Toivo Kuula - Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 1 (1907)

Toivo Timoteus Kuula (7 July 1883 - 18 May 1918) was a Finnish composer and conductor of the late-Romantic and early-modern periods, who emerged in the wake of Jean Sibelius, 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 death in 1918.
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Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 1 (1907)
1. Allegro agitato (0:00)
2. Adagio (11:04)
3. Allegro molto (18:52)
Nina Karmon, violin and Oliver Triendl, piano
Toivo was born in the Vehkakoski village of the Alavus town and registered as a native in the city of Vaasa (then Nikolainkaupunki), when Finland still was a Grand Duchy under Russian rule. He is known as a colorful and passionate portrayer of Finnish nature and people.
Kuula became Jean Sibelius'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 an even more talented composer than his teacher Sibelius.
A Swedish 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. He died in the provincial hospital in Viipuri in 1918 after being mortally wounded 18 days earlier on Walpurgis Night 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. Ironically, "Kuula" means "bullet" in Finnish. Kuula is buried in Hietaniemi cemetery, Helsinki.
Toivo Kuula married Alma Silventoinen in 1914; the couple had one daughter, Sinikka, who later became a professional pianist.

[@RafikCezanneTV]

It's a crime that composers like this are not known. Thank you for another excellent post!

[@aramkhachaturian8043]

Correct me if I am wrong, but this composer seems much better at composing music for the piano compared to the violin. The piano part is stunning in this piece and provides a much more complex and interesting layer.

[@TheodoreServin]

It's interesting, because as far as I know, Kuula's primary instrument was the violin, though photographs show him both with a violin and a piano. From prestomusic: "Kuula originally had wanted to be a violinist and continued to favour the violin even after the playing of this instrument had receded into the background and his activities as a composer had come to occupy the foreground."
And yet his piano lines are extremely creative and even virtuosic at times, more so than a lot of music I've heard by composers who only played the piano. Plus, he gives both the piano and string lines an equal amount of melodic material, almost never making the piano a purely accompanimental instrument.

[@steveegallo3384]

Superlative in every respect.....Many thanks!

[@elmiramuradova561]

Thank you. Nice!

[@juhakuli]

There were many great composers in the period of National Romanticism and afterwards. Unfortunately, regardless of Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), they did not receive widespread international recognition. I think this is due to the modesty of the Finnish people. We shy away from raising our own voices and secretly hope that someone will notice instead.
Toivo Kuula (1883-1918) was undoubtedly one of the greatest prodigious talents among Finnish composers. Other great composers of this time were Erkki Melartin (1875-1937), Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947) and Selim Palmgren (1878-1951). Please search them (and their music), you will be pleasantly surprised I think!

[@juhakuli]

Most of them had to compose smaller works because of living and their repertoire includes many instrumental miniatures as well as vocal music because of that. But they all also have great orchestral works.

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne und detraillierte Interpretetion dieser spätromantischen und fein komponierten Sonate in verschiedenen Tempi mit seidigem doch gut phrasiertem Ton der genialen Violine und klarem doch elegantem Klang des ebenso genialen Klaviers. Der zweite Satz klingt echt schön und auch bezaubernd. Im Kontrast klingt der dritte Satz echt lebhaft und auch überzeugend. Der intime und perfekt entsprechende Dialog zwischen den beiden Virtuosen ist wahrlich ergreifend. Wunderbar vom Anfang bis zum Ende!

[@dmitrysofronov8624]

That's good!