Ilmari Hannikainen: Trois Valses mignonnes, op.17

Three Waltzes- or Trois Valses Mignonnes (Kolme pientä valssia) op.17- is a set of three delightful waltzes by Finnish pianist and composer Ilmari Hannikainen (1892-1955).
Because of the of the Great War Hannikainen, along with two important early 20th century Finnish composers Aarre Merikanto and Väinö Raitio, went to study to Russia which was not the most popular choice among young composers and musicians at the time since they preferred Germany.

In St.Petersburg Hannikainen's teacher was Alexander Siloti, cousin of Rachmaninov, and he became a favourite of the renowned pianist.

His compositions include a light opera Talkootanssit (The Work Party Dance), a piano concerto, few orchestral songs, a piano quartet, a piano sonata and many piano works as well as many solo songs.

These waltzes have the the air of the cultural atmosphere of the 1910's St-Petersburg and their fin de siecle charm doesn't fail to work it's magic.

Trois Valses Mignonnes, op.17
1. F-sharp minor (dedicated to Mr.R.Breitenstein)
2. F major (dedicated to Maggie Westerlund)
3. C-sharp minor (dedicated to Oxana Siloti)

Tuomas Nikkanen, piano

Recorded at the Wetterhoff House in Hämeenlinna, Finland
at the 29th of May 2020 by Timo Seppälä