Lars-Erik Larsson

[monafam]

I recently got Symphonies 1 & 2 by Lars-Erik Larrson.  I like them both, but after reading his Wikipedia article, I'm hard pressed to believe this guy would have written Schoenberg type works.   

I am guessing he could be another potentially "unsung" mostly just to me.

Anyone know much about him?   (I'm also interested in composers that dabbled in more avant-garde forms, or were taught by other avant-garde composers, but perhaps took their music to a more tonal period?  -- I am sure there are a few -- Copland comes to mind -- but I'm not certain if any would fit in with the music discussed in these forums).

[Syrelius]

Larsson har written music in many different styles. He started in a general romantic style (symphony no 1), went on to a neoclassical period (serenade for strings), and then, at the end of the thirties, went into a phase when he composed some of his most popular works (Pastoral Suite, A Winters Tale, God in Disguise), in a more mature romantic style. After the war he sometimes wrote music in a more modern style, with traces of Hindemith (Music for orchestra) and Bartok (Violin Concerto), but he also from time to time went back to a more neoclassical (Twelve Concertinos) or romantic style. No matter what style he wrote in, Larssons voice is almost always personal and in a lyrichal mode. Avoid the Music for orchestra, though, if you're not in for more "heavy" modernism.

[Syrelius]

By the way,

if you like the music of Larsson, you also might want to try the music of his contemporary collegues, Dag Wirén and Gunnar de Frumerie. Wiréns symphonies are available on CPO.

[John H White]

I was rather disappointed with Dag Wiren's symphonies, having got so used to his Serenade over the years.

[monafam]

By the way,

if you like the music of Larsson, you also might want to try the music of his contemporary collegues, Dag Wirén and Gunnar de Frumerie. Wiréns symphonies are available on CPO.

Thanks for the suggestions and comments.  More music to look into....now if it was just all free.....granted then I might never actually listen!  :-)

[JollyRoger]

I am a Larsson devotee and I think his tonal music is grand -
I was bowled over by the beauty of hs 3rd symphony, recently broadcast on Swedish Radio. And his Suite for God In Disguise is unforgetable, and is on Youtube. I am not at all familiar with his non tonal music, nor do have the least bit of interest in it.
While clearly not in the remit for this site, Larsson's music is not to be missed, as his best music is unmistakably romantic in style. It is music I would reccomend without reservation for someone who did not care much for classical music.

[Gauk]

The violin concerto in particular is a masterpiece IMO - one of the truly great late-romantic concertos for the instrument. Its neglect is incomprehensible.

[Revilod]

I agree completely with Gauk that the violin concerto is one of the greatest of the 20th century. From its opening ostinato onwards it is absolutely compelling. It is in the manner of Prokofiev's, Barber's and Walton's concertos and is scarcely inferior melodically. I've written a couple of brief reviews of recordings on Amazon.co.uk

[Finn_McCool]

Thanks for the spelling of Dag Wirén!  He gets some play on WBJC-FM in Baltimore, but I never knew how to spell his name (WBJC also plays Larsson from time to time as well)!

[JollyRoger]

I agree completely with Gauk that the violin concerto is one of the greatest of the 20th century. From its opening ostinato onwards it is absolutely compelling. It is in the manner of Prokofiev's, Barber's and Walton's concertos and is scarcely inferior melodically. I've written a couple of brief reviews of recordings on Amazon.co.uk

wow..I must hear this...
has anyone done a catalogue of his music?

[Balapoel]

Chamber

3   Violin Sonatina   1928
6   Duo, vln vla   1931
20   Intimate Miniatures, strqt   1938
31   String Quartet no.1 d-minor   1944
44   String Quartet no.2, Quartetto alla Serenata   1955
55   Quattro Tempi, Divertimento, wind quintet   1968
60   Cello Sonatina   1969
61   3 Pieces, cl pno   1970
63   Aubade, ob strtrio   1972
65   String Quartet no.3   1975

