Leevi Madetoja

Leevi Antti Madetoja was a Finnish composer, music critic, conductor, and teacher of the late-Romantic and early-modern periods. Renowned as a significant Finnish contemporary of Jean Sibelius, he studied under him between 1908 and 1910. His key works include three symphonies, the national opera 'Pohjalaisia', and other notable compositions. Celebrated in his time, Madetoja's music saw a renaissance in recent decades. His style features Finnish melancholy, folk melodies, and French symphonic influences. Besides composing, he was a respected music critic, especially known for his writings in Helsingin sanomat. Madetoja married poet L. Onerva in 1918, but they remained childless. He struggled with alcoholism and died of a heart attack on 6 October 1947 in Helsinki.