Gustaf Allan Pettersson (19 September 1911 – 20 June 1980) was a Swedish composer and

violist The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the v ...

. He is considered one of the 20th century's most important Swedish composers and was described as one of the last great symphonists, often compared to

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...

. His music can hardly be confused with other 20th-century works. In the final decade of his life, his

symphonies A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning c ...

(typically one-movement works) developed an international following, particularly in Germany and Sweden. Of these, his best known work is Symphony No. 7. His music later found success in the United States. The conductors

Antal Doráti Antal Doráti (, , ; 9 April 1906 – 13 November 1988) was a Hungarian-born conductor and composer who became a naturalized American citizen in 1943. Biography Antal Doráti was born in Budapest to a Jewish family. His father Alexander Do ...

and

Sergiu Comissiona Sergiu Comissiona (Hebrew: סרג'ו קומיסיונה; June 16, 1928 – March 5, 2005) was a Romanian- Israeli- American conductor and violinist. Biography Early life Born in Bucharest, Romania in a Jewish family, he began violin studies at ...

premiered and recorded several of his symphonies. Pettersson's song cycle ''

Barefoot Songs ''Barefoot Songs'' () is a large song cycle for voice and piano by Allan Pettersson. Background The 24 songs in Swedish were composed between 1943 and 1945. At this time, Pettersson was violist at the Stockholm Concert Society. The text of the ...

'' influenced many of his compositions. Doráti arranged eight of the ''Barefoot Songs''.

Birgit Cullberg Birgit Ragnhild Cullberg (3 August 1908 – 8 September 1999) was a Swedish choreographer. Her father Carl Cullberg was a bank director and her mother was Elna Westerström. Cullberg was born in Nyköping and was married from 1942 to 1949 to act ...

produced three ballets based on Pettersson's music. Pettersson studied at the

Royal Swedish Academy of Music The Royal Swedish Academy of Music (), founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in ...

's conservatory. For more than a decade, he was a violist in the Stockholm Concert Society; after retiring he devoted himself exclusively to composition. Later in his life, he experienced

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and h ...

. Pettersson was awarded the Swedish royal medal

Litteris et Artibus Litteris et Artibus is a Swedish royal medal established in 1853 by Charles XV of Sweden, who was then crown prince. It is awarded to people who have made important contributions to culture, especially music, dramatic art and literature. The ob ...

Biography

Early life

Born on 19 September 1911, Gustaf Allan Pettersson was the youngest of four children. His father, Karl Viktor Pettersson (1875–1952), was a violent, alcoholic blacksmith, and his mother, Ida Paulina (née Svenson) (1876–1960), was a dressmaker. Pettersson was born at Granhammar manor in Västra Ryd parish in the

Uppland Uppland is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The name literally ...

province of Sweden. He grew up poor in Stockholm's

Södermalm Södermalm, often shortened to just Söder, is the southern district of Stockholm City Centre. Overview The Södermalm district covers the island of the same name (formerly called ''Åsön''), which, however, is not fully separated from th ...

district, where he lived during his whole life. He once said: With his parents and siblings, Pettersson lived in a damp, one-room basement apartment with bars on the window. When he was 10, he bought a cheap violin with money he earned from selling Christmas cards and taught himself to play it. Even the beatings he received from his father and the threat of reform school could not diminish his interest in music. Through strict self-discipline and with the help of music, Pettersson freed himself from his social misery and difficult family circumstances. Aged 14, he finished elementary school and took up full-time practice on the violin. He later made two unsuccessful attempts to enter the

's conservatory. In 1930, Pettersson began studying violin and later the viola, as well as

counterpoint In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. The term originates from the Latin ...

and

harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...

, at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music's conservatory (

Royal College of Music, Stockholm The Royal College of Music, Stockholm () is the oldest institution of higher education in music in Sweden, founded in 1771 as the conservatory of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The institution was made independent of the Academy in 1971, and ...

