Peterson-Berger, (Olof) Wilhelm
Peterson-Berger, (Olof) Wilhelm
Peterson-Berger, (Olof) Wilhelm, esteemed Swedish music critic, teacher, and composer; b. Ul-lânger, Feb. 27, 1867; d. Ostersund, Dec. 3, 1942. He studied with J. Dente and O. Bolander at the Stockholm Cons. (1886–89); then in Dresden with Scholtz (piano) and Kretzschmar (composition). He eventually settled in Stockholm, where he became active as a pedagogue and music critic of Dagens Nyheter (1896–1908; 1910–20; 1921–30). His opera Arnljot was one of the finest Swedish operas in the national tradition; his other notable works included his 3rd Sym., Violin Concerto, songs, and piano pieces.
Works
dramatic:Sveagaldrar, festival play for the silver jubilee of the accession of Oscar II (1897); 4 music dramas (all 1st perf. in Stockholm): Ran (1899–1900; May 20, 1903), Arnljot (1907–09; April 13, 1910), Domedagsprofeterna (The Prophets of Doom; 1912–17; Feb. 21, 1919), and Adils och Elisiv (1921–24; Feb. 27,1927); Eyckan (Luck), fairy opera (Stockholm, March 27,1903). orch.: 5 syms.: No. 1, Baneret (The Banner; 1889–90; 1903; Stockholm, Feb. 23, 1904; rev. 1932–33), No. 2, Sunnanfärd (The Journey to the South; 1910; Göteborg, March 22, 1911), No. 3, Same Ätnam (Lappland; 1913–15; Stockholm, Dec. 11, 1917), No. 4, Holmia (1929; Stockholm, April 9, 1930), and No. 5, Solitudo (1932–33; Stockholm, April 11,1934); 3 orch. suites: I somras (Last Summer; 1903), Earina (Spring; 1917), and Italiana (1922); Romans for Violin and Orch. (1915); Violin Concerto (1928; Stockholm, Feb. 6, 1929). chamber: 2 violin sonatas (1887, 1910); Suite for Violin and Piano (1896); over 100 piano pieces. vocal: cantatas:Norrbotten (1921); Operakantaten (1922; rev. 1935–36); Soluppgàng (1929). other: 40 songs for choruses; nearly 100 solo songs.
Writings
Svensk Musikkultur (1911); Richard Wagner som kulturföreteelse (Richard Wagner as a Phenomenon of Civilization; 1913; Ger. tr., 1917, as Richard Wagner als Kulturerscheinung). A selection of his essays was publ, in Stockholmin 2 vols. (1923); another, in one vol., in Ostersund (1951). His reminiscences were publ, posthumously (Uppsala, 1943).
Bibliography
B. Carlberg, W. P.-B. (Stockholm, 1950); S. Beite, W. P-B.: En känd och okänd tondiktare (Ostersund, 1965); G. Norell, W. P-B. och dikten (vol. 1, Arboga, 1991).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire