Wilhelm Stenhammar as an actor in the late 18th century musical life of Stockholm

Abstract

In his monumental biographical work on Stenhammar, Bo Wallner declares that an account of only life and work would be too narrow to understand his achievements as one of the greatest composers, conductors and pianists in Swedish music history. Therefore, Wallners work explores not only the biography and works of Stenhammar, but also the age in which he worked. However, Wallners account for the time Stenhammar entered the musical life and the beginning of his carrier is painted rather negatively. The centuries around the turn of the 20th century is characterized by a growing infrastructure within the concert life through the establishment of symphony orchestras and concert halls, which offered new possibilities for professional work in the musical field. With this article, I want to problematize the idea of the 1880s and 1890s as a time of less activity and decline in the musical life of Stockholm and present alternative ways to understand period and actors working within this context. In this article I use a quantitative methods as well as supplementary qualitative studies to provide insights into the structures of the concert life. I will argue that a deeper understanding of the development within musical life can be achieved by studying the period from an extended historical perspective. By using a wider perspective and starting from the longer historical context, Stenhammar’s position and impact can be analyzed and contribute to new interpretations of his role as an actor within the musical life. This article also discusses Stenhammar's position in musical life through musical networks that existed within the city. I will focus especially on Stenhammar's activities as a chamber musician and problematize Wallner's view of the position of chamber music in the public music life of Stockholm.