Jerker Johansson

Överste Sjöqvist

ALBERT LÖFGREN (1872-1930) is one of the great names in the annals of Swedish military music. He came from a poor peasant family and went the same way as his two older brothers. Only ten years old he was accepted as a pupil in the band of the Västgöta regiment. In 1892 he moved to Stockholm where he started his studies at the Music Conservatory and graduated as military director of music in 1896, only 24 years old. During his time in Stockholm he played with various orchestras and was considered as one of Swedenu2019s finest clarinettists. In 1904 he was appointed director of music at the Älvsborg regiment and in a few years he raised the level of that band to the highest standard. Five years later he became director of music at the Göta artillery regiment and also solo clarinettist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and worked in these capacities until his retirement in 1925/26. He made himself famous both as conductor and composer, but most of all as arranger and orchestrator. Especially his arrangements for band of old Swedish folk music have been appreciated and are still played today. The few marches by his pen sounds different than other contemporary marches. He wrote Colonel Sjöqvist in 1909 and the march is dedicated to Henrik Sjöqvist, who was commander of the Älvsborg regiment. The score for modern band is made by Jerker Johansson (born 1967) who has worked as conductor for GöteborgsMusiken (now Göteborg Wind Orchestra) and other ensembles for a great number of years.