Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

Sweden

Birth

:

September 16, 1919 in Stockholm, Sweden

Death

:

January 10, 1994 in Stockholm, Sweden

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Choral

 

 

Keyboard

 

Sven-Erik Bäck was a Swedish composer who was born on April 16, 1919, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a musical family. His father, Erik Bäck, was a composer and conductor, and his mother, Signe Lundberg-Settergren, was a pianist. Bäck began his musical education at a young age, studying piano and composition with his father. Bäck continued his studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he studied composition with Hilding Rosenberg and conducting with Tor Mann. He also studied with the renowned composer and conductor Igor Markevitch in Salzburg, Austria. Bäck's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and Hindemith, but he later developed his own unique style that blended modernist and traditional elements. Bäck's career as a composer began in the 1940s, and he quickly gained recognition for his innovative and expressive works. His early works included chamber music, choral music, and orchestral works. In 1947, he won the prestigious Gaudeamus International Composers Award for his String Quartet No. 1. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Bäck continued to compose prolifically, producing a wide range of works in various genres. He was particularly known for his choral music, which was often inspired by Swedish folk music and poetry. His choral works include "Den signade dag" (The Blessed Day), "Kung Liljekonvalje" (King Lily of the Valley), and "Kärlekens visa" (Love's Song). Bäck also composed several operas, including "Ett drömspel" (A Dream Play), which was based on the play by August Strindberg. The opera premiered in 1957 and was well-received by audiences and critics alike. Bäck's other operas include "Herakles" and "Den bergtagna" (The Mountain Taken). In addition to his choral and operatic works, Bäck also composed a number of orchestral works, including symphonies, concertos, and tone poems. His Symphony No. 1, which premiered in 1953, was particularly well-received and established him as one of Sweden's leading composers. Bäck's other notable orchestral works include "Sinfonia concertante" for violin and orchestra, "Toccata" for orchestra, and "Marsyas" for cello and orchestra. Bäck's music was characterized by its emotional intensity, expressive melodies, and rich harmonies. He often drew inspiration from Swedish folk music and poetry, as well as from the works of other composers, such as Bach, Beethoven, and Stravinsky. His music was also influenced by his interest in literature, philosophy, and psychology. Bäck's later works were more experimental and avant-garde, reflecting his interest in electronic music and new technologies. He composed several works for tape and electronic instruments, including "Klangfiguren" and "Elektronmusik No. 1." He also collaborated with the Swedish artist Lars-Gunnar Bodin on several multimedia works, including "Mikrofoni" and "Korallerna" (The Corals). Bäck's contributions to Swedish music were recognized with numerous awards and honors throughout his career. He was awarded the Litteris et Artibus medal by the Swedish government in 1961, and he was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1963. He also received the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1974 and the Swedish Society of Composers' Music Prize in 1989.

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