Otto Olsson
Encyclopedia
Otto Olsson was a Swedish
composer
of classical music
.
Otto Olsson was one of the greatest organ
virtuoso
s of his time. He studied organ with Lagergren and composition with Dente at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
, and then joined the faculty there, where he taught harmony
(1908-24) and then organ
(1924-45). He was also the organist at the Gustav Vasa church in Stockholm
. He became a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Music
in 1915.
He used his strong background in counterpoint
, combined with an affinity for French
organ music, to create his late Romantic
style of composition
. He also had an interest in earlier music
and used the plainchant
techniques of Gregorian chant
in his Gregorianska melodier. He explored polytonality
in his work, an advancement not found in other Swedish works of the time. In addition to many fine works for the organ, instrumental and choral
works, his best-known work is his setting of the Te Deum
, a large piece for chorus, string
orchestra
, harp
, and organ.
As a teacher, he influenced many Swedish church musicians, and he was important in the development of church music
in Sweden, which had suffered a long period of decline, having served as a member of official committees that supervised the liturgy
and hymnology
. He also composed Psalm settings for congregational use and wrote two instructional books, on the art of choral singing
and psalm singing.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
.
Otto Olsson was one of the greatest organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
s of his time. He studied organ with Lagergren and composition with Dente at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
, and then joined the faculty there, where he taught harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
(1908-24) and then organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
(1924-45). He was also the organist at the Gustav Vasa church in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. He became a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
in 1915.
He used his strong background in counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
, combined with an affinity for French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
organ music, to create his late Romantic
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
style of composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
. He also had an interest in earlier music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
and used the plainchant
Plainsong
Plainsong is a body of chants used in the liturgies of the Catholic Church. Though the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Catholic Church did not split until long after the origin of plainchant, Byzantine chants are generally not classified as plainsong.Plainsong is monophonic, consisting of a...
techniques of Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
in his Gregorianska melodier. He explored polytonality
Polytonality
The musical use of more than one key simultaneously is polytonality . Bitonality is the use of only two different keys at the same time...
in his work, an advancement not found in other Swedish works of the time. In addition to many fine works for the organ, instrumental and choral
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
works, his best-known work is his setting of the Te Deum
Te Deum
The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
, a large piece for chorus, string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
, and organ.
As a teacher, he influenced many Swedish church musicians, and he was important in the development of church music
Church music
Church music may be defined as music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclestiacal liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. This article covers music in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. For sacred music outside this...
in Sweden, which had suffered a long period of decline, having served as a member of official committees that supervised the liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
and hymnology
Hymnology
Hymnology is the scholarly study of religious song, or the hymn, in its many aspects, with particular focus on choral and congregational song. It may be more or less clearly distinguished from hymnody, the creation and practice of such song...
. He also composed Psalm settings for congregational use and wrote two instructional books, on the art of choral singing
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and psalm singing.
Choral
- Advents och julsånger, for mixed choir and organ (1917)
- Advent
- Julsång
- Gammal julvisa
- Davids 121 psalm
- Nyårspsalm
- Guds Son är fødd (bearbetning af folkvisa)
- Det brinner en stjärna i Österland
- Jungfru Marias lovsång
- Gregorianska melodier (Six Gregorian Melodies), Op. 30 (1910)
- Sex latinska hymner (Six Latin Hymns), for a cappella choir, Op. 40 (1919)
- Psalmus CXX
- Canticum Simeonis
- Psalmus CX
- Jesu dulcis memoria
- Ave Maris Stella
- Rex gloriose martyrum
- Three Latin Choruses
- Jesu corona celsior (for Uppsala Domkyrkas GosskörUppsala Domkyrkas GosskörUppsala Domkyrkas Gosskör is the oldest boys' choir in Sweden, formed in 1920. The then Archbishop of Sweden, Nathan Söderblom, had heard boys' choirs in Germany and England and decided to institute a similar choir at Uppsala Cathedral.In 1927, the composer Otto Olsson dedicated his choral work...
) - Auctor beate saeculi
- Aeterne Rex altissime
- Jesu corona celsior (for Uppsala Domkyrkas Gosskör
- Folksong arrangements and other works for male chorus
Organ
- Miniatyrer, Op. 5 (c.1895-1900)
- Five Canons, Op. 18 (1903-1910)
- Suite in G, Op. 20
- Credo SymphoniacumOrgan SymphonyThis page lists the best known Symphonies for solo Organ and Symphonies for Orchestra and Organ. Organ concertos are not listed here.- Edward Shippen Barnes :...
(1918) - Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale "Vi lofva dig, o store Gud", Op. 29 ("for white keys", or phrygian mode)
- 12 orgelstycken över koralmotiv, Op. 36
- Organ Sonata in E major, op.38
- Preludium and fugue in C-sharp minor, op.39 (1910)
- Variations on "Ave maris stella", Op. 42
- 5 Trios, Op. 44 (?1911)
- Credo symphoniacum, op.50 (1925)
- Preludium and fugue in F-sharp minor, op.52 (1918)
- Preludium and fugue in D-sharp minor, op.56 (1935)
Orchestra
- SymphonySymphonyA symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
in g minor, Op. 11 (1901-1902) - RequiemRequiemA Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
(1903, first performance Stockholm, Nov. 1976) - Te DeumTe DeumThe Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
, Op. 25 (1906)