# Scandinavian Composers



## Arsakes

So who are your favorite Scandinavian Composers? Those of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.

Then Choose your most favorite from the poll.


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## Aksel

Geirr Tveitt should really be on that list.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Segerstam?


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## Aksel

Halvorsen?


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## joen_cph

Norman, Lumbye, Roman, Larsson and Svendsen are minor/very minor composers, whereas big names are missing - Pettersson, Rautavaara, Atterberg, Holmboe, Saariahoo, Valen ... or Nørholm, Bentzon, Ruders, Sørensen, Englund, Kokkonen, Merikanto, Melartin, Raitio, Gade, Tveitt, Rangström, Peterson-Berger etc. ...


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## Arsakes

Poll limit, It always slow us down! At least I'm courageous enough to make polls :lol:

I must vote *Sibelius* but in this poll *Grieg* gets my vote. 
I don't know many of them (their works), so in a year from now my chosen one will change possibly.


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## Arsakes

joen_cph said:


> Norman, Lumbye, Roman, Larsson and Svendsen are minor/very minor composers, whereas big names are missing - Pettersson, Rautavaara, Atterberg, Holmboe, Saariahoo, Valen, Langgaard ... or Nørholm, Bentzon, Ruders, Sørensen, Englund, Kokkonen, Merikanto, Melartin, Raitio, Gade, Tveitt etc. ...


Well, I suppose you can make _Version 2_ of this poll.


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## BurningDesire

no Herman Severin Løvenskiold?


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## Aksel

joen_cph said:


> Norman, Lumbye, Roman, Larsson and Svendsen are minor/very minor composers, whereas big names are missing - Pettersson, Rautavaara, Atterberg, Holmboe, Saariahoo, Valen, Langgaard ... or Nørholm, Bentzon, Ruders, Sørensen, Englund, Kokkonen, Merikanto, Melartin, Raitio, Gade, Tveitt etc. ...


We are talking about Scandinavian composers here, so no Finns allowed.

Also, calling Lars-Erik Erik Larsson and Johann Svendsen minor composers is rather strange. Larsson was one of the most imporant Swedish composers of the mid 20th century. 
And Svendsen, along with Halvorsen, were second only to Grieg! His output is admittedly rather small, but Svendsen's symphonies are really really great.


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## TresPicos

I was going to vote for Grieg until I saw Larsson being called a "minor" composer...


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## joen_cph

Aksel said:


> We are talking about Scandinavian composers here, so no Finns allowed.
> 
> Also, calling Lars-Erik Erik Larsson and Johann Svendsen minor composers is rather strange. Larsson was one of the most imporant Swedish composers of the mid 20th century.
> And Svendsen, along with Halvorsen, were second only to Grieg! His output is admittedly rather small, but Svendsen's symphonies are really really great.


This is a matter of debate. Some will include Finland in Scandinavia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia )

Concerning the composers, I am calling them minor because they were relatively conservative/traditional and not groundbreaking in the same way as those I mention. Valen and Tveitt are more important IMO among the Norwegians - they are experiencing a lot more interest now, and the list shouldn´t be stuck in pre-1920 Romantic thinking.

Larsson excelled a lot in pastorals and a divertimento-like style, lacking intellectual weight. The "Förklädd Gud" might be an exception, I haven´t heard it. However I agree that calling him minor is probably an exaggeration, at least in a Swedish context, since he experienced with various styles, including serialism, at an early time in that country.


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## Aksel

joen_cph said:


> This is a matter of debate. Some will include Finland in Scandinavia.
> 
> Concerning the composers, I am calling them minor because they were relatively conservative/traditional and not groundbreaking in the same way as those I mention. Valen and Tveitt are more important IMO among the Norwegians - and the list shouldn´t be stuck in pre-1920 thinking.


Finland is included in Fennoscandinavia
I do agree that Valen and Tveitt are more important. But Svendsen is one of Norway's great romantic composers, along with Grieg, Halvorsen and (I think) Olsen. Had he only been released from his duties at the Royal Danish Court to conduct the newly founded New York Philharmonic, I think he would have been much more of a household name.


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## Rapide

BurningDesire said:


> no Herman Severin Løvenskiold?


Unlikely, for a minor composer.


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## joen_cph

In spite of the success of the ballet "La Sylphide", Løvenskiold is a very minor composer.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Lately, I have been listening to a great deal of music by 20th century Danish composer Vagn Holmboe, who wrote more or less in a neo-classical sort of style. He didn't embrace pure 12-tone. I thought his symphonies were reasonably enjoyable. He was quite talented as a composer, who at age 16 "began formal music training at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen on the recommendation of Carl Nielsen".


