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The music of Algot Haquinius is tinged by two qualities: the lyrical radiance he was capable of imparting to unexpected, intuitively emergent episodes and, secondly, the cunningly balanced design of melodic line and contrapuntal fabric. Stylistically speaking, his compositions incorporate two main elements: a romantic, impressionist approach with a hint of Swedish folk idiom, and a fluent expressionism. His alternately bright and dark, harmonic themes are carefully developed and varied to achieve eventful formal patterns and evocative musical atmosphere. His output is not large but it includes substantial and personal works such as his Preludes for piano and his String Quartet in A minor (brought to the attention of an international audience by the Slovac Quartet).

Born in Sveg on 30th July 1886, died on 6th February 1966. He studied at the Stockholm Conservatory 1898-1906, where he was taught composition by Ernst Ellberg and the piano by Hilda Thegerström and Lennart Lundberg. He continued his composition studies with Johan Lindegren and studied the piano abroad with M. Moszkowski and Ignaz Friedman, Berlin, becoming one of the foremost pianists in Sweden. Haquinius was one of the founders of the Society of Swedish Composers and served on its board between 1933 and 1939. He became a Member of the Royal Academy of Music in 1941.

(Author of this text: Hans-Gunnar Peterson.)