Pingoud, Ernest
Pingoud, Ernest
Pingoud, Ernest, Russian-born Finnish composer; b. St. Petersburg, Oct. 14,1888; d. Helsinki, June 1,1942. He studied piano in St. Petersburg with Siloti, then went to Leipzig, where he took courses in music history with Riemann and in composition with Reger. In 1918 he settled in Finland, where he served as managing director of the Helsinki Phil. (1924–42). In his music, he was influenced by the Russian modern school, particularly by Scriabin, from whom he acquired his predilection for mystical titles, often in French.
Works
dramatic: Ballet: Suurkaupungin kasvot (The Face of the Big City; 1936); Epajumala (The Idol; n.d.). orch.:Prologue (1916); Confessions (1916); La Dernière Aventure de Pierrot (1916); Diableries galantes “Le fetiche” (1917); 3 piano concertos (1917,1921,1922); Hymneja yolle (Hymns to the Night; 1917); 5 Sonnets for Chamber Orch. (1918); Ritari peloton ja moitteeton (The Knight without Fear or Reproach), an “adventure” (1918); Mysterium (1919); Flambeaux eleints (1919); Chantecler (1919); Le Sacrifice (1919); 3 syms. (1920; 1920; 1923–27); Profeetta (The Prophet; 1921); Cor ardens (1927); Nar-cissos (1930); Le Chant d’espace (1931; rev. 1938); La Flamme éternelle (1938–39). other: Chamber music; piano works; Kuolemantanssi (Danse macabre) for Chorus and Orch. (1918); songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire