Selim Palmgren

Selim Palmgren (1878–1951) was a Finnish composer, pianist, and conductor. Palmgren studied with Ferruccio Busoni, and in 1921 came to the United States, where he taught composition at the Eastman School of Music, later returning to Finland. Most of his works were for piano, and his smaller lyric pieces are his most noteworthy for the use of Scandinavian folk elements. His hometown Pori has a Palmgren conservatory named by him.

Palmgren's larger oeuvre includes 5 piano concertos (No.2 "The River") and opera Daniel Hjort.

An incomplete works list (elaborated by Joel Valkila):

Works Listed by Opus Number

• Op.1 - Prelude, Illusion, & Etude and Valse-Caprice for Piano
• Op.2(a) - Two Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.2(b) - 3 Pieces for Piano
• Op.3 - Suite for Piano
• Op.4 - Drei Klavierstücke
• Op.5 - Two Songs
• Op.6 - Fantasie for Piano
• Op.7 - Den Unge Piges Viser, Song Cycle for Voice & Piano
• Op.8(a) - Lyric Intermezzo, a Suite for Piano
• Op.8(b) - Pieces for Violin and Piano
• Op.9 - En Route, Concert Study for Piano
• Op.10 - Impromptu and Scherzo for Piano
• Op.11 - Piano Sonata in D minor
• Op.12 - Songs
• Op.13 - Piano Concerto No.1 in g minor (1904)
• Op.14 - Barcarole for Piano, Op.14
• Op.15 - Songs
• Op.16(_) - Menuet in Folk-Style (Menuett i folkton) for Piano
• Op.16(a) - 4 Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.16(b) - 4 Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.17 - 24 Preludes for Piano
• Op.18 - Ballad with Theme and Variations for Piano
• Op.19 - Songs
• Op.20 - Songs
• Op.21 - Incidental Music, "Cinderella" (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.22 - Finnish Lyrics, 12 Pieces for Piano
• Op.23 - Organ Pieces (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.24 - Aus Finnland, 4 Symphonic Pieces for Orchestra
• Op.25 - Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.26 - 3 Humoresques for Piano
• Op.27 - 7 Klavierstücke, "Spring"
• Op.28 - 6 Lyric Pieces for Piano
• Op.29 - "Contrasts" for piano
• Op.30 - Opera "Daniel Hjort"
• Op.31 - 5 Sketches from Finland for Piano
• Op.32 - 3 Klavierstücke
• Op.33 - Piano Concerto No.2 ("Der Fluss" or "The River") (1913)
• Op.34(a) - 2 Kleine Balletszenen for Piano
• Op.34(b) - Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.35 - Klavierskizzen for Piano
• Op.36 - The Masquerade for Two Pianos
• Op.37(a) - Mephistowaltzer, Op.37
• Op.37(b)- Song 'Nocturne'
• Op.38 - Dunkelrote Rosen für eine Singstimme und Klavier
• Op.39 - Nordischer Sommer - 5 Piano Pieces
• Op.40 - "Die Stadt" for Voice and Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila) (See op 41!)
• Op.41 - (a) Piano Concerto No.3 ("Metamorphoses") (1916) / (b) Song 'Die Stadt' for Voice and Orchestra (1914)(See Op 40!)
• Op.42 - Ballade "Torpflickan" for Solo Voices, Choir and Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.43 - 4 Morceaux for Violin & Piano
• Op.44 - Songs
• Op.45 - 3 Piano Pieces, Op.45
• Op.46 - Exotisk Marsch for Piano
• Op.47 - "Spring", 6 Piano Pieces
• Op.48 - 2 Songs for Voice & Piano
• Op.49(a) - Piano Pieces ('Längtansvals och andra klaverstycken')
• Op.49(b) - Rondo a Capriccio for Piano (Same as Op. 53; reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.50 - A Pastoral in 3 Scenes, Suite for Piano / Orchestra
• Op.51 - Light and Shade - 6 Piano Pieces ('Ljus och skugga')
• Op.52 - Three Songs
• Op.53 - Rondo a capriccio for Piano (reference: T. Tommila) - Same as Op. 49b!
• Op.54 - 3 Pianostycken
• Op.55 - Song (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.56 - Three Songs
• Op.57 - Piano Pieces
• Op.58(a) - Incidental Music from the Play "Juhana Herttua" (Op 62?)
