Valkare, Gunnar

Valkare, Gunnar, Swedish organist, teacher, and composer; b. Norrköping, April 25, 1943. He studied piano with Stina Sundell, organ with Alf Linder, and composition with Ingvar Lidholm at the Stockholm Musikhögskolan (1963-69). He was active as an organist and teacher (1964-79), and served as resident composer in Gislaved (1973) and Kalmar (1977-78). His music is militantly aggressive in its tonal, atonal, and polytonal assault on the most cherished notions of harmonious sweetness.

Works

4 Cardiogramsfor Solo Singers, Chorus, and Instruments in varying combinations (1965-66); A Study in the Story of Human Stupidityfor Orch. (Århus, Feb. 5, 1968); Nomofor 7 Narrators, 6 Winds, and Tape (1967); Eld för ett altare (Fire from an Altar), church drama (1968); Kanske en pastoral om det fårtina upp (Perhaps a Pastorale If It Will Thaw) for Percussion, Piano, and Strings (1968); A Play about the Medieval Värend and the Dache Feud,musical-dramatic dance for Winds, Violin, Nickelharp, and Xylophone (1971); Frän mitt rosa badkar (From My Rosy Bathtub) for Orch., Pop Group, and Chorus (1971); Det ringer i mitt öra (There Is a Ringing in My Ears) for Voices and Instruments (1972); Tahuantisuyos ekonomifor Chorus, Winds, and Strings (1974); Mellan berg och hav, mellan himmel och jard (Between the Mountains and the Ocean, Between the Sky and the Earth), play for Singer, Actor, and Instrumental Ensemble (1975); Stagesfor 6 Musicians (1976); Variationer och temafor 4 Clarinets (1978); Gesellenfor Chorus and Organ (1979); BWparkfor Wind Orch. and Percussion (1982); Concerto for Treble Recorder and Chamber Orch. (1983); Flight of the Mechanical Heartfor Flute, Guitar, and Harpsichord (1984); Sym. (1986; Norrköping, Nov. 12, 1987); Kinemafor Orch. (1988); Omen och ugglan: En inidansk sagafor Voices and Instrumental Accompaniment (1988); Second Flight of the Mechanical Heartfor Chamber Orch. (1990); Intermedium Ifor Chamber Orch. and Tape (1991) and IIfor Chamber Orch. (1991); Concerto d’incontro,theater piece (1992); Passage I-Vfor Solo Instrument (1993); Refrainsfor 6 Instruments (1994); Viaggio,concerto for Accordion and String Orch. (1996); Scapesfor String Orch. (1997); Réflexion: Hommage à Bo Nilssonfor Chamber Ensemble (1998); Stockholm City Serenade,stage music for Chorus and Orch. (1998-99); Bhairavafor Sitar and Orch. (1999).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire