Edvin Kallstenius

Edvin Kallstenius (born in Filipstad 29 August 1881, died Stocksund, Stockholm 22 November 1967) was a Swedish composer and librarian.[1] He arranged the traditional folk tune used as the de facto national anthem of Sweden, Du gamla, Du fria.[2]

Life and career

Kallstenius studied natural sciences at the Lunds universitet, then music at the Leipzig Conservatory under Stephan Krehl from 1904-1907. As music librarian at Swedish Radio from 1928-46 he made a significant contribution in the field of music administration in Sweden.[3]

He also served on the Board of the Society of Swedish Composers from 1933-1961 (Treasurer 1933-1943) and was on the board of the Swedish Performing Rights Society from 1932-1957.[1]

In addition to arranging Du gamla, Du fria, his work includes five symphonies and eight string quartets. He also published an annotated catalogue of Swedish orchestral works.[4]

Kallstenius achieved an individual style and avoided using only tonal language by devising intense melodies reinforced with imaginative harmony.[1] He declared that his "musical religion is called harmonics – everything else is secondary" and from this basis he worked out his 'meticulously declamed themes'.[3] Although in later works he employed his own personal interpretation of serial style he also composed charming versions of older Swedish music.[3]

Selected compositions

    • Op. 1 – String quartet no. 1 (1904)
    • Op. 2 – String quartet no. 2 (1905)
    • Op. 3 – 2 Sånger: ”Lykken mellem to Mennesker” and ”Maanens Klage” (1907)
    • Op. 4 – Scherzo fugato for orchestra (1923)
    • Op. 4a – Fuga pastorale for organ (1907)
    • Op. 5 – Allegro sinfonico (Sista striden), tragic overture (1908)
    • Op. 6 – Sonata for cello and piano (1907)
    • Op. 7 – Sonata for violin and piano (1907)
    • Op. 8 – String quartet no. 3 (1914)
    • Op. 9 – Four songs: ”Minnas”, ”Höbärgningen”, ”Barnaftonbön” and ”Välkommen åter, snälla sol”) (ca. 1916)
    • Op. 10 – En serenad i sommarnatten, symphonic poem (1918)
    • Op. 11 – När vi dö, a Swedish requiem for mixed choir and orchestra (1919)
    • Op. 12 – Piano concerto, Sinfonia concertata (1922)
    • Op. 13 – Sinfonietta no. 1 for orkester (1923)
    • Op. 14 – String quartet no. 4, Divertimento alla Serenata (1925)
    • Op. 15 – 3 songs: ”Karin Månsdotters vaggvisa for Erik XIV”, ”Reisesegen” and ”Gunhild” (ca 1920)
    • Op. 16 – Symphony no. 1 in E flat major (1926)
    • Op. 17 – Clarinet quintet (1929–30)
    • Op. 18 – Dalarapsodi for orchestra (1931)
    • Op. 19 – Lustspelsuvertyr for orchestra (1934)
    • Op. 20 – Symphony no. 2 in F minor (1935)
    • Op. 21 – 3 Dansstudier for orchestra (1935)
    • Op. 22 – Dalslandsrapsodi for orchestra (1936)
    • Op. 23b – Suite for 9 instruments (1949)
    • Op. 24 – Romantico, overture for orchestra (1938)
    • Op. 25 – Passacaglia and variations on a Rococo theme (”Gubben Noak”) (1939)
    • Op. 26 – Högtid och fest for orchestra (1940)
    • Op. 27 – Musica gioconda, serenade for string orchestra (1942)
    • Op. 28 – Liten Falu-musik (1942)
    • Op. 29a – Divertimento for flute, clarinet, horn and bassoon (1943)
    • Op. 29b – Divertimento da camera (1943)
    • Op. 30 – Cavatina for viola and orchestra (1943)
    • Op. 31 – Passacaglia enarmonica (1943)
    • Op. 32 – Sångoffer, solo cantata for baritone and orchestra (1944)
    • Op. 33 – String quartet no. 5 (1945)
    • Op. 34 – Sinfonietta no. 2 (1946)
    • Op. 35 – Variations on a theme of Kraus (1947)
    • Op. 36 – Symphony no. 3 (1948)
    • Op. 37 – forändringar av en barnvisa for piano (1949)
    • Op. 38 – Stjärntändningen for chamber choir and orchestra (1944)
    • Op. 39 – Trio divertente for flute, violin and viola (1950)
    • Op. 40 – Cello concerto (1951)
    • Op. 41 – String quartet no. 6 (1953)
    • Op. 42 – Musica sinfonica (1953)
    • Op. 43 – Symphony no. 4 (Sinfonia a fresco) (1953–54)
    • Op. 44 – Nytt vin i gamla läglar (1954)
    • Op. 45 – Hymen, o, Hymenaios, ancient Greek wedding cantata for 3 soloists, mixed choir and orchestra (1955)
    • Op. 46 – Sinfonietta dodicitonia (1956)
    • Op. 47a – Piccolo trio seriale for flute, English horn and clarinet (1956)
    • Op. 47b – Piccolo trio seriale for violin, viola and clarinet (1957)
    • Op. 48 – Coreographic suite for orchestra (1957)
    • Op. 49 – String quartet no. 7 (1957)
    • Op. 50 – Sinfonietta semi-seriale (1958)
    • Op. 51 – Trio svagente for clarinet, horn and cello (1959)
    • Op. 52 – Symphony no. 5, Sinfonia ordinaria ma su temi 12-tonici (1960)
    • Op. 53 – Sonata for cello (1961)
    • Op. 54 – String quartet no. 8 (1962)
    • Op. 55 – Lyrisk svit (Lyric suite) for flute, saxophone or clarinet and cello (1960)
    • Op. 56 – 3 songs for male choir: ”Människors möte”, ”fortvivlan” and ”forsvunnen rymd” (1963)
    • Op. 57 – Sonata biforma for flute (1962)
    • Op. 58 – Äktenskap, suite of three duets for soprano, tenor, flute, clarinet and string trio: ”Program”, ”Psalm for älskande” and ”Äktenskap” (ca. 1964)
    • Op. 59 – Två stycken i följd for cello and piano (1963)
    • Op. 60 – Knoppningsbikt i kvinnodikt, fyra körsånger i följd (1964)
    • Op. 61 – String trio (1965)
    • Op. 62 – Sonata for violin (1965, rev. 1967)
    • Op. 63 – Prologo seriale for orchestra (1966)

References

  1. 1 2 3 Svenskt Musik/Swedish Music Information Centre http://www.mic.se/avd/mic/prod/micv5eng.nsf/docsbycodename/start
  2. ↑ Grove, George and Stanley Sadie (1980). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Macmillan Publishers, ISBN 978-0-333-23111-1
  3. 1 2 3 Percy G. Leading Swedish Composers of the 20th Century. In: Swedish music – past and present, special edition of Musikrevy. STIM & Swedish Institute for Cultural Relations Abroad, Stockholm, 1966.
  4. ↑ Kallstenius, Edvin (1948). Swedish Orchestral Works: Annotated Catalog. Stockholm: Nordiska Musikforlaget
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.