). At the beginning of World War II, he was in Paris, studying the viola with the French violist

Maurice Vieux Maurice Edgard Vieux (14 April 1884 in Savy-Berlette near Valenciennes – 28 April 1951 in Paris) was a French violist whose teaching at the Conservatoire de Paris plays a key role in the history of the viola in France. Vieux received his 1st ...

. Pettersson won the

Jenny Lind Johanna Maria Lind (Madame Goldschmidt) (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in ...

scholarship prize in 1938, using it to study abroad.

Later life

During the 1940s, Pettersson worked as a violist in the Stockholm Concert Society (later the

Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra ( or , literal translations, "Royal Philharmonic" or "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra") is a Swedish orchestra based in Stockholm. Its principal venue is the Konserthuset. History The orchestra was foun ...

). He also studied composition with the composer and conductor

Karl-Birger Blomdahl Karl-Birger Blomdahl (19 October 1916 – 14 June 1968) was a Swedish composer and conductor born in Växjö. He was educated in biochemistry, but was primarily active in music and by his experimental compositions he became one of the big names in ...

, orchestration with the conductor

Tor Mann Tor Mann (25 February 1894 in Stockholm – 29 March 1974 in Stockholm) was a Swedish conductor. Mann was principal conductor of the Göteborgs Symfoniker from 1925 to 1939, and the Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester from 1939 to 1959. He ...

, and counterpoint with organist and composer

Otto Olsson Otto Emanuel Olsson (19 December 1879 – 1 September 1964) was a Swedish organist and classical music composer. Life and career Olsson, a native of Stockholm, was one of the most renowned organ virtuosos of his time. He studied organ with Augu ...

. In 1943, he married a physiotherapist, Gudrun Tyra Charlotta Gustafsson (1921–2017). In September 1951, Pettersson went to Paris to study composition and was a student of composers

René Leibowitz René Leibowitz (; ; 17 February 1913 – 29 August 1972) was a Polish and French composer, conductor, music theorist and teacher. He was historically significant in promoting the music of the Second Viennese School in Paris after the Second Wo ...

Arthur Honegger Arthur Honegger (; 10 March 1892 – 27 November 1955) was a Swiss-French composer who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. Honegger was a member of Les Six. For Halbreich, '' Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher'' is "more even ...

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...

, and

Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (, ; 4 September 1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer, conductor, and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as ''The Group of Six''—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His composition ...

. He returned to Sweden at the end of 1952. In the early 1950s, he was diagnosed with

. He gave up playing the viola and began devoting his life to composition. In 1954, he received an annual state composition grant for his first time. By the time of his Symphony No. 5, completed in 1962, his mobility and health were compromised considerably. In 1964, the government granted him a lifelong guaranteed income. His greatest success came a few years later with his (1966), which premiered on 13 October 1968 in

Stockholm Concert Hall The Stockholm Concert Hall () is the main hall for orchestral music in Stockholm, Sweden. With a design by Ivar Tengbom chosen in competition, inaugurated in 1926, the Hall is home to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. It is also wh ...

with

conducting the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. A recording of his seventh symphony, with the same conductor and orchestra, was released in 1969. It was a breakthrough, establishing his international reputation, and he received two Swedish

Grammis The Grammis (sometimes referred to as the Swedish Grammy Awards) are music awards presented annually to musicians and songwriters in Sweden. The oldest Swedish music awards were instituted as a local equivalent of the Grammy Awards given in t ...

in 1970. The conductors Antal Doráti and

premiered and made first recordings of several of Pettersson's symphonies and contributed to his rise to fame during the 1970s. Pettersson was hospitalized for nine months in 1970, soon after the composition of his Symphony No. 9, his longest symphony. He began writing the condensed Symphony No. 10 (1972) from his sickbed. Pettersson was admitted to

Karolinska Hospital The Karolinska University Hospital () is a teaching hospital affiliated with Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, with two major sites in the municipalities of Solna and Huddinge. The hospital network is the second largest in Sweden, after ...