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## Prodromides

voted for "other".

Like joen_cph above, I many names of Scandinavian composers who I could list, but since this poll is not multiple choice, I'll select my favorite from each country.

Favorite Swede: Karl-Birger Blomdahl
Favorite Norwegian: Arne Nordheim
Favorite Icelandic: Jon Leifs
Favorite Finn: Aarre Merikanto


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## Aksel

joen_cph said:


> Larsson excelled a lot in pastorals and a divertimento-like style, lacking intellectual weight. The "Förklädd Gud" might be an exception, I haven´t heard it. However I agree that calling him minor is probably an exaggeration, at least in a Swedish context, since he experienced with various styles, including serialism, at an early time in that country.


Förklädd Gud is rather pastoral. But it's gorgeous. And the text is wonderful.

And have you heard his 12 concertinos, op. 45?


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## joen_cph

Only some of them, but quite a while ago. BIS. Definitely nice, but also neoclassical.


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## Vesteralen

Wow. This was the easiest poll question I've ever answered.


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## Delicious Manager

Arsakes said:


> So who are your favorite Scandinavian Composers? Those of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.
> 
> Then Choose your most favorite from the poll.


Finland is not part of Scandinavia (it is NEXT to it, but not part of it). Finns are ethnically, linguistically, historically and culturally very different from the neighbouring Scandinavians, who share a history, culture and have close ethnic and linguistic links.

ICELAND (and the Faroes) should be in your list instead of Finland.


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## Art Rock

Norway: Grieg ahead of Tveitt, Halvorsen and Svendsen
Sweden: Alfven, ahead of Atterberg, Stenhammar and Nystroem.
Denmark: Nielsen, ahead of Holmboe, Norgard and Langgaard.
Iceland: Leifs (the only one I know, but very good)

and, although not Scandinavian:

Finland: Sibelius, ahead of Salinen, Rautavaara and Madetoja.


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## joen_cph

> Finns are ethnically, linguistically, historically and culturally very different from the neighbouring Scandinavians, who share a history, culture and have close ethnic and linguistic links.


Overall you are right, but it´s not black-and-white. For instance, as regards the cultural, political and geographical _similarities_, The Nordic Council/Nordisk Råd as a means of rather close cooperation between the countries in many fields includes Finland and was established back in 1952. Projects concerning a Northern Political Union, also including Finland, were popular in Scandinavia in the later part of the 20th century as a possible alternative to European Union membership and still pop up regularly.

The Swedish language is widespread in Finland and to some extent vice-versa. Finland was Swedish from the 14th until the early 19th century. 
The countries have shared a well-fare society model in the 20th Century too.

That there is a strong current of Finnish nationalism in Finnish music is undisputable however.


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## Ravndal

The grieg


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## Krisena

This is the hardest poll I've ever partaken in.

Grieg, Nielsen, Tveitt, Svendsen, Halvorsen. I love them all equally, almost.

Valen not on the list is scandalous though.



joen_cph said:


> Overall you are right, but it´s not black-and-white. For instance, as regards the cultural, political and geographical _similarities_, The Nordic Council/Nordisk Råd as a means of rather close cooperation between the countries in many fields includes Finland and was established back in 1952. Projects concerning a Northern Political Union, also including Finland, were popular in Scandinavia in the later part of the 20th century as a possible alternative to European Union membership and still pop up regularly.
> 
> The Swedish language is widespread in Finland and to some extent vice-versa. Finland was Swedish from the 14th until the early 19th century.
> The countries have shared a well-fare society model in the 20th Century too.
> 
> That there is a strong current of Finnish nationalism in Finnish music is undisputable however.


That Finland is a Nordic country and part of the north - no one's going to argue with you about that, but Finland is not Scandinavian.


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## Aksel

Norden is the name the Nordic languages use to denote Norway, Denmark, Sweden (which is also known as Scandinavia) as well as Finland and Iceland. Norden without Iceland is Fennoscandinavia. As far as I know, there is no similar word in English.


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## Vesteralen

Krisena said:


> This is the hardest poll I've ever partaken in.
> 
> Grieg, Nielsen, Tveitt, Svendsen, Halvorsen. I love them all equally, almost.


Lots of love for the Scandinavian composers here, too. I can't help it that Nielsen's my favorite, but he's just the first among many greats.


