Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Sweden

Birth

:

October 2, 1817 in Lidköping, Sweden

Death

:

August 22, 1901 in Läckö

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

Gunnar Wennerberg was a Swedish composer, poet, and politician who lived from 1817 to 1901. He was born in Lidköping, a small town in southwestern Sweden, on October 2, 1817. His father was a pastor, and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Wennerberg showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at a young age. He also showed a talent for writing poetry, which would later become an important part of his artistic output. Wennerberg studied music at the University of Uppsala, where he was a member of the student choir. He became interested in the Swedish folk music tradition and began collecting and arranging folk songs. He also wrote his own songs and choral works, which were influenced by the folk music he had studied. In 1843, Wennerberg founded the Uppsala Student Singing Society, which became one of the most important choral groups in Sweden. The society performed his own compositions as well as works by other Swedish composers. Wennerberg also wrote music for the Swedish National Songbook, which was published in 1844 and included many of his own arrangements of folk songs. Wennerberg's most famous work is probably the song "Gluntarne," which he wrote in 1856. The song is a tribute to the "gluntar," a group of students who were known for their rowdy behavior and love of drinking. The song became a popular drinking song and is still sung at Swedish universities today. In addition to his musical activities, Wennerberg was also involved in politics. He was a member of the Swedish parliament from 1866 to 1878 and was a strong advocate for Swedish nationalism. He believed that Sweden should have a strong national identity and that the Swedish language and culture should be promoted. Wennerberg continued to compose music throughout his life, but his output decreased in his later years. He died on August 24, 1901, at the age of 83. Wennerberg's music is characterized by its simplicity and its use of folk melodies. He was a pioneer in the field of Swedish choral music and helped to establish a distinct Swedish musical identity. His songs and choral works are still performed today and are an important part of the Swedish musical tradition.

More....