# Wilhelm Peterson-Berger



## Joachim Raff (Jan 31, 2020)

Wilhelm Peterson-Berger (1867−1942)









Olof Wilhelm Peterson-Berger was born on 27 February 1867 in Ullånger. After studying at Burträsk elementary school in 1885 he took his school exams in Umeå, which he followed with an organist diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Stockholm in 1889. He then studied for a brief while in Dresden, and spent periods teaching music there and in Umeå. From 1896 to 1930 he was Dagens Nyheter's lead music critic (on leave between 1908 and 1910 and again in 1920/21). From 1930 until his death in Östersund on 3 December 1942 he lived at Sommarhagen on Frösön. Not only was he one of the most popularly appreciated and widely performed Swedish composers of his time, he was also acknowledged as a culture philosopher and feared music critic. Became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1921.

Summary list of works
5 music dramas (Lyckan, Ran, Arnljot, Domedagsprofeterna, Adils and Elisiv), 5 cantatas, 5 symphonies (Baneret, Sunnanfärd, Same-Ätnam, Holmia, Solitudo), 1 violin concerto, other orchestral music (Orientalisk dans, Majkarneval i Stockholm, etc.), vocal music (over 100 solo songs, approx. 50 songs for mixed choir, etc.), piano music (over 100 piano pieces and arrangements of folk music), chamber music (3 violin sonatas etc.), folk music arrangements, etc.


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## rice (Mar 23, 2017)

I'm listening to his 1st symphony at the moment. It's very nice.
According to the wikipedia article, he apparently fought the trend of modernism in music at his time. 
I appreciate his move since so much great late-romantic music, including his, was put into shadow by modernism.
(I read somewhere else that late-romantic works and composers were criticized as old-fashioned and outdated during the rise of modernism. What a shame.)


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

Beautiful is his _Romance in D minor _for violin and orchestra


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

rice said:


> I'm listening to his 1st symphony at the moment. It's very nice.
> According to the wikipedia article, he apparently fought the trend of modernism in music at his time.
> I appreciate his move since so much great late-romantic music, including his, was put into shadow by modernism.
> (I read somewhere else that late-romantic works and composers were criticized as old-fashioned and outdated during the rise of modernism. What a shame.)


You'll love his 3rd Symphony, which most recognize as his best. It's a magical score. The No. 2 is also great, certainly memorable and with the unmistakable late-Romantic flavour.


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## Joachim Raff (Jan 31, 2020)

Im current listening to a super recording 

Peterson-Berger: Symphony No. 2 ‘Sunnanfärd'
42:58
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Stig Westerberg
Recorded: 24, 26 May 1977
Recording Venue: Cirkus, Djurgarden, Stockholm

I rate Stig as the greatest Swedish Conductor of all time


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