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## starthrower

I don't know too many, but I have some good stuff by Norgard, and Sallinen.


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## Huilunsoittaja

To this day, I still like Grieg more than Sibelius. Sibelius is hard to swallow for me sometimes because he's just so austere.

I would have preferred to have it a multiple choice so I could pick a number there.

Halvorsen is another great Norwegian composer!


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## Ukko

My wrong-side-of-the-pond understanding is that the Scandinavian countries share a common language base (Old Norse). When I wish to refer to a group that includes Finland I use 'north-of-the-Baltic'.

Anyway, my favorite Scandinavian composer is Crusell - those clarinet concertos are lovely things. Quantity of output be damned.


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## joen_cph

Concerning the Scandinavia definition, my main point is that

1) the historical and cultural connections between especially Sweden and Finland should not be underestimated

2) given the increasing collaboration and similarities between the countries in the politial and cultural sense during the 20th century, a widened definition of "old" Scandinavia (as found the Pan-Scandinavism movement of the 19th Century) doesn´t represent a problem, at least to me - and a lot of others.

As a consequence of the opposite view, one will have to dismiss a lot of more or less scholarly works as failed, being it in the field of Scandinavian design, art or music - a few examples:

http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavian-Music-Finland-Sweden-v/dp/0838623468
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_design
http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavian-Modernism-Painting-Denmark-1910-1920/dp/0847811328
http://www.boheme-magazine.net/vol2/feb05/exhibit.html
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/europe/scandinavian-europe-travel-guide-10/


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## Huilunsoittaja

If the term Scandinavia trips you up because it's more wide than just the Scandinavian peninsula, Iceland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden were all _Viking peoples_, easy to remember. Finland is the outlier, they were nomads, and no one is completely sure how they came to being. They may have Mongol/Japanese connections, but also German or Slavic connections. They're likely a mish-mash of many people groups that simply spoke a common language brought from the East very likely.


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## Crudblud

I went with Sibelius *but* had it been a multiple vote thing I would've included Grieg. I like what I have heard of Nielsen and Langgaard, but I don't feel I know them well enough.


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## Manxfeeder

Oh, I hate these choices. I put Sibelius at the top. As far as the minor composers, I have a soft spot for Jorgen Bentzon and his character polyphony.


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## Arsakes

So I unintentionally trolled you! :lol:

Finland is culturally-historically chained to Sweden (the prime country of Scandinavia) and so is part of Scandinavia.

--------------------------------------

Off this poll I suggest one very talented fellow Creates *Piano Quintet poll* ... I give you one month to create it. If it doesn't happen, I create it myself!

My candidates for Piano Quintet: Schumann, Schubert, Dvorak, Sibelius, Brahms. I'm not familiar with Other quintets, so they're up to you to discuss them here or elsewhere...


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## Delicious Manager

Arsakes said:


> So I unintentionally trolled you! :lol:
> 
> Finland is culturally-historically chained to Sweden (the prime country of Scandinavia) and so is part of Scandinavia.


Tell that to a Finn (I dare you!).


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## Ukko

Arsakes said:


> So I unintentionally trolled you! :lol:
> 
> Finland is culturally-historically chained to Sweden (the prime country of Scandinavia) and so is part of Scandinavia.
> [...]
> -


I don't know the factors that make Sweden the 'prime' country of Scandinavia. A thousand years ago, Norway/Iceland, Sweden and Denmark seem to have been pretty much equals. Later on Sweden got to be the Big Cheese militarily, but that preeminence faded around the time their army took to wandering around Russia after Peter the Great. The economic benefits derived from staying out of WW2 must be used up by now...?

And in conclusion... I dunno.


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## joen_cph

Delicious Manager said:


> Tell that to a Finn (I dare you!).


Nonetheless Sibelius was from a Swedish family and his primary language remained Swedish.

The popular conception here is that Sweden still tries to play a major role internationally, whereas Norway has the real economic power (due to its gigantic savings in the oil business). Denmark is so-and-so but we tend to "balloon" every case, where we have experienced a success internationally, into something far bigger than it is/was to compensate for it.


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## Vesteralen

Norway, Sweden, Finland, and even part of Russia (apparently) all contain areas inhabited by the Sami. Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any really famous Sami composers.


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## joen_cph

Time for a Sami "joik":


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## Norse

John Persen is Norwegian Sami. 'Really famous' probably aren't the right words, but as far as Norwegian contemporary music goes, he's been a big name, has won prizes and accolades etc.


