Kumpula, Sipi (1887–1933)

Sipi Kumpula (1887–January 19, 1933 Helsinki) was a Finnish cantor-organist and composer. He was born in the village of Käylä in Kuusamo and first came from his home farm to Oulu to study tailoring. However, the central content of the group’s life was organ music. After attending the cantor and organ school in Helsinki, he ended up at the Helsinki Missionary Church as a cantor-organist through many twists and turns. Before this, he had worked as a cantor in Kannus and Hyvinkää, among others. Kumpula developed his skills as an organist in the early 1930s at the Helsinki Conservatory under Elis Mårtenson’s teaching. Mårtenson encouraged Kumpula to also develop his composing skills.

In addition to organ compositions, Kumpula wrote several songs. His cantata ”Kautta kärsimysten voittoon” (To victory through suffering) was completed in 1929. The sheet music of the cantata has not been found to this day. The song “Bön” (Prayer) won the third prize in the composition competition organized by the Finnish-Swedish Church Song Committee in 1931. Kumpula also published two piano works during his lifetime: Lied Ohne Worthe 1911 and Marche funèbre 1924.