• Op.58(b) - Song (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.59(a) - 'Julkvällen' (Christmas Eve) for Choir and Orchestra
• Op.59(b) - Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.60 - Three Songs
• Op.61 - 'Kaunehin Maa' ("The Most Beautiful Land") - for Male Choir and Brass
• Op.62 - Incidental Music from the Play "Juhana Herttua"
• Op.63 - Four Impromptus for Piano
• Op.64(a) - Piano Pieces "Klanger och Rytmer"
• Op.64(b) - "Ivy" and "Bagpipes" for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.65 - Intermezzo valsant for Piano
• Op.66 - Deux impromptus for Piano, Op.66
• Op.67(a) - Hakkapeliittojen marssi ("March of the Finnish Soldiers in the 30 Years' War")(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.67(b) - 6 Morceaux for Piano
• Op.68 - Incidental Music (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.69 - Finnish Folk Tunes for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.70(a) - Two Songs
• Op.70(b) - Graciosa rytmer for Piano ("Graceful Rhythms")(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.71 - Three Piano Pieces
• Op.72(a) - Nocturne in 3 Scenes for Piano
• Op.72(b) - 12 Nordic Folk Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.73 - Three Piano Pieces
• Op.74 - 3 Morceaux for Piano
• Op.75 - Eight Piano Pieces
• Op.76 - Six Piano Pieces
• Op.77 - 24 Etudes for Piano
• Op.78 - Pieces for Violin & Piano
• Op.79 - Ten Piano Pieces
• Op.80 - Two Pieces for Cello and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.81 - Piano Pieces "Triptych"
• Op.82 - 3 Fantasier for Piano
• Op.83 - Three Piano Pieces
• Op.84 - Piano Pieces (Preludes)
• Op.85 - Piano Concerto No.4 ("April") (1928)
• Op.86 - Cantata "For Fatherland's Freedom"
• Op.87 - New Piano Sketches
• Op.88 - 4 Piano Pieces
• Op.89 - Cantata for the 700th Anniversary of the City of Turku (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.90 - Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.91 - Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.92 - Orchestral Song (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.93(a) - Sonatine for Piano
• Op.93(b) - Festpräludium for Piano
• Op.94 - Four Songs
• Op.95 - Orchestral Song (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.96 - "Music for a Comedy Play" for Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.97 - Orchestral Song (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.98 - (a) 'Vanhojen Messujen Aikaan' ("At the Times of the Ancient Masses") for Male Choir and Orchestra, (b) "Song of the Quild" for Choir (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.99 - Piano Concerto No.5 (1940)
• Op.100 - Cantata[?] 'Nouskohon Sukuni Suuri' ("Let My Great Nation Rise")
• Op.101 - Songs (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.102 - Sun & Clouds, 12 Pieces for Piano
• Op.103(a) - Jouluaatto ("Christmas Morning") for Chorus and Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.103(b) - Cantata for the 500th anniversary of the town of Naantali
• Op.104 - Concert-Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra
• Op.105 - 'Ballet Scenes', Six Pieces for Piano
• Op.106 - Songs
• Op.107 - Songs
• Op.108 - Ballade for Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.109 - Piano Suite "Diary Sheets" (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.110 - Song (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.111 - Autobiography (in Finnish)
• Op.112 - Cantata "Väinämöinen ja karhunkaato" (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op.113 - Sonatine for Piano
• Op.114 - Op 114/1 "a Gaspar Cassado" / "Violoncello - Repertoire de Gaspar Cassado" for Cello and Piano / Op 114/2 In tempo di minuetto (reference: T. Tommila)

