Erkki Salmenhaara

Erkki Salmenhaara (b. Helsinki, Finland, March 12, 1941; d. Helsinki, March 19, 2002) was a Finnish composer and musicologist. Salmenhaara studied composition with Joonas Kokkonen at the Sibelius Academy, and with György Ligeti in Vienna, and received his doctorate in musicology from the University of Helsinki in 1970. He served as lecturer (1966-75) and associate professor (1975-2002) of musicology at the University of Helsinki and was also the ... more

Erkki Salmenhaara (b. Helsinki, Finland, March 12, 1941; d. Helsinki, March 19, 2002) was a Finnish composer and musicologist. Salmenhaara studied composition with Joonas Kokkonen at the Sibelius Academy, and with György Ligeti in Vienna, and received his doctorate in musicology from the University of Helsinki in 1970. He served as lecturer (1966-75) and associate professor (1975-2002) of musicology at the University of Helsinki and was also the leading writer on classical music in Finland. In addition, he served as chairman of the Society of Finnish Composers (1974–76) and of the Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras (1974–78). Salmenhaara's published writings include textbooks on music theory, a history of 20th century music, monographs on Ligeti, Jean Sibelius's Tapiola and the Brahms symphonies, biographies of Jean Sibelius and Leevi Madetoja, and a history of the Society of Finnish Composers. His most ambitious publication was his contribution on the period from the Romantic... less