Pekka Juhani "P. J." Hannikainen (December 9, 1854 – September 13, 1924) was a Finnish

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and the head of the musical branch of the prominent Hannikainen family. His uncle was the writer and journalist Pietari Hannikainen. Hannikainen was born in

Nurmes is a town and municipality of Finland, located in the county of North Karelia. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Neighbouring municipalities are Juuka, Kuhmo, Lieksa, Rautavaa ...

but moved to

Jyväskylä Jyväskylä () is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Central Finland. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Jyväskylä is approximately , while the Jyväskylä sub-region, sub-region has a population of approximately ...

to attend school. He then studied chemistry in Helsinki and later lived in Jyväskylä and Helsinki, where he died. Hannikainen was the founder and conductor of the first Finnish student choir, the

YL Male Voice Choir YL Male Voice Choir (formerly: Helsinki University Chorus; ) was founded by P. J. Hannikainen in 1883 to become the choir of the Helsinki University. It is also the oldest Finnish-language choir. Nowadays the choir is not completely tied to the un ...

, from 1882 to 1885. He also founded the Mieskuoro Sirkat choir in 1899. From 1887 to 1891, he was the editor of the first Finnish music magazine, ''Säveleitä''. He was the father of the violinist and composer Arvo Hannikainen (1897-1942), the writer Lauri Hannikainen (1889-1921), the composer Väinö Hannikainen (1900–1960), the pianist and composer Ilmari Hannikainen (1892-1955) and the cellist

Tauno Hannikainen Tauno Heikki Hannikainen (February 26, 1896 – October 12, 1968) was a Finnish cellist and conductor. Born in Jyväskylä, he was the son of the composer Pekka Juhani Hannikainen. The pianist Ilmari Hannikainen and the harpist Väinö Hanni ...

(1896–1968). He is buried in

Hietaniemi Cemetery The Hietaniemi cemetery (, ) is located mainly in the Lapinlahti quarter and partly in the Etu-Töölö district of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. It is the location for Finnish state funeral services and is owned by the Evangelical Luthe ...

in Helsinki.

Notes

References

Arthur Eaglefield Hull Arthur Eaglefield Hull (10 March 1876 – 4 November 1928) was an English music critic, writer, composer and organist.

, ''A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians'' (Dent, London 1924).

External links

* 1854 births 1924 deaths People from Nurmes People from Kuopio Province (Grand Duchy of Finland) Romantic composers 19th-century classical composers 20th-century Finnish classical composers Finnish male classical composers Burials at Hietaniemi Cemetery 20th-century Finnish male musicians 19th-century Finnish male musicians Musicians from the Grand Duchy of Finland Pekka Juhani {{Finland-composer-stub