Hugo Alfvén

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Hugo Emil Alfvén (May 1, 1872 – May 8, 1960) was a Swedish composer, conductor, violinist, and painter.

Contents Alfvén was born in Stockholm and studied at the Music Conservatory there from 1887 to 1891 with the violin as his main instrument. He also took private composition lessons from Johan Lindegren, a leading counterpoint expert. He earned a living by playing the violin at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. He also played the violin in the Hovkapellet (the Swedish court orchestra).

Starting in 1897, Alfvén travelled much of the next ten years in Europe. He studied violin technique in Brussels and learned conducting in Dresden. From 1910 Alfvén was director musices (music director) at the University of Uppsala, a post he held until 1939. There he also directed the male voice choir Orphei Drängar until 1947. He toured Europe as a conductor throughout his life.

Alfvén became known as one of Sweden’s principal composers, together with Wilhelm Stenhammar. Alfvén’s music is in a late-Romantic idiom. His orchestration is skillful and colorful, reminiscent of that of Richard Strauss. Like Strauss, Alfvén wrote a considerable amount of programmatic music. Some of Alfvén’s music evokes the landscape of Sweden.

Among his works are a large number of pieces for male voice choir, five symphonies and three orchestral “Swedish Rhapsodies.” The first of these rhapsodies, Midsommarvaka is his best known piece.

Tagged as:

classical, swedish, romantic, symphonists, nationalromantik
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