Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Sweden

Birth

:

April 10, 1943

Death

:

April 24, 2010

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Bo Hansson was a Swedish composer and musician who was born on April 10, 1943, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the son of a jazz pianist and grew up in a musical family. Hansson began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and bass. He was also interested in electronic music and began experimenting with synthesizers in the 1960s. Hansson's musical career began in the mid-1960s when he joined the Swedish rock band, The Merrymen. He played bass guitar and contributed to the band's songwriting. The Merrymen released several albums and had some success in Sweden, but Hansson was not satisfied with the direction of the band's music. In 1969, Hansson left The Merrymen and began working on his own music. He was inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and began composing music based on The Lord of the Rings. Hansson's first solo album, Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings, was released in 1970. The album was a critical and commercial success and is considered a classic of progressive rock. Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings features Hansson's unique blend of folk, rock, and electronic music. The album is instrumental and features Hansson's use of synthesizers, which were still a relatively new instrument at the time. The album's opening track, "Leaving Shire," is a haunting and beautiful piece that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Other standout tracks include "The Old Forest," "Tom Bombadil," and "The Black Riders." Hansson's next album, Magician's Hat, was released in 1972. The album features a similar blend of folk, rock, and electronic music, but with a more experimental and avant-garde approach. The album's title track is a 20-minute epic that showcases Hansson's skills as a composer and arranger. Other standout tracks include "The Sun (Parallel or 90 Degrees)" and "The Piper." Hansson continued to release albums throughout the 1970s, including Attic Thoughts (1975) and Music Inspired by Watership Down (1977). Attic Thoughts features a more jazz-influenced sound, while Music Inspired by Watership Down is a more pastoral and acoustic album. Hansson's final album, City of the Sun, was released in 1978. The album features a more electronic sound and is considered a precursor to the ambient music genre. The album's title track is a 17-minute epic that features Hansson's use of synthesizers and electronic percussion. Other standout tracks include "Waiting" and "No Time for Silence." Hansson's music has been influential to many musicians, including Mike Oldfield, who cited Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings as an influence on his own music. Hansson's use of synthesizers and electronic percussion was also influential to the development of electronic music. Hansson died on April 24, 2010, at the age of 67. His music continues to be celebrated by fans of progressive rock and electronic music.

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