, because of a life-threatening kidney ailment. He recovered, but rheumatoid arthritis confined him most of the time to his fourth-floor apartment in a building with no elevator. In 1975, after a dispute about a change in a concert program for an American tour, the Stockholm Philharmonic was forbidden to perform works by Pettersson "for all time". The ban was lifted in 1976. Pettersson was awarded the

, a Swedish royal medal established in 1853, in 1977. In autumn 1978, he moved to a state living quarters. He began writing his seventeenth symphony, but died, at age 68, in Stockholm's Maria Magdalena parish before finishing it. He is buried in the

Högalid Church Högalid Church () is a protected church located in the Södermalm district of Stockholm, Sweden. It was designed by architect Ivar Tengbom. Built upon elevated ground 1916–1923, in a barren area later turned into a park, it is one of the most ...

columbarium A columbarium (; pl. columbaria), also called a cinerarium, is a structure for the reverential and usually public storage of funerary urns holding cremated remains of the dead. The term comes from the Latin ''columba'' (dove) and originally solel ...

Music

Pettersson's music can be compared to

Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism ...

's symphonic output, especially in the magnificent design and the passion and dynamism. The symphonic eccentric Pettersson is not an avant-gardist. His kinetic and organic development of musical matter uses traditional means of expression. Basic motifs are constantly being changed and developed. Pettersson's writing is very strenuous and often has many simultaneous polyphonic lines. His symphonies ''end'' on common major or minor chords—but tonality, which depends on some sense, however attenuated, of tonal progression, is found mostly in slower sections. This can be shown at the openings and endings of his 6th and 7th symphonies, and the end of his 9th. Overwhelmingly serious in tone, often dissonant, his music rises to ferocious climaxes, relieved, especially in his later works, by lyrical oases (""). Pettersson's music has a very distinctive sound and can hardly be confused with that of any other 20th-century composer. His symphonies, which range from 22 to 70 minutes long, are typically one-movement works. Pettersson's music is demanding on performers and listeners. Pettersson quoted songs from his own 24 ''Barefoot Songs'' in several of his compositions. Musicologist Ivanka Stoïanova designed a theory of musical space about Pettersson's music. Most of his music has now been recorded at least once and much of it is now available in published scores.

Works

Pettersson began composing songs and smaller chamber works in the 1930s. His production from the 1940s includes the

song cycle A song cycle () is a group, or cycle (music), cycle, of individually complete Art song, songs designed to be performed in sequence, as a unit.Susan Youens, ''Grove online'' The songs are either for solo voice or an ensemble, or rarely a combinat ...

twenty-four ''

'' (1943–1945) based on his poems and a

dissonant In music, consonance and dissonance are categorizations of simultaneous or successive sounds. Within the Western tradition, some listeners associate consonance with sweetness, pleasantness, and acceptability, and dissonance with harshness, unple ...

concerto for violin and

string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...

(1949), which is influenced by

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

and

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith ( ; ; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German and American composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advo ...

. Pettersson soon found his own compositional style. In 1951, he created the experimental ''Seven Sonatas for two Violins''. At the same time, he composed the first of his seventeen

, which he left unfinished. This work has been recorded in a performing version prepared by trombonist and conductor

Christian Lindberg Christian Lindberg (born 15 February 1958) is a Swedish trombonist, conductor and composer. Biography Early life and career Lindberg was born in Danderyd. As a youth, he learned to play the trumpet, and subsequently began to learn the trombo ...

in 2011. Pettersson about the symphonic output of the 1950s: It took four years to write the conceptual and style-defining Symphony No. 6 (1963–1966). His Symphony No. 7 and Symphony No. 8 (1968–1969) have been recorded more than his other works and are probably his best-known. In the 1970s, he composed two related works about social protest and compassion, the Symphony No. 12 for mixed chorus and orchestra (1973–1974) to poems by Literature Nobel laureate

Pablo Neruda Pablo Neruda ( ; ; born Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto; 12 July 190423 September 1973) was a Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who won the 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature. Neruda became known as a poet when he was 13 years old an ...

with contemporary relevance and the

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...

