Nabokov, Nicolas [Nikolay]

Nilsson, Torsten

(b Höör, 21 Jan 1920). Swedish composer, church musician and teacher. After attending the Stockholm Musikhögskolan (1938–43) he took appointments as organist in Köping (1943–53) and at St Maria, Helsingborg (1953–62). He studied the organ and composition with Heiller in Vienna (1961–3), and in 1962 he was appointed precentor and choirmaster to the Oscar Parish, Stockholm. From 1965 to 1970 he taught choral liturgy at Uppsala University and at the Stockholm Theological Institute; he joined the staff of the Stockholm training college for music teachers in 1967 as a theory teacher. As a practising musician and composer he has brought new life to Swedish church music by attempting to break down the barriers between sacred and secular music. His compositions are often forceful and dramatically intense, with improvisation an essential ingredient. In the church operas his work has been pioneering.

WORKS

(selective list)

Principal publishers: Bärenreiter, Nordiska, Suecia

dramatic

Dantesvit (church op, B.V. Wall), op.25, 1968

Jag skriver till dig från ett fjärran land [I am writing to you from a distant land] (N. Hikmet, H. Michaux, J. Prévert), S, male chorus, commedia dell’arte troupe, op.33, 2 pf, 1970

Skapelse [Creation] (church op, Wall), op.34, 1970

Cedezz (music theatre, B. Persson), op.43, S, 2 fl, ocarina, 2 pf, hp, 1970

Ljuset är en seger [The Light is a Victory] (dramatic orat, Wall), op.56, 1972–3

Den sista natten [The Last Night] (dramatic orat, Wall), op.58, 1973

Malin (Historiens portar öppnar sig) (op, 4, Z. Polaskova), S, spkr, dance, SATB, wind, ancient insts, 1987

choral and vocal

Choral: Canticula pia I–V, op.6, children’s/youths’ vv, 1958; TeD, op.10, chorus, children’s vv, wind, hp, timp, 2 org, 1959; Communio-music, op.11, chorus, org, 1960; Ordinarium missae, op.13, 1963; Ur jordens natt [Out of Earthly Night], op.22, solo vv, chorus, org, 1968; Skizein (S. Hagliden), op.29 no.1, 1969; Caresser (P. Neruda), op.30, Bar, chorus, fl, 2 pf, hp, str, 1970; Vem skall frälsa mig [Who will save me], op.39, chorus, fl, crumhorn, org, str, 1970; Herren är min herde, op.45, chorus, chbr orch, 1971; Non est Deus? (Bible), chbr orat, op.53, S, A, T, B, chorus, wind, perc, orgs, tape, 1972; Baltassar, op.54, A, T, B, chorus, org, 1972; Jag bär en källa i mitt bröst (P. Lagerkvist), op.55 no.1, male vv, 1972; Busy (A.A. Milne), op.64 no.1, mixed/female vv, 1974; Vigilate, op.72, solo vv, 3 choirs, orch, org, 1976; Återkomst [Return] (O. Hartman), op.77, S, Bar, recit, SATB, orch, 1978; Mästaren (Hartman), op.83, SATB, 1978; Caresser II (Neruda), op.88, Bar, rect, SATB, pf, 1979; Replik till Varèse (Skizein V), op.91, recit, SATB, 1980; 3 Gedichte (J. Weinheber, N. Sachs, R.M. Rilke), op.92, SATB, fl, vn, perc, pf, 1980; Corde natus ex parentis (Prudentius), op.108, S, female choir, org, 1985; I vätebombens skugga [In the Shadow of the H-Bomb] (A. Lundkvist), op.109, recit, S, B, SATB, 1984–8; 2 madrigaler i romantisk still (W. von der Vogelweide), S, male chorus/SATB, 1985; TeD, op.113, Mez, SATB, female/children’s choir, 1986; Ave Maria, motet, op.125a, SATB, org, 1989; Du omsluter mig (Bible), op.132, S, Bar, SATB, 1992; c65 evangeliemotetter

