Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

Sweden

Birth

:

January 29, 1928 in Stockholm, Sweden

Death

:

September 21, 2000 in Apple Hill, Onatrio, Canada

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Bengt Hambraeus was a Swedish composer, born on June 29, 1928, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the son of a composer and musicologist, and his father's influence played a significant role in his musical development. Hambraeus began his musical studies at an early age, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already composing his own music. Hambraeus studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he received a degree in composition in 1952. He then went on to study at the Paris Conservatory, where he studied with Olivier Messiaen and Darius Milhaud. These two composers had a profound influence on Hambraeus, and their styles can be heard in his own compositions. Hambraeus' early works were heavily influenced by the music of the Baroque period, and he often used counterpoint and other Baroque techniques in his compositions. However, as he continued to develop as a composer, his style became more modern and experimental. He began to incorporate electronic music into his compositions, and he also experimented with different forms of notation. One of Hambraeus' most significant works is his Requiem, which he composed in 1963. The Requiem is a choral work that is based on the Latin Mass for the Dead. It is a haunting and powerful work that is often performed in churches and concert halls around the world. Another notable work by Hambraeus is his Symphony No. 2, which he composed in 1967. The Symphony is a complex and challenging work that is often considered one of Hambraeus' most significant contributions to the world of classical music. Hambraeus was also known for his work in the field of electronic music. He was one of the pioneers of electronic music in Sweden, and he worked extensively with the EMS (Elektronmusikstudion) in Stockholm. He composed several works for electronic instruments, including his piece "Meditation sur la Mort de Stockhausen," which was composed in 1977. In addition to his work as a composer, Hambraeus was also a respected musicologist. He wrote several books on music, including "The Music of the Near East," which was published in 1967. He was also a professor of musicology at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. Hambraeus received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In 1970, he was awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize, and in 1983, he was awarded the Litteris et Artibus medal by the Swedish government. He was also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Hambraeus continued to compose and perform music throughout his life, and he remained an important figure in the world of classical music until his death in 2000. His contributions to the world of music, both as a composer and a musicologist, continue to be celebrated and studied by musicians and scholars around the world.

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