Miina Härmaaus expressionism + impressionism + romantic

Miina Härma (* 9 February 1864 in Kõrveküla; † 16 November 1941 in Tartu) was an Estonian composer, choir director and organist.

Life

Miina Härma was born into a family of teachers and musicians. She attended school in Tartu. From the age of 15, she received piano and composition lessons from the Estonian composer and literary figure Karl August Hermann (no relation).

From 1883 to 1890, Miina Härma was one of the first Estonians ever to study organ (with Louis Homilius) and composition at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. After completing her studies, she remained in St Petersburg. There she worked as a music teacher and organist. Concert tours also took her abroad.

Miina Härma returned to Tartu in 1894. There she was organist and founded a renowned mixed choir (since 1920 Miina Hermanni Lauluseltsi segakoor).

From 1903 to 1915 Miina Härma lived in Kronstadt, where she worked mainly as a music teacher. During the First World War she moved back to Tartu. In 1917 she became a music teacher at a girls’ grammar school (until 1929). At the same time, she was editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine Eesti Muusika Kuukirja and chairwoman of the “Tartu Association for Musical Art” (Tartu Helikunsti Selts in Estonian). In 1919 she and others founded the Tartu Higher School of Music. In 1939 she was appointed honorary doctor of the University of Tartu and honorary professor of the Tallinn Conservatory.

Miina Härma lived in Tartu until her death. She is now buried in Tartu’s Raadi Cemetery. The granite tomb monument, erected in 1965, was created by the Estonian sculptor Alexander Eller. The girls’ grammar school where she taught from 1917 has borne her name since 1964. In 1984, a monument was erected in her honour in front of Miina Härma Gümnaasium.

Miina Härma, in addition to her work as an organist and active promoter of Estonian musical life, has become known primarily as a choir director at Estonian singing festivals and as a composer. She has written about 200 choral works. Her lyrical tone is characteristic. She also wrote three songbooks for choirs, ten cavatinas, the cantata Kalev ja Linda (1894), well-known folk song arrangements and the musical play Murueide tütar (1902).

Source EMIC: Miina HärmaSource Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miina_Härma