Edlund, Lars

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Edlund, Lars

Edlund, Lars, Swedish organist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Karlstad, Nov. 6, 1922. He studied in Arvika and at the Stockholm Musikhögskolan (1942–47). After serving as an organist in Tranas and Sodertalje (1948–60), he taught aural training at the Stockholm Musikhogskolan until 1971; then devoted himself to performing and composing. He publ. 2 influential books, Modus novus: Ldrobok i fritonal melodilasning (New method: Textbook in atonal melody reading: 1963) and Modus veins: Gehorstudier i dur/moll-tonalitet (Old method: Ear training in major/minor tonalities; 1967), which have guided his path as a composer. He won particular distinction for his choral music. Among his works are a chamber opera, Flickan i b’gat (1979); chamber music, including 2 string quartets (1980–81; 1993); piano pieces; organ music; Elegi for Chorus (1971); Missa Sancti Nicolai for Soloists, Chorus, and Percussion (Stockholm, July 10, 1979); Adonai for Baritone, Chorus, Organ, and Percussion (1983). His son, Mikael Edlund (b. Tranas, Jan. 19, 1950), is also a composer.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire