Väinö Hannikainen (1900-1960) was one of the five sons of the composer P.J. Hannikainen. He studied composition in Helsinki, Berlin and Paris and wrote a ballet, a chamber opera, music for his own instrument harp and a vast number of songs and cantatas. He played as solo harpist of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra for over three decades. A perceptive lyricist as a composer, his harmonic language is rich and expressive.