Linnékvintetten 40 år Jubileumskonsert

About the Performance

Program

Johann Sebastian Bach 1685–1750: The Art of Fugue
Thomas Stevens 1938–2018: Variations in Olden Style
Edvard Grieg 1843–1907: From Holberg’s Time
Igor Stravinsky 1882–1971: Pulcinella Suite 2.0

The Linné Quintet

Alexander Lindh, trumpet
Ingibjörg Linnet, trumpet
Fredrik Dickfelt, French horn
Birgitta Lagerstedt, trombone
Alexander Skylvik, tuba

The Linné Quintet is celebrating its 40th anniversary with music that looks back to the past and reinterprets it in new ways! Join us for a concert featuring music by composers such as Bach, Stravinsky, Stevens, and Grieg.

Unfinished Masterpiece

Johann Sebastian Bach’s *Die Kunst der Fuge*, BWV 1080, is one of his unfinished final masterpieces, composed from around 1740 until the final year of his life in 1750. This magnificent contrapuntal work is ideally suited for a brass quintet and has been performed by many ensembles in new arrangements.

Tuban in the Spotlight

Thomas Stevens wrote *Variations in Olden Style* for tuba player Roger Bobo in 1989. The composer sought to create music for the tuba in an older style, drawing inspiration from J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 6 (Sarabande).

Reimagined Classics

Edvard Grieg’s *From Holberg’s Time*, Op. 40, was originally written for piano in 1884; he later arranged it for string orchestra as well. Here, Grieg drew on dance music from the 18th century. The Linné Quintet performs it in an arrangement by Jeff Luke.

Stravinsky’s *Pulcinella Suite* is an orchestral work from 1922 based on his 1920 ballet *Pulcinella*. It is written in a neoclassical style, blending 18th-century music with more modern rhythms and harmonies. In *Pulcinella Suite 2.0*, Steven Verhlst arranged the work for the Brass United Quintet. Here, Steven has returned to the original ballet and arranged ten pieces for a brass quintet.

The Linné Quintet Turns 40!

As an ensemble, the Linnékvintetten will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026! The popular Tornmusik series, which takes place over two weeks every summer at Uppsala Cathedral, also marked the occasion this year with a program from 1989.

For a brass ensemble, forty years is an impressive milestone, given that this musical form—featuring five modern brass instruments—emerged relatively late in the history of chamber music. It was established in the 1940s and 1950s but gained international popularity through ensembles such as Canadian Brass in the 1970s. In June 1986, plans for the future of the Linnékvintetten began.

A Beloved Ensemble

The members of the Linné Quintet have changed over the years, but the ensemble’s activities at Musik i Uppland are just as dedicated and enthusiastic as they were when it was founded in 1986.

The popular “Tower Music” concerts from the cathedral’s south tower took place as early as the first summer. Concerts for children also quickly became an important part of the Linnaeus Quintet’s activities, as did visiting music schools and amateur orchestras, and giving workshops and concerts. Christmas concerts with choirs led to year-round collaborations with choirs, and the ensemble has added luster to a great many anniversaries and inaugurations.

Notable Premieres

From the very beginning, the Linné Quintet has placed great importance on renewing the Swedish repertoire for brass quintet. This has resulted in some fifty world premieres of Swedish music, including works by composers such as Britta Byström, Mats Larsson Gothe, Rolf Martinsson, Karin Rehnqvist, Marie Samuelsson, and Jonas Forssell.

The Linnékvintetten are full-time employees of Musik i Uppland, which is funded by Region Uppsala. Their mission is to provide residents of Uppsala County with musical experiences featuring live music of the highest quality.

Brass Instruments

Modern brass instruments emerged during the 19th century, and the contemporary ensemble consisting of five brass instruments was established in the 1950s. Performing the older repertoire from the 1800s and earlier requires new arrangements, adaptations, or innovative compositions inspired by older styles.