Born in Björneborg [now Pori], Feb 16, 1878
Died in Helsinki, Dec 16, 1951
[PRONUNCIATION | SEH-lim PALM-gren]
- Selim Palmgren was a composer, conductor, and pianist best known for his works for the keyboard instrument.
- Palmgren received his formal education at the Helsinki Music Institute, followed by studies in Germany and Italy. Once back in Finland, Palmgren worked as a conductor for about a decade, after which he devoted his career to composing and piano performance.
- In the early 1920s, Palmgren toured the U.S., and in 1923, he began teaching composition at the Eastman School. He later became a professor of harmony and composition at the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki.1
- As a pianist, Palmgren regularly accompanied his wife, Maikki Pakarinen, who was a Finnish operatic soprano.2
- Palmgren’s music has not withstood the test of time well, partly because the composer did little to promote his own work, and partly because many of his works are undated and remain in manuscript.3
Sources
- Ilkka Oramo, “Palmgren, Selim,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed January 30, 2026, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000020779.
- Britannica Editors, “Selim Palmgren,” Encyclopedia Britannica (2025), accessed January 30, 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Selim-Palmgren.
- Maureen Buja, “Song from a Forgotten Finnish Composer: Palmgren’s Aria,” Interlude (2022), accessed January 30, 2026, https://interlude.hk/song-from-a-forgotten-finnish-composer-selim-palmgren-aria/.