The composer Sven-David Sandström: Now it is enough to end soon

He smiles and blinks away a tear. It is the strong feelings this Sunday in the Cathedral in Stockholm.

There was a clang, as if a gate opened, " he says, and move the hand about the sound.

the Swedish Composer Sven-David Sandström listening for the first time to some of the pieces he composed for the morning service on the first Sunday in lent. He will be touched to hear how well the choirs will take care of his music. A orgelstycke is also new to his ears, he has so far only seen it in scores.

the protagonist of this Sunday. His music is performed throughout the day, both during the worship service, during a eftermiddagskonsert. In between a seminar on his work of composing music for the church; choral parts and församlingssång to the masses, and ordinances, all year round.

We get to start with hear to it that should be delivered will be a mix of Sven-David Sandström and J S Bach.

”Who is the best, you or the Bach?” whispers I to him from kyrkbänken.

”Where do you get enough pull ticket”, whispers he thought back.

Sven-David Sandström is sick and sitting in a wheelchair in the aisle. In the three years he worked together with Gustaf Sjökvist, the board of the cathedral, a well-known domkyrkoorganist who died of lung cancer in 2015, with a privately financed programme to provide new music for the liturgical year.

about how Gustaf Sjökvist in the morning before the morning service went around in the church, and hummed, and waved to try to comprehend what he saw. He had just received a blade with more or less unreadable, crow's feet, notes from Sven-David Sandström. And how it was, would the music performed by the choir at the worship service a few hours later.

– There are stories that are true, " says the composer. I had to write very fast, it is supposed to until Sunday, so it was difficult to read. Just as in Bach's time.

It is thanks to Bach as Sven-David sandström's large quantities of church music has come to.

– Yes, the idea was that I would go into a kind of offence in the church. To be a composer of the church's framework, as the Bach, I thought that would be fun and stimulating. The music saves the church. People go to the music. I said it also. If you want help to survive to you take in me.

a solskensprojekt, a gift to the church from donors, from Sven-David Sandström composed and the two körledarna: Gustaf Sjökvist with his run in the Cathedral and the Mona Ehntorp with its Hässelby motettkör. Mona Ehntorp says she once had to say on the skarpen. It became too difficult for her running, which of course was a regular church choir, no professionals. Sandström must write easier. First, he said abruptly, no, but then he came on a trick which was to write for three voices instead of six, without losing power and strength.

this Sunday singing of the two choirs, both beautifully according to their different conditions. For them it is great to Sven-David Sandström is there and is listening. For years they have tried to interpret his music and for the most part, he has been in the united states or in other places. So it is a very special day.

It is a bit strange that Gustaf Sjökvist and Sven-David Sandström would be affected by the same disease, lung cancer. But in a strange way has this diagnosis, and feeling that the time is measured out, got the previous high-performance the composer to be even more, almost incredible, creative. He has in the past sjukdomsåret created four-five major works. Several hours of music. In addition, a whole opera.

Sven-David Sandström Photo: Fredrik Funck

his wife, Ann-Marie Lysell, former violinist of the Swedish Radio symphony orchestra in their apartment on the Ring road. A 850-page score is in three thick piles on the table in Sven-David sandström's study. It is music to a operalibretto by author Niklas Rådström, where the starting point is Rådströms own novel ”the Book” which is an artistic reconstruction of the Bible. Sven-David Sandström takes up a sheet of music and explains.

– This creates the earth, this created the light. You can see how it starts from zero, this is nothing, just a ton, which is urtonen. A low, low tone that rumbles in some sort of surreal truth.

Then he takes up another sheet, gyttrigt of the notes.

" This is chaos. Here are the twenty different things that are happening at the same time. When you hear twenty things at the same time, it is chaos, it you can be sure. Out of chaos created the foundations.

You can see here that it is very strong. Three forte. And a wave, see, a wave that falls down here.

Sven-David Sandström has always written a lot of music but now is the pace of work is higher than at any time in the past. Photo: Fredrik Funck

following a wave of notes.

– the Flute plays the meeting. The conductor takes up the whole thing, getting the dynamics right. And the choir vrålsjunger simply. This is the very act of creation.

he shows you how He makes practical. Paper and pencil and a synthesizer. Both within easy reach. He bounces between them, humming and klinkar. Writes, erases.

– the Title is not yet complete. Light and ease, I am looking for ease. No ideological, religious goja.

I turn to Sven-David sandström's name in Wikipedia and faint almost when I see verkförteckningen. Seven closely-written pages, it just don't want to take the end of the year.

– Yes, over five hundred pieces I have done, " he says. And Ann-Marie Lysell add:

– So it goes when you sit from morning to evening.

the Reason that the composing process became a mandatory task for Sven-David Sandström, even a cold, has to do with his fact light, it is he convinced. He started in high school and knew early on that this was his way to become someone to be reckoned with and look up to. Home where parents are strict, he was very alone in school, never got to go out, not even on the studentfester since it was about spirits and such a man would not keep on with.

" No, not in the slightest. And now I'm very happy for it, I have not felt anything specific, not taken from a distance or knixat in the way and been stupid, but I slid in slowly.

" I'm probably a sliders for I slipped into tonsätteriet also. It was probably three years when I wanted to apply to the Musical academy, but not thought. My parents didn't want it, they said it not, but I knew.

" I grew up in a very strict religious church within the pentecostal movement with tongues and andeutgjutelse. And I have had a great joy for I know that it is what I'm doing.

– It is a gift that I'm talking about. To be able to compose. Mother spoke in tongues and there was talk in tongues at nearly every meeting I was at. So it was nothing strange. It was just a little hard: ”Oh, now they start again.”

– No, not one bit and it discourages me still not. There is a creativity in this, for it is the spiritual perspective in spite of everything. And I feel that I received the gifts I want to manage. Although I am a bit excessive there, that's why I write so much. They call sometimes and ask how it works, Anders Hillborg and Daniel Börtz...

Sven-David Sandström is a phenomenon, quite clear. Fast like no other, and equipped with a mind that lets most of the bad things drain. Hassle-free, even in his severe illness, in the shadow of death.

" No, I don't plan on death, but I have been quite ill and thought that now it is enough to end soon.

Sven-David Sandström Photo: Fredrik Funck

" Nothing. It may slip away, it is not a thing I can do. And I have not hurt.

" Yes, it is sad, very sad. But at the same time, when you are tired and decrepit, then it does not matter. It is wisely arranged.

" It doesn't bother me at all, it's quite nice. But this is a little glossy, " he says, and nibbles in his sleek, black sidenskjorta.

" this is not crap.

– It is great fun, it is amazing. It is something that I never imagined. And I feel ordered, I can say it without being ashamed.

– Yes, so simple, I think it is, I have a good mood.