Kuula, Toivo (Timoteus)

Kuula, Toivo (Timoteus), Finnish conductor and composer; b. Vasa, July 7, 1883; d. (shot to death during a street fight in the aftermath of the Finnish Civil War) Viipuri, May 18, 1918. He studied at the Helsinki Music Inst. with Sibelius, Wegelius, Novâcek, and Järnefelt (1900–08), then with Bossi in Bologna, in Leipzig, and with Labey in Paris (1908–10), and finally in Berlin (1911–12). He taught and conducted in Vasa (1903–05). He was conductor of the Oulu Orch. (1910–11), vice- conductor of the Native Orch. (1912–14), and asst. conductor of the Helsinki Municipal Orch. (1914–16), then conducted the orch. of the Viipuri Friends of Music (1916–18). His music, rooted in Finnish folk song, is occasionally touched with Impressionism.

Works

Etelapohjälainen sarja (South Ostrobothnians Suites) for Orch. (1906-09; 1912-14); Prelude and Fugue for Orch. (1909); Prelude and Intermezzo for Strings and Organ (1909); Orjanpoika (The Son of a Slave), symphonic legend (1910); Kuolemattomuuden toivo (Hope of Immortality) for Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1910); Merenkylpijäneidot (Maids on the Seashore) for Soprano and Orch. (1910); Im pija pajarinpoika (The Maid and the Boyar’s Son) for Soprano and Orch. (1911); Bothnie Poem for Orch. (Petrograd, Oct. 26, 1918); Violin Sonata; music for plays; piano pieces; songs. He left unfinished a Jupiter Symphony, also a Stabat Mater for Chorus, Organ, and Orch. (1914-18; completed by Madetoja).

Bibliography

T. Elmgreen-Heinonen and E. Roiha, T.K.: A Finnish Composer of Genius (Helsinki, 1952).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire