Helmer Alexandersson (1886–1927)

[Miles R.]

I have been exploring the recordings, particularly of symphonies by Swedish composers, posted by GoldieG89 on his YouTube channel "Unsung Masterworks." One of the many that I have found rewarding to listen to is the Symphony No. 2 in G Minor of Helmer Alexandersson. This comes from a CD on the Sterling label containing that work and an overture, played by the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Peter Mägi. I have not yet bought the CD but, as I find myself repeatedly returning to listen to this work, I shall probably do so before long.

Yet this Alexandersson is a remarkably obscure figure. While the title of this work indicates that he composed at least two symphonies, I have not been able to find any reference to a symphony no. 1, or any recordings of compositions by him besides this one disk. In fact, my searches have turned up no mention of Alexandersson anywhere on this site (prior to the present post)! He does not have an entry in the English-language Wikipedia, or even a mention in the list of Swedish composers: to find information about him, I had to go to the Swedish version. When I fed the article on him there through Google Translate, I got this text (apart from minor, mainly typographical corrections that I have made):

Karl Helmer Alexandersson, born November 16, 1886 in Stockholm, died December 24, 1927 in Stockholm, was a Swedish composer and musician (violinist). He was the brother of actor Karin Alexandersson. . . .

Helmer Alexandersson underwent music in Stockholm, and was then a student of the violin by Johan Lindberg and in counterpoint with Johan Lindegren and the orchestration of Jean Paul Ertel in Berlin. His career as a musician began promising. He received several awards and he was commissioned to write the official march of the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912. His Second Symphony in 1919, performed under Georg Schnéevoigt, was a success. After writing orchestral music for several Swedish films, he seems to have devoted more of his time writing music for silent films, and he played himself, along with, among others, Hilding Rosenberg in the orchestra pit at the cinema Red Mill in Stockholm. Helmer Alexandersson appeared to have been a timid person who failed to take advantage of his early successes. He died in poverty on Christmas 1927.

The list of the composer's works has, under the heading "Orchestral Music," the aforementioned Overture in C Minor and the Symphony No. 2; once again, no indication that there was ever a symphony no. 1!

Does anyone know anything further of Alexandersson's compositions--in particular of the implied symphony no. 1? Does anyone know anything of other recorded performances of his compositions, whether on commercial CD or merely broadcast?

[violinconcerto]

Just go to the main source for information about Swedish classical music - no, not wikipedia, but the Swedish Music Information Center:

www.mic.stim.se

Switch to English, choose "Search sheet music", than "composers", than "A" and you will find information about two symphonies - one in G minor, one in G major. Et voila!

[Miles R.]

Just go to the main source for information about Swedish classical music - no, not wikipedia, but the Swedish Music Information Center:

www.mic.stim.se

Switch to English, choose "Search sheet music", than "composers", than "A" and you will find information about two symphonies - one in G minor, one in G major. Et voila!

Many thanks for the tip. I speak (and sing) only Muppet Swedish (bork, bork, bork!), so I got a chuckle out of the link at the top that says "Logga in." The "English" link is, however, more useful to me.

[violinconcerto]

Many thanks for the tip. I speak (and sing) only Muppet Swedish (bork, bork, bork!), so I got a chuckle out of the link at the top that says "Logga in."

Well, my "Swedish" isn't better, bork, bork, 

[eschiss1]

Google Translate can be useful as a starting point, with caution of course!, for such things. Likewise Google Chrome's built-in feature. As to basic bio features, Musicsack, VIAF, and some similar sites are likewise good starting points for such as don't already know them (if any! Sorry...)