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## Klavierspieler

Norse said:


> John Persen is Norwegian Sami. 'Really famous' probably aren't the right words, but as far as Norwegian contemporary music goes, he's been a big name, winning prizes and accolades etc.


He looks just like a Norwegian guy I know.


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## Norse

Is that that guy Sami or at least from Northern Norway? Because to me Persen looks very Sami/Northern.


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## Tero

It's between Sibelius and the moderns. Still exploring Sallinen, Rautavaara. But Sibelius will prevail.

If you like the Sibelius era, closest in style, or general feel, are Klami and Madetoja. Only three symphonies by Madetoja. Easy to find the few discs available. The two disc set is still easiest and best, Chandos and Sakari.


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## StevenOBrien

Sibelius, then Rautavaara.


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## ptr

Nielsen, Sibelius then the rest!

/ptr


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## Delicious Manager

I couldn't vote for Sibelius because, like Lindberg (a rather strange inclusion, looking at the other names on the list), they are Finnish and Finns are not ethnically, linguistically or culturally Scandinavians. Yes, I know that Sibelius was a Swedish-speaking Finn and Lindberg has a Swedish-sounding name, but Scandinavians are Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, with their cultural neighbours, the Icelandics and Faroese far closer to them than the Finns, who just happen to be next door on the same north European peninsula. The Finns are actually very closely related to the Estonians and Karelians.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Segerstam?


So not Sibelius

pst, I wont tell Kenoc....................


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## Ravndal

So weird that Sibelius who is not a Scandinavian composer is on this list, while one the most famous danish composers is not(Friedrich Kuhlau).


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## ptr

Ravndal said:


> So weird that Sibelius who is not a Scandinavian composer is on this list, while one the most famous danish composers is not(Friedrich Kuhlau).


And no Dietrich Buxtehude! Born in Helsingborg and got most of his education in Helsingör and was only head hunted for the organ position in Lübeck!

/ptr


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## Xaltotun

Delicious Manager said:


> I couldn't vote for Sibelius because, like Lindberg (a rather strange inclusion, looking at the other names on the list), they are Finnish and Finns are not ethnically, linguistically or culturally Scandinavians. Yes, I know that Sibelius was a Swedish-speaking Finn and Lindberg has a Swedish-sounding name, but Scandinavians are Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, with their cultural neighbours, the Icelandics and Faroese far closer to them than the Finns, who just happen to be next door on the same north European peninsula. The Finns are actually very closely related to the Estonians and Karelians.


This is actually a more complicated issue, not so clear cut. Culturally, Finns (and Estonians) are after all rather similar to the Swedes. Also remember that what today is called Finland was, for a very long time, part of Sweden, thus we have also a lot of Swedish blood in the population - even the Finnish-speaking population.

But the core of the question is, what determines a region like "Scandinavia"? If it's the culture, you could count Finland and Estonia in. If it's shared biological ancestry, they'd make corner cases, perhaps. If it's the language, they should probably be excluded (although both countries have Swedish-speaking minorities). If it's geography, well, it just depends on where you draw the line. If it's a combination of these things... well, both "yes" and "no" would be acceptable answers.

But of course you're right in that "core" Scandinavia remains Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Faroese islands.

p.s. and then there's Åland, an island group belonging to Finland with a completely Swedish speaking, ethnic Swedish population with completely Swedish culture... like I said... "it's complicated"!


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## Kieran

Can't believe that Kurt Wallander's grandfather didn't make it!


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## Vaneyes

*BIG 3* reconfirmed. S'prised Berwald is thus far shut-out, considering the amount of Current Listening votes he receives.


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## Xaltotun

Ravndal said:


> So weird that Sibelius who is not a Scandinavian composer is on this list, while one the most famous danish composers is not(Friedrich Kuhlau).


My country was for 600 years called "the Eastern half of Sweden", therefore I demand for us at least some footing in the Scandinavian Club, even if just for Sundays... or... we can be a janitor! A drunk one, but a janitor nonetheless.


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## Skilmarilion

For the Piano Concerto alone, it has to be Grieg!


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## ptr

Kieran said:


> Can't believe that Kurt Wallander's grandfather didn't make it!


Unfortunately, he still is a specialist question for 100 points that very few has asked themselves! 
He wrote some very romantic organ music that is not bad at all!

/ptr


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## ptr

Xaltotun said:


> .. like I said... "it's complicated"!


I was about to write something like Xaltotun! I believe that we natives of this part of the world down play the Scandinavian part and see us as a wider Nordic community.

