HENRIK STRINDBERG was born in Kalmar in 1954. As a multi-instrumentalist and composer he helped to start to the progressive instrumental group Ragnarök, later becoming a theatre musician in the Kalmar Byteater. After attending Birka community college, he studied composition at the Royal University College of Music from 1980 to 1987 for Gunnar Bucht, Sven-David Sandström and Brian Ferneyhough. In 1985 he studied for Iannis Xenakis and attended the IRCAM summer course in computer programming in 1995. Strindberg became a member of the board of the Society of Swedish Composers in 1996 and since 1997 he has been a teacher at the Gotland School of Music Composition.

Although research and development are critical aspects of his composition, "the expressiveness is still there". During his student years he composed a series of works exploring the artistic potential of the guitar and electric guitar and in Paris between 1987 and 1989 he developed the software Kontur and Trigger. A number of his mature pieces are studies: "2 pianos" (1992) is a study in pattern recognition; in "Förstorade fragment av en melodi" (1993) for chamber ensemble, a melodic line is subjected to successive magnifications under an increasingly powerful magnifying glass. In "The Wandering Flute" (1996) for recorder and live electronics he compares different melodic traditions and tries out new acoustic methods. In "...knäpper och drar" (2002) for string orchestra, it’s the turn of small sounds to be placed under the microscope.

Arguably Strindberg’s most well-known piece, "Etymology" for chamber orchestra, is predominantly composed of small repetitive passages of light, graceful music. He has also developed compositional methods based on a more architectonic approach in the quartet "Hustle an’bustle" (1984), the key work "Within Trees" (1987-89) for symphony orchestra, "Katsu" (1991) for youth symphony orchestra, "Nocturnal Madonna" (1993) and "Lika" (1999), for chamber orchestra, the latter written for the Nieuw Ensemble, Amsterdam.

A distinct emotional dimension to Strindberg is given expression in "Det första kvädet om Gudrun" (1987) - a dramatic scene for mezzo soprano and guitar with a dash of folk song, Nordic national romanticism, blues and flamenco - and again in later works such as the clarinet concerto "Minne" (1997), the saxophone concerto "Hopp" (1997) and the song "Utvald" (1998) to lyrics by Bruno K Öijer.

Göran Bergendal, 2003
English translation: Neil Betteridge

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