Lauri Ikonen 1888-1966

[giles.enders]

Lauri Ilmari Ikonen  Born Mikkeli Finland. 10.8.1888  Died Helsinki 21.3.1966

He was the son of Karl Leander Ikonen & Jenny Matilda Wiklund.  His initial music studies were in Helsinki under Armas Jarnefelt. He later went to Berlin where he furthered his music studies with Paul Juon.  He has been described as 'A seeker of lyrical moods and picturesque atmosphere'. He always composed in the romantic idiom, which pleased the Finnish public but not those who dictated musical taste. which may be why he is almost forgotten.  Apart from composition much of his career was spent as a professor at the Viipuri Conservatory and as a music journalist.

Orchestral

Symphony in G major 'Sinopa inortana' 1920
Symphony in D minor  1922
Symphony in B flat minor  1942 'Son'
Symphony in A major  1943 'Sinfonia concentata'
Symphony in C major 1943 'Sinfonia aperta'
Symphony in E minor  1950  to be premiered in May 2020
Tone Poem 'Taivassala' (Under the open sky)
Piano Concerto No.1
Piano Concerto No.2
Violin Concerto  in A minor  1941
Cello Concerto  1942
Three fugues for strings
'Kullervo' for wind instruments

Chamber

Piano Trio  1912
Piano Trio  1940
String Quartet in A minor  1924
Serenade for string quartet
Violin Sonata in G minor  1914   pub. by Fazerin Musiikkikauppa, Helsinki
Violin Sonata 1943

Piano

Miniature Suite  Op.11
Piano Sonata   pub. by Fazerin Musiikkikauppa, Helsinki
Piano Sonatina
Piano Sonatina

Choral

'Gift of Life'  for chorus and orchestra
'Faith of Youth' for chorus and orchestra
There the Trees Shone Red' for chorus and orchestra

There are numerous songs

He was married twice;
1. Elvi Tallquist
2. Kirsti Emilia VFiianto

There were  three children;
Marjatta Ikonen  1921-1978
2?
3?

[Alan Howe]

There's this rather 'folksy' Gavotte on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WkwuyKHO70

[giles.enders]

I couldn't locate any of his piano music, so a folksy gavotte is a start.

[eschiss1]

You have a piano sonata and sonatinas listed.. a suite miniature ("Pienoissarja pianolle") Op.11 for piano by Ikonen (Leipzig: Wilhelm Hansen, pub. 1925) is at the U. Texas Libraries among other places. (Erm- what do you mean by locate his piano music though?)

There seems to be a fair amount by Ikonen @ the National Finnish Library too (https://kansalliskirjasto.finna.fi). "Preludietto, in: Koskettimet kertovat : suomalaisia pianosävellyksiä : finska pianokompositioner = Tangenterna berättar"; also a 1997 publication of the string quartet ; the Gavotte for piano (published in "Finlandia. 5 : suomalaisia pianokappaleita = finska pianostycken = finnische Klavierstücke = Finnish piano pieces" (1979)

[giles.enders]

Thanks for this, it is precisely what I meant.  I was unaware of the Finnish collection

[FBerwald]

I think the 1950 Symphony No. 6 is in E minor

[giles.enders]

I believe it has never been performed.

[eschiss1]

Haven't done a thorough check but is it possible a Finnish library or archive (hopefully with a catalog online) has and lists more of these works

(and hopefully describes them accurately, which is of course something one can only cross one's fingers about until one can compare the description, with instrumentation and key, given in a card catalog at the only existing library source, and/or that in a biography/worklist/notice of premiere in a magazine, with the Thing Itself whose instrumentation (if it's the full score etc.), key (if the clefs are modern -or known), ... etc.) one can observe at first hand rather than relying on a list where the longer it is, the more sure one feels it will contain typos... )

That said, I find myself intrigued- 6 more symphonies etc. etc. to sometime hear (not that I should assume that large-orchestra, large-scale works are necessarily better than others by the same composer; always depends.)

Ah. I forgot to check FIMIC. This is interesting. Basically, about 200 of the works are available from different sources to rent at least, some of the symphonies (not #5?) from Music Finland directly (at least to orchestras?) - symphony 6 (doesn't give key but does give movements), etc. (Actually, there are named symphonies listed- aperta and inornata, one of which, from 1943, might be symphony no.5? Yes it is.  And symphony no.1 has the nickname, which you could add to your list above if you like, Sinfonia inornata: Sinfonia inornata. Hope that's of some use !... I still don't see no.3, but maybe it has another nickname and is elsewhere in the list.)

[FBerwald]

According to wiki the aperta is No. 5.
inornata is No. 1

[eschiss1]

Right, that agrees with the links I provided above, and thanks. Also, according to FIMIC, symphony 4 was written in 1942 not 1943 (but premiered in 1943.) Unfortunately their entry on piano concerto no.2 has some information but not date etc. (maybe premiere date could be found elsewhere.) Piano concerto 1 has the nickname Concerto intimo, it seems? (Unless this is a 3rd piano concerto?)...

[JimL]

How about the cello concerto?  A Finnish cello concerto in the Romantic idiom would be a real find.

[giles.enders]

The premier of Ikonen's 6th symphony was planned for 5.6.2020 at the Turku concert hall. In view of the covid restrictions, did it take place?

[tpaloj]

No, that was cancelled. 

EDIT:

How about the cello concerto?  A Finnish cello concerto in the Romantic idiom would be a real find.

I was also curious about this work and wanted to look it up. Can't seem to find it anywhere. It's not listed in the Finnish National Library manuscript catalogues of Ikonen, and neither is it in one other sheet music archive which has some manuscripts of this composer, for example three of the symphonies and their performance materials appear to be there alongside the violin concerto. It's usually a bad sign if FIMIC (Music finland core) doesn't list it – by the way, as a rule FIMIC generally only have photocopies (in varying qualities...) of the scores; actual paper manuscripts are usually in other archives.

Maybe this cello concerto was left with the composer's estate/relatives after his passing, given as a gift to a friend, went missing etc. Sorry I couldn't find it.