I say change that title from "Scandinavian" (that angers so many) to "Nordic", that is far more sketchy designation that I think more can accept!!

/ptr


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## Delicious Manager

ptr said:


> And no Dietrich Buxtehude! Born in Helsingborg and got most of his education in Helsingör and was only head hunted for the organ position in Lübeck!
> 
> /ptr


It depends whether we recognise international borders where they were then or where they are now. Buxtehude is claimed by Sweden (for those believing the latest research that he was born in Helsingör - then in Denmark, now in Sweden), Denmark (both Helsingör and Oldesloe - the place formerly though of as Buxtehude's birthplace - were part of greater Denmark in 1637. Oldesloe is now in northern Germany) and Germany.

We think of Mozart as Austrian, but in 1756 Salzburg was in an autonomous duchy in what was then Bavaria. Mozart thought of himself as a Bavarian. Mahler's birthplace is now in the Czech Republic and Bartók's place of birth is now Sânnicolau Mare in Romania - all very confusing.


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## ptr

Delicious Manager said:


> .. all very confusing.


The world is confusing, that is why we have to be quite forgiving is matters like composers birthplaces and who to include in poll's like this! Borders seem to move more often then our views on composers I'd think!

BTW, Helsingør has as far as I can tell never been a part of Sweden, Helsingborg tho, has been a part of both Sweden and Denmark and but is Swedish since the peace of Brömsebro in 1645. Anyway it only a 15 minute ferry trip between the two "Helsing's" so I can understand the confusion.  
And to be honest I'm not 100% up on the latest research of the actual birthplace of Buxtehude, but I've been severely indoctrinated that it is Helsingborg and will stick with it in any weather! 

/ptr


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## Kieran

ptr said:


> Unfortunately, he still is a specialist question for 100 points that very few has asked themselves!
> 
> /ptr


It's a mystery, in other words. Ring Kurt Wallander!


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## jtbell

Xaltotun said:


> Also remember that what today is called Finland was, for a very long time, part of Sweden, thus we have also a lot of Swedish blood in the population - even the Finnish-speaking population.


And of course large chunks of coastal Finland were originally settled by Swedes way back when. On my first visit to Finland with my parents many years ago, we traveled by train and bus to visit my mother's (and my) cousins on the farm where her father had been born. At one place south of Kokkola, she got off the bus to look for a toilet; when she came back, she reported that she couldn't find anyone who spoke Finnish... everyone there spoke Swedish!


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## joen_cph

Yes, the Swedes has had a very large influence in the whole Baltic and East-European region, and in part in it lasted until WW II. There was some rivalry with Denmark, but the Danes lost much of the territories back in the mid-17th century and their rule of Norway in 1814, which then became independent, as well as a part of Northern Germany in 1864 (This is also the reason for the Danish Capital being nowadays situated at the Easternmost edge of the country).

A few seniors still speak Estonian-Swedish in Estonia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonian_Swedes). As an example, the Estonia composer Eduard Tubin fled to Sweden and lived there from 1944 until his death in 1982. Even a village deep into the Ukraine still maintains a bit of Swedish heritage too http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gammalsvenskby.


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## JLTNJUSA1963

Good morning,

This may be off-topic.

I have a CD (on the Da Capo label) of works by the Danish composer Poul Rovsing Olsen (1922-82). I'd never heard of him until I read a review of a CD of his piano concerto and orchestral works in an issue of Arkiv Music's Listen: Life with Classical Music magazine. Is Roving Olsen considered a "minor" composer; and if one were to file him in an alphabetical collection, would he go under O for Olsen or R for Rovsing Olsen? I assumed that Rovsing is his middle name and Olsen his last name, so I filed him under O between the bands Off Kilter and One Alternative.

Jim


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## joen_cph

In an old Danish dictionary of mine, he´s filed under _"Rovsing Olsen, Poul"_, so that must be correct. He is considered a bit of a connoisseur´s composer I guess, and isn´t much performed here either, mostly at chamber concerts now and then. But he has a good reputation also due to his field studies of Greenlandic and Arabic music etc., partly influencing his own works in a creative way.

The local label Paula issued a good CD of chamber works and another good one with piano works. Besides the Dacapo releases, a few works were also recorded on LP, including the "Sinfonia I" on an old Odeon LP, conducted by Friisholm.

