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48(5
iv. education and mental culture.
of snowscenes with decorative setting. Axel Törneman (born 1880) strives
with success after great efforts of decoration — wallpainting in Östermalm
Secondary’ School, and frescos for the great Hall of the Second Chamber. Gunnar
Hallström (born 1875) draws and paints with absolutely genuine Swedish
feeling the life and scenery of Björkö and Lake Mälaren. Olle Hjortzberg (born
1872) illustrates books and decorates churches in powerful style, with a touch
of the oriental.’ A. Trulson (1874—1911), a special Scania-painter, is also to
be mentioned.
Ivar Arosenius (1878—1909), and Albert Engström (born 1869) shine as
humorous artists, quite original and of high merit as draughtsmen; their
drawings, whether burlesque or full of sentiment, penetrate to the roots of
Swedishness.
Besides Zorn and Larsson, the two great etchers, we may mention A. H.
Hägg (Haig) (born 1835), R. Haglund (born 1844), A. Tallberg (born 1860),
E. Norlind (born 1877), G. Burmeister (born 1886), and T. Johansson-Thor
(born 1889).
Music.
Singing and instrumental music were found in Sweden in the earliest times.
Church and secular music were also cultivated during the Roman Catholic era
and acquired a predominant position especially at the royal court.
Ever since the time of Gustavus Vasa, the majority of the rulers of Sweden
have exhibited a warm interest for the art and in certain instances have
themselves studied it. King Gustav not only had "a keen desire to listen" to vocal
and stringed music, but he took his own part in singing and playing on the
lute, and gathered foreign musicians round him; his sons maintained a court
chapel and engaged Italian performers. Gustavus Adolphus II, under whose reign
lectures in the subject began to be given at Uppsala University, spent large
sums of money on his musicians; exquisite ballets with choral and
instrumental music were produced at the court of Queen Christina, and Charles XII
introduced a French theatrical company in the early years of his reign. King
Adolf Fredrik is described as a skilful celloist, and his consort Louisa Ulrica
played on the harpsichord; under the patronage of the royal couple, music was
favoured and promoted. This was still more the case after the accession of
Gustavus III, a great lover of art; he founded the Academy of Music, which
established the Opera. Iving Oscar I was a composer, Oscar II took a lively part
in its activities in the capacity of president of the Musical Academy, an office
which he filled for nine years, and one which His Majesty King Gustavus V
has likewise occupied for a decade.
Musical composition, however, can scarcely be said to have begun in Sweden
before about the end of the 17th century, when its foremost representative
was Gustav Diiben, the Elder, (died 1690). During the next century the
number of composers increased; among them we find Johan Helmieh Roman (1694
—1758), who was afterwards called "the father of Swedish music": he developed
a wide and varied activity in his native-land. Johan Agrell (1701—65) won
fame in Germany. It was in the time of Gustavus III that Karl Mikael Bellman
(1740—95) a Swedish poet and singer appeared; he was the most popular in
his country as well as the greatest in Scandinavia — a well-known encomium
passed on him by Tegnér. It is true that Bellman cannot be termed a
musician in the proper sense of the word, because the melodies to which he set his
works were taken from the music current in his day in different parts. But
his faculty for transforming and adapting them to their purpose was so great
that they became inseparably fused with his poetry for ever.
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