''Vox Humana'' (1974) on texts by Latin American poets. During the prolific last decade of his life, he also wrote a concerto for violin and orchestra (1977–1978, 1980) written for the violinist

Ida Haendel Ida Haendel, (15 December 1928 - or 1923, the exact year remains uncertain 1 July 2020) was a world renowned Polish-British-Canadian violinist. Haendel was a child prodigy, her career spanning over seven decades. She also became an influentia ...

, a Symphony No. 16 (1979) which features a bravura solo part for alto saxophone commissioned by American saxophonist Frederick L. Hemke, and an incomplete, posthumously discovered concerto for viola and orchestra (1979–1980).

Legacy

In 1968–1969, conductor and composer Antal Doráti arranged eight of Pettersson's ''Barefoot Songs'' as full-scale orchestral songs. Choreographer

produced three ballets based on Pettersson's music. (1976, Symphony No. 7), (1977, Concerto No. 1 for String Orchestra), (''War Dance'') (1979, Symphony No. 9). The four orchestral sketches "'" (1991) by

Peter Ruzicka Peter Ruzicka (born 3 July 1948) is a German composer and conductor of classical music. He was director of the Hamburg State Opera, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Hamburg and the Salzburg Festival. Ruzicka was managing director and Intendant of t ...

are a tribute to Pettersson's life and work, quoting sketches of his unfinished Symphony No. 17.

Roy Andersson Roy Arne Lennart Andersson (born 31 March 1943) is a Swedes, Swedish film director, best known for his distinctive style of absurdism, absurdist humor and Melancholia, melancholic depictions of human life. His personal style is characterized by ...

used the finale of Symphony No. 7 in his short film ''

World of Glory ''World of Glory'' is a 1991 Swedish short film written and directed by Roy Andersson. Its original Swedish title is ''Härlig är jorden'', which means "Lovely is the Earth", and is the Swedish title of the hymn " Fairest Lord Jesus". The narrat ...

'' (). After Pettersson's death, the (International Allan Pettersson Society) issued six yearbooks,

Classic Produktion Osnabrück Classic Produktion Osnabrück (often referred to as cpo, in lowercase) is a record label founded in 1986 by Georg Ortmann and several others. Its declared mission is to fill niches in the recorded classical repertory, with an emphasis on romant ...

CPO began recording his complete works, and a series of concerts (in 1994–1995) programmed almost all of them. In 2002, a Swedish Allan Pettersson Society () has been founded.

Awards

* 1970 (), No. 741 * 1977

* 1979 (Honorary Professorship Royal Swedish Academy of Music)

Discography

The selected discography includes the original format of the recording and releasing label. Some of the LP releases have been reissued on CD. A 12-CD pack of the Complete Symphonies of Allan Pettersson has been produced by CPO (

) based on recordings of 1984, 1988, 19911995, 2004. In 2023, a cycle of all Pettersson symphonies produced by

BIS Records BIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. It is located in Åkersberga, Sweden. BIS focuses on classical music, both contemporary and early, especially works that are not already well represented by existing recording ...

was completed.

Symphonies

* Symphony No. 1 (1951) (incomplete) **

Norrköping Symphony Orchestra The Norrköping Symphony Orchestra () is a Swedish professional symphony orchestra. It is based at the concert hall Louis de Geer konsert & kongress, De Geerhallen, in the center of Norrköping. History The orchestra was founded in 1912, an ...

(performing version by Christian Lindberg) (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 2 (19521953) **

Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra () is a Swedish radio orchestra based in Stockholm, affiliated with Sveriges Radio (Sweden's Radio). Its principal performing venue is the Berwaldhallen (Berwald Hall). The orchestra broadcasts concerts on th ...

