A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Söderman, Johan
SÖDERMAN, Johan August, one of the greatest Swedish composers of modern times, was born in Stockholm, July 17, 1832—his father being director of the orchestra at a minor theatre—and at an early age displayed traces of musical genius. When 18 years of age he was selected by Stjernstrom, the director of the orchestra at the Royal theatre in Stockholm, as instructor to a company of musicians, then on a tour to Finland. On his return Söderman wrote his first operetta, with the fantastic title, 'The Devil's first rudiments of Learning,' which was performed at the Mindre theatre at Stockholm, Sept. 14, 1856. During the following two years he stayed in Leipzig, studying under Richter and Hauptmann; in the year 1860 he was appointed chorus-master at the Royal Opera in Stockholm; and from that date until his election as a member of the Swedish Academy of Music, his life was occupied in such minor offices in the musical world as are too often the lot of great composers when cast in a small community. But however poor the offices he held, Söderman filled them with a sincerity and zeal which many a man of inferior talents might have envied.
His works are about 60 in number—operettas, songs, ballads, part-songs, funeral marches and cantatas; of which, however, only half have been printed, and these at the expense of the Swedish government after his death. Of the printed works we can only mention a few, besides the abovementioned, namely 2 operettas, 'The wedding at Ulfåsa,' and 'Reginavon Emmeritz'; overture to 'The Maid of Orleans'; songs; 'Trios for male voices,' containing the Finnish national air 'Suomi sång'; a Circassian dance, and a concert-overture, also 'Sacred songs for organ,' containing a number of hymns of great beauty and purity, of which the best known are a Benedictus and an Agnus Dei. Though a protestant, his chef-d'œuvre is a Mass for solos, chorus and orchestra, which has only been twice performed in Stockholm, but is considered by his countrymen as equal to any by the great composers, and which is animated by such sincere devotion, and stamped by such a high degree of originality and masterly finish, as to rank among the choicest gems of Swedish music.
Another of his works worth mention is his music to the poetry of Bellman. This poet, whose genius is akin to that of Marlowe, has written a number of rhapsodies, depicting the gay, jovial, and careless nature of the Swede, with a force of animal spirit and genuine originality which few other poets have equalled; and to these productions, which every Swede knows by heart, Söderman set music.
The foreign composers who seem to have influenced his more elaborate productions are Beethoven, Schubert, and, in particular, Schumann. His compositions, though thoroughly Swedish, are not national; they bear the impress of the vigorous and energetic nature of the Northerner, which makes Scandinavian compositions so charming. Söderman died Feb. 10, 1876, at the early age of 44, and a national subscription was at once raised in Sweden for the benefit of his widow and children. It was a token of the gratitude and respect of a musical nation for a great composer.[ C. S. ]