Bernhard Henrik Crusell

Bernhard Henrik Crusell (October 15, 1775 – July 28, 1838) was a Swedish-Finnish clarinetist, composer and translator, the most significant and internationally best-known Finnish-born Classical composer and indeed, the outstanding Finnish composer before Sibelius. Although a foreigner, he rose to a prominent position in the Swedish music world.

Biography

Born in Uusikaupunki (Swedish name Nystad), Finland, into an impoverished family of bookbinders, he lived in Stockholm from 1791 onwards and performed his life’s work in Sweden. He made his last visit to his home country in summer 1801, when he performed in Turku and Helsinki. In those days, Finland was undeniably a musical backwater. The centre of musical activities was Turku, where the Turku Society of Music (Turun Soitannollinen Seura), founded in 1790, had done invaluable work in promoting music and had set up an orchestra of its own.

As a result of the Finnish War of 1808-09, Sweden ceded Finland to Russia. Helsinki was made capital of the new autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812. The university was transferred to Helsinki after the Great Fire of Turku in 1828, spelling an end to Turku’s role as the hub of Finnish music life.

In Stockholm Crusell was employed for forty years (1793-1833) playing principal clarinet with the "Hovkapellet" (Royal Court Orchestra), and eventually became an internationally celebrated clarinetist. It is indicative of his reputation that he was for many years the best-paid musician in the entire orchestra. Crusell also attained fame as a renowned clarinet virtuoso, and went to Germany to study and perform in 1798, 1803 and 1811; on the second occasion, his trips extended as far as Paris. During this time he maintained a travel diary in Finnish.