Some more info here: http://www.edition-s.dk/composer/poul-rovsing-olsen
Dacapo label: http://www.dacapo-records.dk/da/rev...-orchestral-works--american-record-guide.aspx


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## Rhinotop

Excluding list, I say Atterberg. Definitively.


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## Johnnie Burgess

Jean Sibelius would be my choice.


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## Omnimusic

I am afraid that I have to join the majority of voters.
For me: Nr1 = Grieg, Nr2 =Sibelius, Nr 3=Nielsen


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## Sloe

My favourite Scandinavian composers are:
Gösta Nystroem
Jean Sibelius
Carl Nielsen


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## helenora

I'm listening to *Sibelius symphonies , violin concerto and En saga *at the moment. all is fantastic.hm....words fails to describe, at least this music, but it is fantastic in almost literal sense of a word


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## Nevum

Grieg, Langgaard and Petterrsohn (who is missigng here)

Of course, Sibelius is always the superstar of the Scandinavian music. How could he not be?


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## Sloe

Kieran said:


> Can't believe that Kurt Wallander's grandfather didn't make it!


I think it should be great grandfather.
However I like the music by Henning Mankell.

I was going to vote other but had to vote Sibelius in protest against all those who think Finland is not a part of Scandinavia. Just saying Denmark and Iceland are also not on the Scandinavian peninsula.


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## Monte Verdi

One I forgot to mention!
Sunleif Rasmussen


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## Monte Verdi

Missing!

Pehr Nordgren
Jon Leifs
Allan Pettersson
Joonas Kokkonen
Eduard Tubin
Bengt Hambreus
Vagn Holmboe
Einojuhani Rautavaara


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## Bettina

Grieg is my favorite Scandinavian composer. My favorite works of his are the Piano Concerto in A minor, Piano Sonata Op. 7, and Ballade in G minor. Honorable mention to his charming little lyric pieces as well!


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## Bettina

Monte Verdi said:


> Missing!
> 
> Pehr Nordgren
> Jon Leifs
> Allan Pettersson
> Joonas Kokkonen
> Eduard Tubin
> Bengt Hambreus
> Vagn Holmboe
> Einojuhani Rautavaara


Seconding Tubin. I love his music. But does he actually count as a Scandinavian composer?  Is Estonia considered part of Scandinavia? I just did a quick Google search and it yielded inconclusive results on this issue...


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## Sloe

Bettina said:


> Seconding Tubin. I love his music. But does he actually count as a Scandinavian composer?  Is Estonia considered part of Scandinavia? I just did a quick Google search and it yielded inconclusive results on this issue...


No it does not. 
It is a part of the Baltic region.


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## Art Rock

Tubin (born 1905) lived in Sweden from 1944 until his death in 1982 (he became a Swedish citizen in 1961).


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## pcnog11

Jean Sibelius is by far the only one I listen to the most among the list.


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## hpowders

Of course Sibelius is without equal among the composers of the chilly North.

However, the Swede, Allan Pettersson should also be mentioned. His Seventh Symphony is one of the greatest written in the 20th Century.

Warning, if suicidal, STAY AWAY!!!


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## Vaneyes

Checkin' in again with this poll.* Big 3 *still looks solid.

Have listened to many over the years, and not much has stuck.

Project to do is to explore more Scandinavian atonal.


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## jailhouse

You can't make this poll and include Sibelius. Most people here probably haven't even heard any of the works by the other composers besides grieg


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## Sloe

jailhouse said:


> You can't make this poll and include Sibelius. Most people here probably haven't even heard any of the works by the other composers besides grieg


He could have made a multiple choise poll. If they haven't heard the works by the other composers shame on them. I would rather listen to any Nielsen symphony by both Nielsens over any Mahler symphony.


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## JACE

I voted *Nielsen*. But it would difficult for me to choose between him and Sibelius.

Some other favorites:
- Rued Langgaard
- Vagn Holmboe
- Per Nørgård


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## manyene

QUOTE=Aksel;339064]We are talking about Scandinavian composers here, so no Finns allowed.

Also, calling Lars-Erik Erik Larsson and Johann Svendsen minor composers is rather strange. Larsson was one of the most imporant Swedish composers of the mid 20th century. 
And Svendsen, along with Halvorsen, were second only to Grieg! His output is admittedly rather small, but Svendsen's symphonies are really really great.[/QUOTE]

Sibelius - already in the poll?


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## Casebearer

Mainly Sibelius and Nielsen


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## Judith

Sibelius and Grieg for me! Grieg piano concerto is one of my favourite piano concertos!


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