Ahti Sonninen

Ahti Sonninen (11 July 1914–28 July 1984) was a Finnish composer and conductor. He used both conventional tonality and the 12-tone scale.

Biography

Early life

Ahti Sonninen was born on 11 July 1914 in Siilinjärvi, Northern Savonia, Finland to the teachers Albanus Sonninen and Edla Maria (Maikki). His mother's cousin, the cellist Reino Rissanen, was an important musical influence. Like his parents, Ahti Sonninen acquired the profession of a primary school teacher. He studied at the Kajaani seminary from 1931 to 1936. At the same time, Sonninen studied music theory and composition privately under the guidance of seminar director and music teacher Martti Hela. He took his first teaching position from Karttula. While living there, he could play baseball in the Siilinjärvi Effort and was also a member of the club's board. Sonninen worked as a teacher in Karttula for three years. At the same time, he continued to study music under the guidance of composer Eino Linnala in Helsinki.

Wartime musicology

Sonninen completed his military service in Käkisalmi from 1937 to 1938 and served during the Winter War and the Continuation War in Karelia. Wartime was meaningful for Sonninen's life's work. He became interested in Karelian folk poetry and began to write down the folk tunes he had heard. During the Continuation War, Sonninen worked as a teacher of the Finnish occupation in Petrozavodsk, Karelia, conducted choirs and orchestras alongside his work, and established a music institute in the city. From 1943 to 1944, he was the Music Manager of the Olonets Radio. The war twice interrupted his studies. His first composition concert was heard in 1946.

The title of professor was awarded to Sonninen in 1974.

Works

Compositions

Helluntaihymni, cantata for the inauguration of Vuosaari Church in 1980 ("Pentecostal anthem") Suurkaupungissa, series for piano 1953 ("Big City") Preludio for the 75th anniversary of the Festivo WSOY, 1953 Tammenkaatajat, cantata 1953 (Oak fellers) El amor pasa, song series 1953 Ballet Pessi and Illusia 1951–52 Radio-opera Merenkuninkaan tytär ("The Daughter of the Meren King") Cantata Lyökämme käsi kätehen for the centenary of the Kalevala in 1949 ("We hand in hand") Karjalan neidon lauluja 1948 Sinfonisia tuokioita 1947 ("Symphonic Moments") 3 Songs for Male Choir 1947 Juhannusyö, song series 1946 ("Midsummer Night") 7 Songs of Hungarian folk poems 1946 Laululyhde for children 1939 Juvenalia for piano and cello

Works for vocal soloists

From the epic poem, the Kalevala:

Lemminkäisen äiti (The mother of Lemminkäinen) Iso tammi (Great Oak) Kultaneidon taonta (The Forging of the Golden Maiden) Kyllikin ryöstö (The Robbery of Kylliki) Sammon taonta (The Forging of the Sampo) Tulen synty (The Birth of Fire) Karhun peijjaiset (Bears' Ghosts)

Film music

Ison miehen vierailu (1999) Pikku suorasuu (1962) Lumisten metsien tyttö (1960) Jangada (1957) Elokuu (1956) Tuntematon sotilas (1955) Kun on tunteet (1954) Maailmat kohtaavat – XV Olympic Games in Helsinki (1952) Radio tekee murron (1951) Ratavartijan kaunis Inkeri (1950) Härmästä poikia kymmenen (1950) Maija löytää sävelen (1950) Kanavan laidalla (1949) Ruusu ja kulkuri (1948) Koskenkylän laulu (1947)