Erna Tauro

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Erna Tauro.

Erna Tauro, née Pergament (16 August 1916 Viborg – 4 June 1993 Stockholm), was a Finnish-Swedish pianist and composer.

Biography

Erna Tauro was born in Viborg, daughter of Isak Pergament and Rifka née Rosenthal, and niece of composers Moses Pergament and Simon Parmet. The family moved to Berlin in 1921 and later to Helsinki. Tauro studied piano and music theory in Berlin, and according to some sources, also studied music at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. During World War II, Tauro worked as a nurse and also an accompanist. From 1955 to 1969 she was principal accompanist at the Little Theater in Helsinki and composed music for a number of plays and musicals.

Her composition "Höstvisa" ("Autumn Song") with lyrics by Tove Jansson won third prize in the 1965 Finnish Broadcasting Song Contest. The same year, she won second place with the song "Den gamla brudkläderskan" ("The Old Bridal Wife") with lyrics by Huldén Evert.

In 1969, Tauro received a position as musical director for Fiddler on the Roof in Stockholm, and in 1977 she settled permanently in that city. She married Risto Ilmari Tauro, and they had one daughter born in 1945. She died in Stockholm in 1993.

Tauro is best known for the songs for Moomin, a series of children's books by Tove Jansson which were translated into plays and animation. Music for the last play, King Moomin Valley, was finished by composer Mika Pohjola after the death of Jansson and Tauro and premiered in August 2008.

Works

Selected works include:

• Kahdeksikko, musical
• Oli kevät, musical
• Guldbröllop, musical
• Moomin behind the scenes, songs for a play
• Höstvisa
• Den gamla brudkläderskan
• Troll i kulisserna