Opera

9   Prinsessan av Cypern (The Princess of Cyprus), opera   1936
36   Sankta Lucia, incidental music   1946

Orchestral

2   Symphony No. 1 in D major   1928
4   Concert Overture no.1   1929
5   Symphonic Sketch   1930
7   Divertimento no.1, chamber orch   1932
10   Sinfonietta, str   1932
14   Saxophone Concerto, altsax str   1934
13   Concert Overture no.2   1934
12   Little Serenade, str   1934
15   Divertimento no.2, chamber orch   1935
   Little March, orch   1936
17   Symphony No. 2   1937
18   A Winter's Tale, 4 movts, orch   1938
19   Hours of Day Suite, 6 movts incl Pastoral Suite, orch   1938
19   Pastoral Suite, 3 movts orch   1938
22   Festmusik, orch   1939
23   Jorden Sjunger, orch   1940
27   The Swedish Nation, lyric suite, orch   1941
27.1   Folksong Night, orch   1941
28   Kungajakt, film: Gustaviansk Suite, fl hpschd str   1944
32   2 Pieces, orch   1944
34   Symphony No. 3 in c minor   1945
37   Cello Concerto   1947
40   Music for Orchestra   1949
42   Violin Concerto   1952
45.6   Trumpet Concertino, +str   1953
45.5   Horn Concertino, +str   1954
45.4   Bassoon Concertino, +str   1955
45.1   Flute Concertino, +str   1955
45.2   Oboe Concertino, +str   1955
45.7   Trombone Concertino, +str   1955
45.1   Cello Concertino, +str   1956
45.9   Viola Concertino, +str   1956
45.8   Violin Concertino, +str   1956
45.11   Double-Bass Concertino, +str   1957
45.3   Clarinet Concertino, +str   1957
45.12   Piano Concertino, +str   1957
46   Linden, ballet   1958
48   Adagio, str   1960
49   3 Pieces, orch   1960
50   Variations for Orchestra   1962
54   Lyric Fantasy, orch   1966
62   Due Auguri, orch   1971
64   Raa Rokoko, orch   1973
66   Musica permutatio   1980

Piano

8   10 piano pieces   1932
16   Piano Sonatina no.1   1936
38   Croquiser, pno   1947
39   Piano Sonatina no.2   1947
41   Piano Sonatina no.3   1950
47   12 Little Pieces, pno   1960
56   Easy Pieces, pno   1969
57   5 Pieces, pno   1969
58   7 Little Fugues with Preludes, pno   1969

Vocal

1   A Fiddler's Last Journey, ballad, bar orch   1927
21   Invocatio, for choir and orchestra   1938
   12 Folksongs: includes Watercolour; BoxPainter; HerbGirl, mezzo pno   1939
24   God in Disguise, lyric suite, sop bar narr orch   1940
26   Röster Från Skansen, lyric suite for recitation,barytone,choir and orchestra   1940
25   Väktarsånger, for barytone,male choir and orchestra   1940
29   4 songs   1944
30   Det Röda Korset, Cantata for recitation,barytone,choir and orchestra   1944
33   2 songs   1945
35   9 Gullberg Songs   1946
43   Missa Brevis   1954
52   8 songs   1964
51   Intrada Solemnis, for trumpets,trombones, doublechoir,boys choir and organ   1964
53   Soluret Och Urnan, cantata for barytone,choir and orchestra   1966
59   Tre citat, for choir   1969

uncertain
11   The Bright Country   1932

[eschiss1]

I seem to recall Sym 2 as being in C.  Does that seem right?

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Thanks for the spelling of Dag Wirén!  He gets some play on WBJC-FM in Baltimore, but I never knew how to spell his name (WBJC also plays Larsson from time to time as well)!

I haven't listened to them in a while, but they used to do some quite interesting programming.

Wirén and Larsson are among my favorite unsungs, I think.  I have a few dribs and drabs of Larssen on various discs - I've always enjoyed everything I have.  The Saxophone Concertino and ''God in Disguise'', I think; I don't recall anything else offhand save for something on Naxos.

[JollyRoger]

Thanks so much for this list, I can see there is much more music to hear..

[Gauk]

I have always been most impressed by the incidental music for a Winter's Tale - four short movements, yet so achingly beautiful, so hauntingly melodic.