Stig Westerberg Stig Evald Börje Westerberg (26 November 1918 – 1 July 1999) was a Swedish conductor and pianist, whose career was based mostly in his home country.Karlsson H. "Stig Westerberg". In: ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', 2nd editi ...

(Swedish Society Discofil LP and CD) **

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional rad ...

Alun Francis Alun Francis (born 29 September 1943) is a Welsh conductor. Career Francis was the principal conductor of the Ulster Orchestra from 1966 for ten years. In 1978 he conducted the premiere of Donizetti's opera ''Gabriella di Vergy'' in the Que ...

(CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 3 (19541955) ** Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, Alun Francis (CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra,

Leif Segerstam Leif Selim Segerstam ( , 2 March 1944 – 9 October 2024) was a Finnish conductor, composer, violinist, violist, and pianist, especially known for writing over 300 symphonies, along with other works. From 1963 onward Segerstam conducted a vari ...

(BIS CD) * Symphony No. 4 (19581959) **

Göteborgs Symfoniker Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (GSO; ) is a Swedish symphony orchestra based in Gothenburg. The GSO is resident at the Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen. The orchestra received the title of the National Orchestra of Sweden () in 1997. Back ...

(BIS LP) ** Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, Alun Francis (CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 5 (19601962) ** Berliner Sibelius Orchester, Andreas Peer Kähler (Bluebell LP and CD) **

Malmö Symphony Orchestra The Malmö Symphony Orchestra () is a Swedish orchestra, based in Malmö. Since 2015, it has been resident at the Malmö Live Concert Hall. The orchestra has a complement of 94 musicians. History The orchestra was founded in 1925 with Walther ...

Moshe Atzmon Moshe Atzmon (; born 30 July 1931) is an Israeli conductor. He was born Móse Grószberger in Budapest, and at the age of thirteen he emigrated with his family to Tel Aviv, Israel. He started his musical career on the horn before going to Londo ...

(BIS CD) ** Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, Alun Francis (CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 6 (19631966) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra,

Okko Kamu Okko Tapani Kamu (born 7 March 1946, Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish orchestral conductor and violinist. Kamu was born in Helsinki, the son of Adam Kamu, a musician, and his wife Eine (Syrjänen) Kamu, a violin maker. His father played double ...

(CBS LP) **

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO) is a German broadcast orchestra based in Berlin. The orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families ...

Manfred Trojahn Manfred Trojahn (born 22 October 1949) is a German composer, flutist, conductor, writer and academic teacher. Career Trojahn was born Cremlingen in Lower Saxony and began his musical studies in 1966 in orchestra music at the music school of Brau ...

(CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 7 (19661967) **

Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra ( or , literal translations, "Royal Philharmonic" or "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra") is a Swedish orchestra based in Stockholm. Its principal venue is the Konserthuset. History The orchestra was found ...

(Swedish Society Discofil LP and CD/London LP) (

1970) ** Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sergiu Comissiona (Caprice CD) **

Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg The Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg (Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra) is an internationally renowned symphony orchestra based in Hamburg. As of 2015, Kent Nagano has been General Music Director (''Generalmusikdirektor'') and chief ...

Gerd Albrecht Gerd Albrecht (19 July 1935 – 2 February 2014) was a German conductor. Biography Albrecht was born in Essen, the son of the musicologist Hans Albrecht (1902–1961). He studied music in Kiel and in Hamburg, where his teachers included Wilhel ...

(CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (BIS CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 8 (19681969) **

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, ...

, Sergiu Comissiona (Polar LP and Deutsche Grammophon LP) ** Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Thomas Sanderling (CPO CD) ** Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg, Gerd Albrecht (Orfeo CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (BIS CD) *

Symphony No. 9 Symphony No. 9 most commonly refers to: * Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven) in D minor (Op. 125, ''Choral'') by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1822–24 * Symphony No. 9 (Dvořák) in E minor (Op. 95, B. 178, ''From the New World'') by Antonín Dvořák, 1893 ...

