Colonel Sjöqvist / Överste Sjöqvist Albert Löfgren / Arr. Jerker Johansson

Serie / Series: Concert band Originals and Transcriptions

ALBERT LÖFGREN (1872-1930)

is one of the great names in the annals of Swedish military music. He came from a poor peasant family and went the same way as his two older brothers. Only ten years old he was accepted as a pupil in the band of the Västgöta regiment. In 1892 he moved to Stockholm where he started his studies at the Music Conservatory and graduated as military director of music in 1896, only 24 years old. During his time in Stockholm he played with various orchestras and was considered as one of Sweden's finest clarinettists. In 1904 he was appointed director of music at the Älvsborg regiment and in a few years he raised the level of that band to the highest standard. Five years later he became director of music at the Göta artillery regiment and also solo clarinettist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and worked in these capacities until his retirement in 1925/26. He made himself famous both as conductor and composer, but most of all as arranger and orchestrator. Especially his arrangements for band of old Swedish folk music have been appreciated and are still played today. The few marches by his pen sounds different than other contemporary marches. He wrote Colonel Sjöqvist in 1909 and the march is dedicated to Henrik Sjöqvist, who was commander of the Älvsborg regiment. The score for modern band is made by Jerker Johansson (born 1967) who has worked as conductor for GöteborgsMusiken (now Göteborg Wind Orchestra) and other ensembles for a great number of years.

[NO]ALBERT LÖFGREN (1872-1930)

er ett av de store navnene innen svensk militær musikk. Han kom fra et fattig bondehjem og gjorde som sine to eldre brødre, dvs. han ble tatt opp som student ved Västgöta Regiment Band. Da han var bare ti år gammel. I 1892 flyttet han til Stockholm og ble student ved Musikkonservatoriet, og fikk sin militære Director of Music grad i 1896, bare 24 år gammel. I løpet av årene i Stockholm, spilte han i forskjellige band, og ble regnet som en av landets fremste klarinettister. I 1904 ble han musikklederen på Älvsborgs regiment, som han arbeidet opp til de høyeste standarder. Fem år senere ble han musikklederen ved Göta Artillery Regiment og som rektor i klarinett ved Göteborg Symfoniorkester og jobbet der til han ble pensjonert i 1925/26. Albert Lofgren skapte seg et navn både som dirigent og som komponist, men kanskje fremfor alt, som en arrangør og orkesterleder. Særlig hans skrifter og bearbeidelser av folkemusikk har blitt verdsatt og spilles i dag. De få marsjer han komponerte høres annerledes enn de fleste andre moderne marsjer. Oberst Sjöqvist ble skrevet i 1909 og er dedikert til leder av Älvsborgs regiment Henry Sjöqvist. Arrangementet for moderne brass band er laget av Jerker Johansson (født 1967), som i mange år dirigerte Gøteborg musikk (nå Göteborg Wind Orchestra) og andre ensembler.

Aufnahme / Recording:Swedish March Favorites - Gothenburg Musicians