Frans Oskar Merikanto (pronounced (About this soundlisten); né Ala-Kanto; 5 August 1868 – 17 February 1924) was a Finnish musician and composer.He was the son of Frans Ferdinand Ala-Kanto (his surname is also reported as Aittomäki; 1845–1891) from Jalasjärvi, Southern Ostrobothnia and Anna Helena Merikanto (née Tammelin; 1842–1885). Frans got a Swedish-language surname, Mattsson, when he joined the Finnish army. His father had changed the family name from Ala-Kanto to Merikanto in 1882. Meri means "sea" and refers to his voyage from Vaasa to Helsinki; Kanto refers to his origins from the estate Kanto.

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