(1970) ** Göteborgs Symfoniker, Sergiu Comissiona (Philips LP) ** Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Alun Francis (CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) (Grammis 2015) * Symphony No. 10 (19711972) ** Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antal Doráti (EMI LP) **

NDR Radiophilharmonie The NDR Radiophilharmonie is a German radio orchestra, affiliated with the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) in Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony. The orchestra principally gives concerts in the ''Großer Sendesaal'' of the '' Landesfunkhaus Niede ...

Hannover, Alun Francis (CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 11 (19711973) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (BIS CD) ** NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, Alun Francis (CPO CD) * Symphony No. 12 "" ("The Dead of the Square") (19731974) ** Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Stockholm Philharmonic Chorus, Uppsala University Chamber Choir, Carl Rune Larsson (Caprice LP and CD) ** Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Choir,

Manfred Honeck Manfred Honeck (born 17 September 1958, in Nenzing) is an Austrian conductor. He is currently the music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Early life Honeck was born in Nenzing, Austria, near the border with Switzerland and Liechte ...

(CPO CD) ** Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 13 (1976) ** BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Alun Francis (CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 14 (1978) ** Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Sergiu Comissiona (Phono Suecia CD) ** Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Johan M. Arnell (CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 15 (1978) ** Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin,

(CPO CD) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 16 (1979) ** Frederick L. Hemke (Alto saxophone), Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra,

Yuri Ahronovitch Yuri Mikhaylovich Ahronovitch (; 13 May 193231 October 2002) was a Soviet-born Israeli conductor. Born in Leningrad, he studied music and the violin from the age of 4. In 1954 he graduated as conductor from the Leningrad Conservatory. He studi ...

(Swedish Society Discofil LP and CD) **

John-Edward Kelly John-Edward Kelly (October 7, 1958 – February 12, 2015) was an American conductor and saxophonist. Early life Born in Fairfield, California, Kelly began music studies in Belleville, Illinois studying clarinet, saxophone, flute and voice. Ke ...

(Alto saxophone), Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, Alun Francis (CPO CD) ** Jörgen Pettersson (Alto saxophone), Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Symphony No. 17 (1980) (fragment) ** Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS SACD-2290, 2019)

Other works

* Two Elegies (1934) ** Martin Gelland (Violin), Lennart Wallin (Piano) (BIS CD) * 6 Songs (1935) (text by

Gunnar Björling Gunnar Olof Björling, (31 May 1887 – 11 July 1960) was a Swedish-speaking Finnish poet. He was one of the leading figures of Finnish-Swedish modernist literature, along with Elmer Diktonius, Edith Södergran and Hagar Olsson. Biography ...

et al.). ** Margot Rödin (Mezzo-soprano),

Arnold Östman Arnold Otto Natanael Östman (24 December 1939 – 15 August 2023) was a Swedish conductor and music director. Early life Arnold Östman was born in Malmö, Sweden. He studied art history and musicology at Lund, Paris and Stockholm. As a musici ...

(Piano) (Swedish Society Discofil LP and CD) * Andante espressivo (1938) ** Martin Gelland (Violin), Lennart Wallin (Piano) (BIS CD) * Romanza (1942) ** Martin Gelland (Violin), Lennart Wallin (Piano) (BIS CD) * 24 ''

'' (') (19431945) **

Erik Saedén Carl Erik Sædén (3 September 1924, in Vänersborg – 3 November 2009), was a Swedish bass-baritone whose career was principally centred on Stockholm, both on the operatic stage as well as the concert platform. He made a few recordings and app ...

(Baritone), Arnold Östman (Piano) (Swedish Society Discofil LP and CD) * 8 ''Barefoot Songs'' (') orchestrated by Antal Dorati ** Anders Larsson (Baritone), Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) * Lamento for Piano (1945) **

Volker Banfield Volker Banfield (born 9 May 1944, Oberaudorf, Bavaria) is a German classical pianist.Jeremy Siepmann, "Banfield, Volker" in Sadie, Stanley; John Tyrrell, eds. (2001). ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', 2nd edition. New York: Grov ...

