Otto Olsson (1879 - 1964)

[Jim]

The Requiem Op 13 by Swedish composer Otto Olsson has appeared on two CD recordings in the last ten years, yet I am having no luck obtaining a vocal score. Can anyone suggest any leads on this?

[guest128]

I'm not literate as a score-reader, but those two recordings of the Requiem (a work I love) are so utterly different from one another I've sometimes wondered whether and how the score could possibly justify both readings.  The Caprice performance has an almost Mediterranean passion, warmth, and "lift" about it that sweeps one along inexorably, whereas its alternative (on Proprius) by comparison feels weighty, reverent, and static (it runs almost 15' longer, I believe), exuding and inducing a far more comtemplative mode and response.  Astonishing the divide between them. Could each plausibly be true to Olsson's intention?   

[Jim]

Thanks for those remarks; I haven't heard the Proprius recording and will have to put it on my to do list! It would be difficult without a score to tell just how the composer's intentions are being interpreted, but sometimes even with well known works it is not unusual to hear critics speaking about very different 'readings'.

[Leea25]

Hi Jim,

I looked this up on SMIC for you (www.mic.se). It was published by a group called NMS, now apparently held by Gehrmans. Here are the publisher details they give for Olson's Requiem in G minor Op.13:

Gehrmans Musikförlag
Address: Box 42026
Telephone: vxl 08-610 06 00 återförsäljare 08-610 06 01
Fax: 08-610 06 27
E-mail: info@gehrmans.se
Web: www.gehrmans.se
Publisher code: Abr Lundquist, Abr.L, NMS, WHS, Gehrman, SK-Gehrman, SSKB, CG, SK-CG, SKG, SK, Hirsch, SSF, Choragus, KMH-förlaget, Pygmé, Körling, Carl Johnn's, WarnerChappell
Rec code: Gehrman, Sveriges körförb

I hope that helps.

[Jim]

Thanks leea25. I hadn't looked at this thread for a while but it is certainly available from the site you gave. It looked very expensive at first but comes out at a similar price to a British publisher's archive copy of a typical vocal score (£23). Thanks again, I will obtain a copy as it is a very attractive and singable work.

[Leea25]

My pleasure Jim!