Swedish Music

The course is an introduction to Swedish music. It is primarily a historical survey, including close-ups on some important actors (composers, ensembles, singers ...) and periods. Sweden has always been on the periphery of international musical life, still has managed from time to time to create a prominent presence on a global level in terms of, e.g., classical singers, jazz musicians, and pop artists and producers. But the more regional activities and phenomena are at least as interesting, exemplifying the way a national musical life on the periphery evolves in isolation from or transnational communication with its neighbors. The course develops historical, aesthetic, and media perspectives on its subjects.