Erkki Salmenhaara had already composed dozens of works when he began music composition studies at the Sibelius Academy at the turn of the 1960’s. He also took courses in musicology at the University of Helsinki. After completing his Bachelor’s degree (1964), he quickly received his licentiate (1965) and defended his doctoral thesis in 1970 with the study Das musikalische Material und seine Behandlung in den Werken ‘Apparitions’, ‘Atmospheres’, ‘Aventures’ und ‘Requiem’ von György Ligeti. The dissertation is still considered one of the most notable pieces of research on the work of the Hungarian composer György Ligeti.

Erkki Salmenhaara’s compositional work was vast both in quantity and also in the use of musical genres. In addition to piano, chamber and choir music, he also composed electronic music and symphonies. Salmenhaara experimented daringly with new compositional techniques alongside traditional music. His compositions from the late 1960’s generally met with critical acclaim, but in the 1970’s, when Salmenhaara’s style became simpler and the compositional elements more repetitive and became less intricate, the critics were quick to judge the composer, who had previously been a young radical, as a conservative turncoat. One of Erkki Salmenhaara’s best musical works was the Lintukoto ‘Isle of Bliss’ symphony (1989), which was composed for the 350th anniversary of the University of Helsinki. Salmenhaara was employed by the University of Helsinki through his entire composing career. He worked as an assistant, lecturer, associate professor and professor in musicology from 1961-99, although it was only in the 1980s that he had time to delve more deeply into research. Salmenhaara’s eminent work in pedagogy and research was appreciated, and he was named professor of the year in 1996.

In addition to writing research papers, Salmenhaara also published musicology textbooks and worked as a music critic for Ylioppilaslehti, Kauppalehti and Helsingin Sanomat. He was considered one of Finland’s best and most influential music critics.

Salmenhaara’s most notable academic works are the biographies of Jean Sibelius (1984), Leevi Madetoja (1987), and Väinö Raitio (2002). Salmenhaara assisted Erik Tawaststjerna with the compilation of Sibelius’s biography and edited the fifth part of Tawaststjerna’s biography. He also wrote a work on the history of Finnish music, Suomen musiikin historia I – IV (1995-1996), together with Fabian Dahlström, and Mikko Heiniö. The book was the first of its kind in Finland, and it earned the authors the 1997 Tieto-Finlandia prize. A few weeks before his death, Salmenhaara officially acknowledged by the Finnish Cultural Foundation for his lifework.

References

• Aho, Kalevi: Erkki Salmenhaara, muistokirjoitus. Helsingin Sanomat 2002. Accessed July 19 2015. (In Finnish)
• Jyrhämä, Outi (2006): Salmenhaara, Erkki (1941–2002). National biography online publication. Helsinki: Finnish Literature Society. Accessed July 19 2015. Available online via Nelli. (In Finnish)
• Erkki Salmenhaara’s composer profile page and list of compositions on the Music Finland website
• Erkki Salmenhaara, Wikipedia. Accessed July 19 2015.

More on Salmenhaara online

• ”Musiikin modernismin nousu ja tuho Erkki Salmenhaaran kirjoituskokoelma on valaiseva katsaus musiikin lähihistoriaan”, Helsingin Sanomat March 29 1992.
• ”Hovimusiikista modernismiin Suomen musiikin historia on perusteellinen kokonaisesitys”, Helsingin Sanomat December 10 1995.
• Markus Lång: ”Musiikkitieteen kehittelyä”, Science Now.