Alf Linder
Encyclopedia
Alf Linder was a Swedish organist
, renowned for his frequent radio broadcasts and his teaching at the Stockholm Conservatory.
. He was accepted into the conservatory the following year and became the first organ student of the newly appointed organ professor Otto Olsson
. His repertoire during his studies at the conservatory included Bach's
Piece d'Orgue, Olsson's Prelude and Fugue in C# minor and Widor's
Symphonie Romane. He passed the organist's exam in 1927 and the church music exam in 1933.
In 1938-1940 Linder traveled several times to Leipzig to study organ with Günther Ramin
, studies that influenced him greatly. He later described the experience in the program notes of a 1977 recording:
Linder made his first recordings for Swedish Radio in January and March 1940 and he was appointed organist of the Stockholm Concert Hall
the same year, a position he held until 1954. He became the organist of Oscar's Church, Stockholm in 1943 and held that position until his death in 1983. There he arranged 45 minute organ recitals on Saturday nights and played the complete works of Bach within this recital series 1944-1945. He taught organ at the Stockholm Conservatory starting in 1938 and became professor in 1958. In 1954 he became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
.
He died December 21, 1983 in Stockholm.
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, renowned for his frequent radio broadcasts and his teaching at the Stockholm Conservatory.
Life
Linder was born in Hammerö, near Karlstad on July 28, 1907. He studied organ with Claes Rendahl and Otto Nordlund (organists of Karlstad cathedral) and is reported to have learned the complete organ works of Bach by the age of ten. In 1924 he auditioned, unsuccessfully, to study organ at the Stockholm conservatory with Gustaf HäggGustaf Hägg
-Life:Hägg studied at the Royal Swedish College of Music receiving his organist's degree in 1886 and his higher degree in 1889. He was appointed organist of Klara Church in 1893 and began teaching harmony at the Royal College in 1904...
. He was accepted into the conservatory the following year and became the first organ student of the newly appointed organ professor Otto Olsson
Otto Olsson
Otto Olsson was a Swedish composer of classical music.Otto Olsson was one of the greatest organ virtuosos 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 and then organ...
. His repertoire during his studies at the conservatory included Bach's
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
Piece d'Orgue, Olsson's Prelude and Fugue in C# minor and Widor's
Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher.-Life:Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889...
Symphonie Romane. He passed the organist's exam in 1927 and the church music exam in 1933.
In 1938-1940 Linder traveled several times to Leipzig to study organ with Günther Ramin
Günther Ramin
Günther Werner Hans Ramín was an influential German organist, conductor, composer and pedagogue in the first half of the 20th century....
, studies that influenced him greatly. He later described the experience in the program notes of a 1977 recording:
- When I made my debut recital, in the Gustaf Vasa Church in Stockholm in 1933, I had included this work [The Bach Prelude and Fugue in D-major (BWV 532)] in my program, and I performed it in the way in which Bach was performed at the time. When I came to Günther Ramin in Lepizig, I played the D-major Fugue for him, almost as I had played it at my debut recital in Stockholm (five years earlier). After that, Ramin played the same piece his way, in a light and airy manner with only 8', 4' and 1' registers. It was a completely new experience for me, bot in terms of sound and technique.
Linder made his first recordings for Swedish Radio in January and March 1940 and he was appointed organist of the Stockholm Concert Hall
Stockholm Concert Hall
The Stockholm Concert Hall is the main hall for orchestral music in Stockholm, Sweden. Designed by Ivar Tengbom and inaugurated in 1926, it is the home to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. It is also where the awarding ceremony for the Nobel Prizes, Polar Music Prize are held annually....
the same year, a position he held until 1954. He became the organist of Oscar's Church, Stockholm in 1943 and held that position until his death in 1983. There he arranged 45 minute organ recitals on Saturday nights and played the complete works of Bach within this recital series 1944-1945. He taught organ at the Stockholm Conservatory starting in 1938 and became professor in 1958. In 1954 he became a member of 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...
.
He died December 21, 1983 in Stockholm.
Selected recordings
- 1980 Organ works by Hilding RosenbergHilding RosenbergHilding Rosenberg , was the first Swedish modernist composer, and one of the most influential figures in Swedish 20th century classical music....
- 1975 Organ works by Max RegerMax RegerJohann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger was a German composer, conductor, pianist, organist, and academic teacher.-Life:...
- 1959 The complete organ works of Dietrich Buxtehude