(CPO CD) ** Lennart Wallin (BIS CD) * Concerto No. 1 for Violin and String Quartet (1949) **

Ulf Hoelscher Ulf Hoelscher (born 17 January 1942 in Kitzingen) is a German violinist. He has been soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He has recorded numerous concertos by S ...

(Violin), Mandelring-Quartett (CPO CD) * Concerto No. 1 for String Orchestra (19491950) ** Musica Vitae, Petter Sundkvist (Caprice CD) ** Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) ** Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss, Johannes Goritzki (CPO CD) * ''Seven Sonatas for two Violins'' (1951) **

Duo Gelland Duo Gelland is a Swedish-German violin duo on the international classical scene. The members are Cecilia and Martin Gelland. The duo was founded in 1994. Life Their early recordings of Cantus gemellus by Dieter Acker and the fiercely demanding ...

(BIS CD) * Concerto No. 2 for String Orchestra (1956) ** Musica Vitae, Petter Sundkvist (Caprice CD) ** Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) ** Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss, Johannes Goritzki (CPO CD) * Concerto No. 3 for String Orchestra (19561957) ** Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS CD) ** Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss, Johannes Goritzki (CPO CD) * Symphonic Movement (1973) (commissioned by Swedish Radio TV channel TV1 for a film essay by Boris Engström) ** BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Alun Francis (CPO CD) * ''Vox Humana'' (1974) ** Marianne Mellnas (Soprano), Margot Rodin (Alto), Sven-Erik Alexandersson (Tenor), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Swedish Radio Chorus, Stig Westerberg (BIS CD) * Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra (19771978) **

(Violin), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra,

Herbert Blomstedt Herbert Thorson Blomstedt (; born 11 July 1927) is a Swedish conductor of classical music. At the age of 97 he continues to conduct concerts in Europe and the United States. Biography Herbert Blomstedt was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, t ...

(Caprice LP and CD) **

Isabelle van Keulen Isabelle van Keulen (born 16 December 1966) is a Dutch violinist and violist, performing principally as a chamber musician but also as a concert violist. She founded the Isos Quartet in 1995. For more than 20 years, she collaborated with the pi ...

(Violin), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra,

Thomas Dausgaard Thomas Dausgaard (; born 4 July 1963 in Copenhagen) is a Danish conductor. Biography Dausgaard studied conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen and with Norman Del Mar at the Royal College of Music in London. He subsequently partic ...

(CPO CD) **

Ulf Wallin Ulf Wallin is a Swedish classical violinist and professor at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. Life Born in Växjö, Wallin studied at the Royal College of Music, Stockholm and at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst ...

(Violin), Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Christian Lindberg (BIS SACD-2290, 2019) * Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (19791980) **

Nobuko Imai is a renowned Japanese classical violist with an extensive career as soloist and chamber musician. Since 1988 she has played a 1690 Andrea Guarneri instrument. Biography Born in Tokyo, Imai began her musical training at the age of six. She b ...

(Viola), Malmö Symphony Orchestra, (BIS CD)

Writings

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Notes

References

Citations

Documentary film

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Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (1985). (2nd ed.). New York: Taplinger. . * * *

External links

International Allan Pettersson Society – IAPG

Allan Pettersson Sällskapet / The Swedish Allan Pettersson Society

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pettersson, Allan 1911 births 1980 deaths 20th-century Swedish classical composers 20th-century Swedish male musicians Classical musicians with disabilities Deaths from cancer in Sweden Litteris et Artibus recipients Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music Musicians from Stockholm People from Upplands-Bro Municipality People of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra Pupils of Arthur Honegger Pupils of René Leibowitz Pupils of Darius Milhaud Royal College of Music, Stockholm, alumni Swedish classical violists Swedish male classical composers Swedish people with disabilities