Works Listed Without a Known Opus Number, In an Alphabetic Order

• Op posth. - Aftonpsalm for Chorus (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Allegretto for Piano (1921) (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Allhelgonenatt for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Anna-mi (Song)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Arabeske (1946) for Piano
• Op posth. - Arabeski (1896) for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Aria (1904) for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Asparnas susning (Song)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Aurinkokaupunki for Chorus (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Bagatelle for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Barcarolle (1908) for Piano
• Op posth. - Berceuse for Piano
• Op posth. - Berceuse (1895) for Piano
• Op posth. - Berceuse (1917) for Violin and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Björkarna där hemma for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Bort allt vad oro gör for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Bottniska hav (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Brudefärden (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Cavatina for Violin and Piano (lost?)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Chanson elegiaque for Violin and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Chant d'automne (1917) for Cello and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Clarinet Concerto (unfinished)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Con sordino for Piano
• Op posth. - Concert-Etude ("Konsertetude")(1906)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Country dance / Musette / The Bagpipe for Piano (1922)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Cry for Help (1927) for Chorus (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Dag efter dag for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Dalliance for Piano (1919)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Darthulas gravsång for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - 'De Fallna' ("The Fallen Ones"), Song (1919)
• Op posth. - De heliga änglar for Chorus (1933)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - De vita scholastica for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Den långa dagen for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Den övergivna for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - 'Drömmen' ("Dream") for Choir (1898)
• Op posth. - Drömvisa for Piano (1921)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - 'En Idyll' for Choir
• Op posth. - Ensimmäinen perhonen ("The First Butterfly") for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Entre'acte valsant for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - 'Erotus mielillä' ("Thinking of the Depart") for Choir (1900)
• Op posth. - Etude for Piano (1896)("unfinished")(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Etude ("Gnistor") for Piano
• Op posth. - Etude de Concert for Piano (c.1900)
• Op posth. - Finnische kabinettstücke (7 Piano Pieces)
• Op posth. - Finnish Caprice for Piano (1922)(reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Gavotte et Musette for Piano
• Op posth. - 'Grave of Chopin for Piano' and Orchestra
• Op posth. - 'Helsinki Oldboys Regement' March for Piano
• Op posth. - Intermezzo (1895) for Piano
• Op posth. - Intermezzo for left hand only (1906)
• Op posth. - Intermezzo Marziale for Orchestra
• Op posth. - 'Keijukaiset' ("Fairies") for Piano
• Op posth. - 'Kevätauerta' for Piano
• Op posth. - 'Lullaby for Wounded Hearts' for Orchestra (orchestral adaption from a piano piece in Op 81?)
• Op posth. - Musette for Orchestra
• Op posth. - Overture for Piano (1934) - same as Op 93b! (Re-published as a "posthumous" work in 1982)
• Op posth. - 'Pieni legenda' ("A Small Legend")(1895) for Piano
• Op posth. - Prélude funebre for Piano
• Op posth. - Preludietto for Piano
• Op posth. - Presto for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Scherzo (1893) for Piano
• Op posth. - Scherzino (1894) for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Serenad for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - 'Solsken genom tårar' ("Sunshine Through the Tears")(1946) for Piano
• Op posth. - 'Spinnrocken' for Piano
• Op posth. - 'Syysprologi' ("An Autumnal Prologue") for Piano
• Op posth. - Titania for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)
• Op posth. - Ungarischer Tanz for Piano
• Op posth. - Valkokaarti ("The White Guard") for Vocal and Piano
• Op posth. - 'Valssi länsisuomalaiseen tapaan' ("Waltz in a Western Finnish Style") for Piano
• Op posth. - 'Vårbräckarnas brus' ("Russtles of Spring") for Piano

A fully detailed works list (In Finnish) is under preparation by T. Tommila. Reference to his list is marked above with a reference mark in italics.

Free scores by Selim Palmgren in the International Music Score Library Project

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