.
Who
was Allan Pettersson?
He
answered the question himself with his music, in particular in the
Barefoot Songs, and also in interviews: “A voice crying in the
wilderness that is nearly drowned by the noise of time”, was how he
described himself.
One answer to the question is that Allan Pettersson was one of the
most important symphonists in the Nordic countries. Many have born witness
to the overwhelming feelings that his symphonies and songs have aroused.
His music touches the heart, as does his own life and his indomitable
fighting spirit.
Nowadays there are many people who have grown up since Allan Pettersson died and who are probably not so familiar with his music. Not everyone has had the same opportunity to hear performances; certain benchmark LP recordings are no longer available and have not yet been transferred to CD
But
abroad?
Oddly
enough, while Pettersson’s music is rarely performed in his native
country, his admirers are on the increase in other countries, particularly
in Germany and America where many activities have been organised. We need
only mention the major Pettersson festival of 1994, when most of his
larger works were performed by symphony orchestras in twenty-seven cities
in northern German.
Now
there is a society in Sweden
In
November 2002 the Allan Pettersson Society was formed in Sweden by a group
of enthusiasts (see list of committee members). “The Society is an
independent non-profit-making society whose aim is to encourage a greater
understanding of Allan Pettersson and his music by promoting performances
of his works in Sweden and abroad, by providing information about his life
and work and by supporting research.”
Join
the Society
We
would like to invite you to become a member of the Allan Pettersson
Society, because you have already been moved by his music and/or you want
to know more about his life and work.
You
can become a member by paying the annual subscription fee of 150 SEK to
the Allan Pettersson Society:
Bank
giro number 5743-7154.
Please
write clearly on the paying-in slip:
Allan
Pettersson Society Subscription Fee
and
your name and address (and e-mail address where applicable).
On
receipt of your fee we will send you the most recent number of our members’
magazine. You will also receive ongoing information about meetings and/or
performances of Allan Pettersson’s music.
Welcome
to the society! Please help us by spreading information about the society
to other people who might be interested.
Address
of the Society:
Stig Jacobsson
stig.jacobsson@allanpettersson.org
(address
coming up)
Committee
members
Stig Jacobsson, chairman, head of planning, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Lars
Möllerstedt, vice-chairman, music publisher
Tomas
Svendén, treasurer
Nils
Larsson, secretary, music director, organist
Lars Åke Lundberg
Anders Jansson
Cynthia Zetterqvist
Corresponding
members:
Laila
Barkefors, musicologist
Marco
Feklistoff, general manager, Norrland Opera Company
Fredrik Paulsson, violinist
Deputy
members:
Lars
Erik Andrenius, Webmaster. Record Library of the Swedish Broadcasting
Resources Limited
Carl von Essen
Monica
Hammar Granberg
The
composer Allan Pettersson was born in 1911. He lived all his life in Södermalm
in southern Stockholm and he became a spokesman and interpreter for the
poor working-class people of that area. He played the viola in the Royal
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra but left the orchestra in 1951 to devote
all his time to composing. His sixteen symphonies form the backbone of his
output. He died on the 20th June, 1980.
Allan Pettersson Society in Sweden
now has more than 80 members. Its purpose is to further
understanding of Pettersson and his music by promoting performances
in Sweden and abroad, and by supporting research and publicising his life
and works.
This home page has been set up with information about the society
and a performance
calendar at http://www.allanpettersson.org
and further information can be obtained from the Chairman, Stig.Jacobsson
(stig.jacobsson@allanpettersson.org).
Webmaster
Lars Erik Andrenius
webmaster@allanpettersson.org