Erik Tawaststjerna’s 100th birthday. An exhibition at the National Library about his life’s work. 23 May-22 October

Date published
Erik Tawaststjerna’s 100th birthday An exhibition at the National Library about his life’s work. “Suuri tyyli” - “The Grand Style” – Erik Tawaststjerna (10 October 1916 – 22 January 1993) Café Rotunda 23 May – 22 October 2016
Picture by
Leif Öster

This year, the 10th of October marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Professori Erik Tawaststjerna. To celebrate, the National Library is organising an exhibition presenting the life and many achievements of this legendary university teacher, musicologist, critic, pianist and pedagogue.

Tawaststjerna’s life’s work centered primarily around the writing of the biography of Jean Sibelius and its publication in five volumes (1965–1988) in Swedish, Finnish, English and partially in Russian.  His dissertation on Sibelius’ piano works in 1960 as well as his work as a concert pianist and experience of recording Finnish music for the national radios of several countries prepared him for this task.

He served as the University of Helsinki’s professor of musicology from 1960 until 1983 and as an Academy of Finland professor from 1977 until 1983. Tawaststjerna grew into a captivating speaker who also made the general public aware of musicology through his radio presentations.   His many talents ranged from mathematics to translation and from essay writing to music criticism.  He was indisputably one of the most influential and colourful personages in the Finnish music scene of his time.

This celebratory exhibition sheds new light on his world, his opinions on art, cultural history and aesthetics, as well as the life he lived.     

Exhibition´s expert group:
prof. Eero Tarasti, prof. Erik. T. Tawaststjerna, musicology students: Leith Arar, Aleksi Haukka, Paula Ranto, cultural coordinator Inkeri Pitkäranta, marketing coordinator Sisko Vuorikari.

In cooperation with: The University of Helsinki Unit of Musicology and The National Library of Finland                                                                                                                                                              

https://www.kansalliskirjasto.fi/en/events/exhibition-the-grand-style-e…


Further information: Eero Tarasti, eero.tarasti(at)helsinki.fi, Erik Tawaststjerna, erik.tawaststjerna(at)uniarts.fi