Lars-Erik Vilner Larsson was born in Åkarp in 1908, the son of a factory worker and a nurse. He studied with Ellberg at the Stockholm Conservatory (1925–1929) and with Alban Berg and Fritz Reuter in Vienna and Leipzig (1929–1930), then worked for Swedish radio and taught at the Stockholm Conservatory (1947–1959) and Uppsala University where he held the position as Director musices (1961–1966).
His style as a composer is eclectic, ranging from the late Romantic to techniques derived from Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-note system, but original in method. He was the first Swede to write serial music (1932). Yet other works of that period are post-Sibelian or neo-classical, and his output generally is characterized by variety of style.
He wrote for the theatre, cinema and broadcasting, in addition to the more traditional forms of symphony, concerto, chamber and vocal music.
He died of diabetes complications in Helsingborg in 1986, aged 78.
Larsson wrote two of the most popular works in Swedish art music:
Pastoral suite (Pastoralsvit), for chamber orchestra, Op. 19 (1938)A God in Disguise (Förklädd gud), a non-religious lyrical suite for mixed chorus, soloists and orchestra, Op. 24 (1940; text written by Malmö poet Hjalmar Gullberg)Larsson's most important symphonic works are his three symphonies for full orchestra:
Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 2 (1927–28)Symphony No. 2, Op. 17 (1936–37)Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 34 (1944–45)Other works for orchestra:
A Winter's Tale (En Vintersaga), Op. 18 (1937–38)Larsson also wrote a Sinfonietta for string orchestra and a popular Little Serenade for the same medium.
He wrote a series of 12 concertinos for solo instruments: flute, saxophone, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, double bass and piano.
Larsson's Concerto for alto saxophone, written for Sigurd Raschèr in 1934, is one of the first major works for saxophone to utilize ideas of non-standard tonality.
The Violin Concerto, Op. 42 (1952) is another important work, as is the opera Prinsessan av Cypern.
1927 Op. 1, A Fiddler's Last Journey, ballad, bar orch1927-8 Op. 2, Symphony No. 1 D major1928 Op. 3, Violin Sonatina1929 Op. 4, Concert Overture No. 11930 Op. 5, Symphonic Sketch1931 Op. 6, Duo, vln vla1931-2 Op. 7, Divertimento No. 1, chamber orch1932? Op. 8, Ten pianopieces1931-6 Op. 9, Prinsessan av Cypern (The Princess of Cyprus), opera1932 Op. 10, Sinfonietta, str1932 Op. 11, The Bright Country1934 Op. 12, Little Serenade, str1934 Op. 13, Concert Overture No. 21934 Op. 14, Saxophone Concerto, altsax str1935 Op. 15, Divertimento No. 2, chamber orch1936 Little March, orch1936 Op. 16, Piano Sonatina No. 11937 Op. 17, Symphony No. 21937-8 Op. 18, A Winter's Tale, 4 movts, orch1937-8 Op. 19, Hours of Day Suite, 6 movts incl Pastoral Suite, orch1937-8 Op. 19, Pastoral Suite, 3 movts orch1938 Op. 20, Intimate Miniatures, strqt1938 Op. 21, Invocatio, for choir and orchestra1939 Op. 22, Festmusik, orch193? Twelve Folksongs: includes Watercolour; BoxPainter; HerbGirl, mezzo pno1940 Op. 23, Jorden Sjunger, orch1930–40 Op. 24, God in Disguise, lyric suite, sop bar narr orch1940 Op. 25, Väktarsånger, for barytone,male choir and orchestra1941 Op. 26, Röster Från Skansen, lyric suite for recitation,barytone,choir and orchestra1941 Op. 27, The Swedish Nation, lyric suite, orch1941 Op. 27a, Folksong Night, orch1944 Op. 28, Kungajakt, film: Gustaviansk Suite, fl hpschd str1944 Op. 29, Four songs1944 Op. 30, Det Röda Korset, Cantata for recitation,barytone,choir and orchestra1944 Op. 31, String Quartet No. 1 D minor1944 Op. 32, Two Pieces, orch1945 Op. 33, Two songs1944-5 Op. 34, Symphony No. 3 C minor1946 Op. 35, Nine Gullberg Songs1946 Op. 36, Sankta Lucia, incidental music1946-7 Op. 37, Cello Concerto1946-7 Op. 38, Croquiser, pno1947 Op. 39, Piano Sonatina No. 21948-9 Op. 40, Music for Orchestra1950 Op. 41, Piano Sonatina No. 31952 Op. 42, Violin Concerto1954 Op. 43, Missa Brevis1955 Op. 44, String Quartet No. 2, Quartetto alla Serenata1955 Op. 45/1, Flute Concertino, +str1954-5 Op. 45/2, Oboe Concertino, +str1956-7 Op. 45/3, Clarinet Concertino, +str1955 Op. 45/4, Bassoon Concertino, +str1954 Op. 45/5, Horn Concertino, +str1953 Op. 45/6, Trumpet Concertino, +str1955 Op. 45/7, Trombone Concertino, +str1956 Op. 45/8, Violin Concertino, +str1954-6 Op. 45/9, Viola Concertino, +str1954-6 Op. 45/10, Cello Concertino, +str1957 Op. 45/11, Double-Bass Concertino, +str1957 Op. 45/12, Piano Concertino, +str1957-8 Op. 46, Linden, ballet1960 Op. 47, Twelve Little Pieces, pno1960 Op. 48, Adagio, str1960 Op. 49, Three Pieces, orch1962 Op. 50, Variations for Orchestra1964 Op. 51, Intrada Solemnis, for trumpets,trombones, doublechoir,boys choir and organ1964? Op. 52, Eight songs1966 Op. 53, Soluret Och Urnan, cantata for barytone,choir and orchestra1966 Op. 54, Lyric Fantasy, orch1968 Op. 55, Quattro Tempi, Divertimento, windquintet1969 Op. 56, Easy Pieces, pno1969 Op. 57, Five Pieces, pno1969 Op. 58, Seven Little Fugues with Preludes, pno1969? Op. 59, Tre citat, for choir1969 Op. 60, Cello Sonatina1970 Op. 61, Three Pieces, cl pno1971 Op. 62, Due Auguri, orch1972 Op. 63, Aubade, ob strtrio1973 Op. 64, Raa Rokoko, orch1975 Op. 65, String Quartet No. 3