Ellberg, Ernst (Henrik)

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Ellberg, Ernst (Henrik)

Ellberg, Ernst (Henrik), Swedish composer and pedagogue; b. Soderhamm, Dec. 11, 1868; d. Stockholm, June 14, 1948. He studied with J. Lindberg (violin) and J. Dente (composition) at the Stockholm Cons. (1886–92), and then held a state composer’s fellowship (1894–96). From 1887 to 1905 he was a violist in the Royal Orch. in Stockholm; he taught composition, counterpoint, and orchestration at the Stockholm Cons. (1904–33), and then taught military musicians there until 1943. In 1912 he was made a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Music, and in 1916 he was granted the title of prof. Ellberg was an influential teacher. His music is steeped in the Romantic tradition. Among his compositions are the operas Den roda liljan (The Red Lily) and Rassa; ballets; Introduction and Fugue for Strings (1891); a Sym. (1896); also overtures; chamber music; songs for Men’s Chorus.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire