolo)-harmonium-str(no vla)

Duration: 5

Hämärän laulu

Eteläpohjalainen sarja nro 1 (1909)

for small orchestra

1121-2220-11-str

Duration: 5

I Gazed Long Into the Fire

(1907)

for high voice and orchestra

2222-2220-str

Duration: 5

Impi ja pajarin poika

The Maiden and the Boyar's Son (1912)

for high voice and orchestra

2(II+picc)2(II+c.ing)2(II+cl.basso)2-4230-11(piatti, gran cassa)-hp-str

Duration: 13

Kesäyö kirkkomaalla / Sommarnatt på kyrkogården

Sommernacht auf einem Friedhof

for high voice and orchestra

0222-2000-hp-str

Duration: 2

Kohtalo / Das Schicksal / Fate

for medium voice and orchestra

11(+c.ing)22-2000-str [b minor]

Duration: 2

Lampaanpolska / Sheep's Polska

for orchestra

1.1.1.0-01.1.0-0.2(Timpani, Tamburino, Gran cassa, Piatti)-harmonium(pf)-str (no vla)

Duration: 5

Lapuan marssi

(1908)

for mixed chorus and orchestra

1121-2220-11-str

Duration: 7

Lauantai-ilta / Lördagsafton

Sonnabend / Saturday Evening

for high voice and orchestra

2222-2000-10-hp-str [A major]

Duration: 4

Lyö sydän / Slå hjärta / Beat, Heart

for medium voice and orchestra

0222-2000-10-str

Duration: 2

Merenkylpijäneidot / Die Badende Waldjungfrau

The Sea-Bathing Maidens

for high voice and orchestra

11(+ca)21-2210-11-hp-cel-str [Key signature: A minor]

Duration: 7

Paimenet / Herdegossarna (arr. Funtek)

Die Hirten / The Shepherds

for high voice and orchestra

2121-3200-11-hp-str

Duration: 4

Paimenet / Herdegossarna (arr. Jalas)

Die Hirten / The Shepherds (1915)

for high voice and orchestra

2222-4331-11-str

Duration: 4

Pieni balladi (Vanha vaimo)

A Small Ballade

for orchestra

1010-0110-str

Duration: 2

Preludio & fuuga

for orchestra

2222-4231-10-str

Duration: 12

Sinikan laulu

for medium voice and orchestra

1121-1000-10-hp-str

Duration: 3

Sinipiika / Die Wallmaid / The Wood Nymph

(1912)

for high voice and orchestra

2222-2000-10-hp-str A flat major

Duration: 3

Suutelo / En kyss / The Kiss

(1908)

for high voice and orchestra

2222-2320-11-str

Duration: 5

Syystunnelma / Autumnal Mood

(1904)

for low voice and orchestra

0022-2000-hp-gtr-pf-str [e minor, also c minor]

Duration: 3

Tule armaani / Kom, älskade / Come, My Love

(1915)

for medium voice and orchestra

2.2.3(III=bcl).3(III=cfg)-4.0.0.0-1.0-str

Duration: 4

Vuorella [PERFORMANCE MATERIAL FOR SALE]

(1913´)

wind band

Duration: 0

Yli kukkien / Ãœber den Blumen / Above the Flowers

(1913)

for high voice and orchestra

2222-2000-10-hp-str

Duration: 2

Yö / Natt / Night

(1906)

for baritone and orchestra

2222-2000-str [e flat minor] No full score available.

Duration: 2

Yö nummella / Heidezauber

(1913)

for voice and orchestra

1111-1000-hp-str [a minor]

Duration: 3