The life of Hugo Alfvén

A chronology by Lennart Hedwall from "Hugo Alfvén", Stockholm 1992

	1872-1899
	1900-1919
	1920-1939
	1940-1960

1900		Jenny Lind Scholarship: Travels to Germany, Austria, Italy and Spain (until 1903). Klockorna (The Bells), songs for male choir.
1901		Studies conducting in Dresden under Hermann Kutzschbach (until 1902). Completes Herrans bön (The Lord's Prayer).
1902		Meets Maria Kröyer. Completes Skärgårdsbilder (Pictures from the Archipelago).
1903		Is appointed in January teacher in composition and orchestration at the Music Conservatoire, requests a period of time off from his work because of the travel scholarships and resigns in December without having taken up his duties. Midsommarvaka (Midsummer Vigil).
1904		Conducts his first concert with the Hovkapellet at the Royal Opera and directs the Leksand choir for the first time - this becomes the basis of the Siljan Choir, which he conducts until 1957. New version of Symphony No. 1. Completes Maria's Songs and En skärgårdssägen (A Tale from the Archipelago).
1905		A further visit to Italy: Symphony No. 3 (completed 1906), Österling-songs. His daughter, Margita was born.
1906		State scholarship for composers (until 1910). Guest conductor in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Gothenburg, but stays mostly in Denmark. In the summer adjudicator at the folk music competition in Mora. Passed over as conductor for the Opera during the autumn.
1907		Uppsala Rhapsody (for the Linnaeus Jubilee in Uppsala). Festspel (Festival) (for the inauguration of the Royal Dramatic Theatre building in 1908).
1908		Alfvén residence in Tällberg begun (ready 1911). Becomes a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Drapa (to the memory of Oscar II). Thiel-songs Op. 28.
1909		The first time outside Dalarna with the Siljan Choir - at Skansen in Stockholm. Festival Overture (for the opening of the Art Industries Exhibition in June).
1910		Appointed Director Musices at Uppsala University (until 1939) and elected conductor of Orphei Drängar (OD), male choir at Uppsala (until 1947).
1911		Performs in Stockholm with OD for the first time. Gustaf Frödings jordafärd (Gustaf Fröding's Funeral). Plans and leads a Swedish Music Festival in Uppsala. Dubbed Knight of the Wasa Order. Nocturne for piano
1912		Tours Sweden and Germany with OD – in Dortmund: Unge Herr Sten Sture (Young Master Sten Sture) premièred. Then regular tours in Sweden each year during Alfvén's period of conductorship. Marriage to Maria. Conducts Elgar's Dream of Gerontius in Stockholm. Music for the play Mostellaria (Plautus) and Spåmannen (The Fortune-teller) by Heidenstam.
1913		An affirmative decision from the Court of Appeal in the long drawn-out Tällberg proceedings, the so-called Mittag-Leffler case about the ownership of land in Tällberg. Tours Denmark and Germany with OD. Guest conductor in Helsinki. Uppenbarelsekantaten (The Revelation Cantata). Four more Thiel-songs Op. 32.
1914		Performs as violinist, conductor and composer at a concert in Uppsala Cathedral, which he tries to make a yearly tradition. Cantata for the Baltic Exhibition in Malmö in May. Tours the Baltic States with OD. Motet Op. 34. Some Tunes from Leksand (piano version)
1915		Conducts an Alfvén concert at a music festival in Gothenburg. Cantata for the Centenary of Uppsala County's Agricultural Society. Idea for Bergakungen (The Mountain King).
1916		Sveriges flagga (Sweden's Flag), composed for the first Swedish national flag day at Stadium in Stockholm on July 6th. Litteris et Artibus medallion
1917		Honorary doctor of Uppsala University. Reformation Cantata. .
1918		Music festival in Uppsala for the centenary of the birth of J. A. Josephson. Conducts at Scandinavian concert in Copenhagen. Among the founders of the Society of Swedish Composers. Elegy: At Emil Sjögren's Funeral.
1919		With OD in Copenhagen. Elected conductor of Allmänna Sången in Uppsala (until 1931 - also 1934-38). Symphony No. 4 "Från Havsbandet" (From the Outskirts of the Archipelago).
1872-1899		1920-1939