Oskar Merikanto's father, Franz Ferdinand Mattson, adopted a Swedish surname to get ahead but reverted to his birth name, Kanto, and prefixed it with 'Meri-' when Oskar was born.
Cultural Impact
Oskar Merikanto was one of the artists who played a part in building a Finnish national identity through his musical activities.
Composer Biography
Oskar Merikanto was appointed organist at St John's Church in Helsinki in 1891 and held this post until his death in 1924.
Historical Context
In the year before Oskar Merikanto's birth, nearly one tenth of Finland's population, 137,000 people, died in a devastating nationwide famine.
Composer Biography
Oskar Merikanto's father, Franz Ferdinand, developed a drinking problem and tragically shot himself at his first wife's grave in 1891.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Oskar Merikanto's organ music aimed to introduce new instrumental elements to the liturgy and featured virtuoso writing, departing from the conventional church music of his predecessors.
Recording & Production
This album is the first commercial recording of the music presented, including what were likely world premieres of several works by Oskar Merikanto.
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