Faltin Friedrich Richard, *5 January 1835 Gdańsk, †1 April 1918 Helsinki, Finnish organist, conductor, and composer of German origin. He studied music under F.W. Markull in Gdańsk, J.Ch.F. Schneider in Dessau, and subsequently at the Leipzig Conservatoire. In 1856, he moved to Finland, where he played a prominent role in the development of musical life. In Viipuri (now Vyborg, Russia), he founded a choral and orchestral society; he also taught music there. In 1869 he settled in Helsinki, where he became conductor at the Swedish Theatre, and in 1870 organist at St Nicholas’ Church and musical director of the university. At the same time, he conducted symphonic concerts, and from 1873 he was Kapellmeister of the Finnish Opera. In 1882, he was appointed organ teacher at the local conservatoire. In 1896, he became a university professor. Faltin published many Finnish folk songs and composed numerous solo and choral songs, cantatas and organ works.
Literature: K. Flodin, O. Ehrström Richard Faltin, Helsinki 1934.
