Obscure Swedish composers

[matsoljare]

Alright, i'm wondering how many of you have heard of, or anything by, these composers. Some of them used to be considered influential in certain circles once upon a time, but they're forgotten by almost everyone now and there's hardly any recordings available.

Bengt Hambraeus
Sten Broman
Arne Mellnäs
Jan W. Morthenson
Bo Nilsson
Sven-Erik Bäck
Ingvar Lidholm
Rolf Martinsson
Lars Sandberg
Henrik Strindberg
Anders Eliasson
Hilding Rosenberg
Anders Hillborg
Einar Englund

[rojo]

Bengt Hambraeus was my Electronic Music class teacher way back in my uni days. He had us listening to works by Stockhausen, Berio et al. All of which were completely new to me. I think he composed mainly organ works? Don't remember. He was a very sweet man. Hmm, a couple of the other names are vaguely familiar...

[Corno Dolce]

Hi Mats,

You forgot Elfrieda Andree - she was the first female organist in a Diocesan Cathedral in Sweden. Her compositions are very *French Romantic* flavored. Then there is Valdemar Åhlen and Otto Olsson.......

Cheers,

CD

ps. Oh-ho-ho-ho - So, you studied with Mr. Hambraeus - he was quite the pioneer.......

[Contratrombone64]

mats - I've heard of Bo Nilsson, but that's it I'm afraid.

[matsoljare]

Yes, Bo Nilsson is probably the most well known, performed, and recorded of the ones on the list. Incredibly original, though his music doesn't have much of a strong relation to what else was going on here at the time.

Rojo, that's rather unexpected. I've actually heard very little of his music, but many things suggest he was a very skilled composer with a very wide knowledge of many musical styles. As with Sven-Erik Bäck, his works are criminally underdocumented.

Its funny that there are fairly recent biographies of Bäck and Lidholm that have been issued in Sweden, and even my local library has them, but outside the very small circles that were actually "around" at the time, they're entirely unknown, and there's practically no recordings of their music available. They belong to an entire generation of Swedish composers who very much had their own styles and ideas, but they're almost entirely forgotten now. The younger names on the list are, i think, slightly more well known, at least in certain "new music" circles in continental Europe - though in Sweden itself, or in the states, they're still unknown as far as i can tell.

By the way, one of the composers on there are not even techincally Swedish, but i'm not telling who!

[Contratrombone64]

By the way ... are not even techincally Swedish, but i'm not telling who!

Nor was one of the group ABBA, but that's a story for another day!

[methodistgirl]

Nor was one of the group ABBA, but that's a story for another day!

You took the words out of my fingers this time. I was thinking of Benny
Anderson and John b..
judy tooley

[Contratrombone64]

They were Swedish ...

[rojo]

Ancient thread resurrection time.

Tonight I found this work for organ and boys choir by Bengt Hambraeus on Youtube. It's called Motetum Archangeli Michaelis. It features prominent use of open fifths and parallel intervals. Things get particularly interesting in the vocal parts after the 5:00 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVY5S91aaxU

According to the poster's channel, the work was performed by the Stockholm Boys Choir, conducted by Roland Nilsson. Recorded Live on May 9, 1981 during a concert at Saint Jacob's church in Stockholm, Sweden. Organ - Per Thunarf

Hambraeus passed away in 2000.

[Corno Dolce]

And we musn't forget the rarely, if ever heard Swedish composer named Moses Pergament.

[wljmrbill]

Rojo.. thanks for link I have never heard this piece before.. quite unusal I would say.I always liked open and parallel 5ths: but My theory teachers in college sure didn't....LOL

[Contratrombone64]

Robin - great link really enjoyed the music a lot. The organ at the opening is amazing and the SBC's singing is fantastic!

[rojo]

You're welcome, Bill and David. I enjoyed it too. I thought maybe some of our members might find it interesting, seeing as many of them are organists.