Solo vocal: Psalm xxiii, op.4, T, fl, hp, org, 1950; Consolamini, consolamini, popule meus, op.16, lv, org, 1965; Ångestens och rädslans hymner [Hymns of Agony and Fear] (Persson), op.20, A, pf, perc, 6 org pipes, 1967; Epiphania, op.23, T, 3 perc, org, 1968; Ecce venit cum nubibus, op.35, S, org, 1970; Ett underligt djur [A Curious Animal] (Hikmet), op.38, lv, gui, 1970; De sjuka sångerna [The Sick Songs] (Hagliden), op.48, B, pf, 1971; Konstatanda (Hagliden), op.57 no.1, 2 S, A, 1972; Gammal-Eros (Hagliden), op.60, Mez, pf, 1973; Tusen ting (A. Nyman, E. Diktonius, E. Lindqvist), op.61, Mez, pf, 1973–4; Vidare (B. Setterlind), op.62, Mez, pf, 1973–4; Djuren, människan, naturen (Diktonius, E. Södergran, I. Tell, Lagerkvist, H. Gullberg, Södergran), 1v, 1975; Duolo II (Hagliden), op.78, 2 S, A, tape, 1978; Canticum victoriae iustorum (Acts xv.2–4), op.79, S, chbr ens, 1978; 5 dikter (A. Smith), op.85, S, jazz big band, 1979; There goes … (Swed. ps), op.90, S, ob, org, 1980; Praise to the Lord the Creator (Pss cxlvi, cxlvii), op.127, S, org, perc, 1989–90; other songs, 1v, pf

instrumental

Orch: Suite, op.1, str orch, 1942; Conc., op.3, org, 7 ww, 1950, rev. 1963; Pf Conc. no.1, op.63, str, 1974–7; Steget över tröskeln, conc., op.67, pf, wind, perc, 1975; Trbn Conc., op.80, str, 1978; Lyrisk svit, op.103, str, 1983, rev. 1987; Fanfare, op.123, 2 bronze lur, sym. wind orch, 1989

Chbr: 2 Pieces, op.18, 4 tpt, 4 trbn, 1965; Skizein, op.29: no.2, org, no.3, str qt, no.4, tape, and others, 1969; Verwerfungen, op.40, org, perc, 1970; Bergerette, op.47, 2 fl, org, hpd, 1972; Concertino, op.81, trbn, org, 1978; Concertino, op.93, a trbn, org, 1981–5; Concertinos I–II, op.105a–b, bronze lur, brass qnt, 1983; Sommarlek [Summer Game], op.112, 2 fl, 1986; Epiphania IV, op.114, org, loudspkr, 1986; Rondo Sueziae, op.116, a trbn, pf, 1987; Revelations, org, pf, 1988; Fornklang 1–3, op.117, 2 bronze lur, 1987–8; Concertino III, op.105c, bronze lur, brass qnt, 1989; Barrage, marche surréaliste, op.128, 4 trbn, 1990; Musica, op.133, 2 bronze lur, 1992; Canti di ragazza, op.134, fl, digital hpd, 1992–4

Solo: 7 improvisationes, op.27, org, 1964–8; 5 Meditations, op.26, pf, 1968; Epiphania III, op.27b, org, 1974; Präludium, Invokation und Epilog, org, 1974; Orgel-Symphonie: monumentum per Otto Olsson, op.65, org, 1975; Monika, suite, op.68, pf, 1975; Die Schäferin, op.74, fl, 1976–7; Come da lontano, op.75, perc, 1977; Sonata à Songes, op.73, pf, 1977; Asteroiden, op.84, org, 1979; Variations on ‘Veni creator spiritus’, op.87, org, 1979; Satire, op.89, org, 1980; Kleine Messe, op.96, org, 1981; Miniatyrer, op.97, Baroque org, 1982; Om en resa [About a voyage], op.102, pf, 1983; Suite, op.106, hpd, 1983; Tempus destruendi et tempus aedificandi, op.120, org, 1983; Suite, op.121, pf, 1988; Three D (Duolo, Disperato, Devoto), op.122, org, 1991; 3 fantasier, op.131, 1992 [cadenza for J.A. Benda: Conc., f]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

P.-E. Styf: ‘Torsten Nilssons nyaste evangeliemotetter’, Kyrkosångsförbundet, xxxix (1963), 126

B. Berling: ‘Torsten Nilsson, kämpaglad kyrkomusiker’, Nutida musik, xi/1–2 (1967–8), 46–51

U.-B. Edberg: ‘Talande glasmålningar’ [Speaking stained glass], Nutida musik, xvi/3 (1972–3), 22–5

L. Reimers: ‘Ledmotiv i Torsten Nilssons musikaliska bukskap’, Musikrevy, xlii (1987), 228–33

G. Petersén: ‘Tonsättaren Torsten Nilsson ger aldrig upp’, Operan (1991–2), no.1, pp.9–11

ROLF HAGLUND