The career of the Swedish composer Dag Wirén (19051986) spanned six decades: his earliest pieces date to 1920, while his final project—the Flute Concertino—was completed in 1972. Today, Wirén is primarily remembered for his popular Serenade for Strings (1937), especially the Marcia (No. 4), which is often performed and recorded as a stand-alone concert piece. In addition to the Serenade, Wirén's most acclaimed works are: his four extant symphonies (Nos. 2–5), written from 1938 to 1964; the Sinfonietta (1934); his four extant string quartets (again, Nos. 2–5), written from 1935 to 1970; and his three concerti, respectively, for cello (1936), violin (1946), and piano (1950). Wirén was also a prolific composer for the stage and the silver screen: he wrote original scores to ten films, three ballets, two radio operettas, and numerous plays—although none of these is particularly well-known.
Orchestral works Symphonies Symphony No. 1 (Op. 3, 1932; withdrawn and never performed) Sinfonietta, for orchestra (Op. 7a, 1933–1934, revised 1940; published by Universal Edition in 1951)
Two Pieces for Orchestra () (Op. 7b, 1933–1934; No. 1 published by Svensk Musik/STIM; No. 2 published by in 1941)
Symphony No. 2, for orchestra (Op. 14, 1938–1939; published by the Swedish Art Music Society in 2000)
Symphony No. 3, for orchestra (Op. 20, 1943–1944; published by in 1946)
Symphony No. 4, for orchestra (Op. 27, 1951–1952; published by in 1954)
Symphony No. 5, for orchestra (Op. 38, 1963–1964; published by in 1965)
Concertante Cello Concerto, for cello and orchestra (Op. 10, 1936; published by in 1950)
Violin Concerto, for violin and orchestra (Op. 23, 1946; published by in 1948)
Piano Concerto, for piano and orchestra (Op. 26, 1950; published by in 1952)
Flute Concertino, for flute and small orchestra (Op. 44, 1972; published by in 1974)
Other orchestral Concert Overture No. 1 (), for orchestra (Op. 2, 1931; published by /STIM) Serenade for Strings (), for string orchestra (Op. 11, 1937; published by in 1944)
Concert Overture No. 2 (), for orchestra (Op. 16, 1940; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) Little Suite (), for orchestra (Op. 17, 1941; published by )
Romantic Suite (), suite for orchestra excerpted from the music to The Merchant of Venice (Op. 22, 1943, revised 1961; published by in 1955)
Comedy Overture (), for orchestra (Op. 21, 1945; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) Ballet Suite (), suite for orchestra excerpted from the ballet The Oscar Ball (Op. 24a, 1949; published by in 1954)
Divertimento (Op. 29, 1957; published by in 1959)
Triptych (), for small orchestra (Op. 33, 1958; published by in the Swedish Art Music Society 1959)
Music for Strings (), for string orchestra (Op. 40, 1966–1967; published by )
Stage Ballet and operetta Yellow, Red, and Blue (), operetta produced by Swedish Radio (1940; unpublished); libretto by The Happy Solitaire (), operetta produced by Swedish Radio (1941; unpublished); libretto by Georg Eliasson The Oscar Ball (), ballet for orchestra in one act (four tableaux) produced by the Royal Swedish Opera (Op. 24, 1949; published by in 1953)
Take Your Places on the Stage (), ballet for orchestra by (Op. 32, 1957; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) The Evil Queen / Snow White (), ballet for orchestra produced by Swedish Television (Op. 34, 1960; published by Svensk Musik/STIM)
Theatre music Madame Bovary, incidental music for ensemble to a production by Harry Rock Hansen of Flaubert's novel at the Blanche Theatre (1939; unpublished) The Merchant of Venice (), incidental music for ensemble to a production by Alf Sjöberg of Shakespeare's play at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (1943; unpublished) Amorina, incidental music for chamber orchestra to a production by Alf Sjöberg of Almqvist's at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (1951; unpublished) Romeo and Juliet (), incidental music for chamber orchestra to a production by Alf Sjöberg of Shakespeare's play at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (1953; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) God's Wife (), incidental music to a production by of Moberg's play for Swedish Radio (1954; unpublished) A Midsummer Night's Dream (), incidental music for orchestra to a production by Alf Sjöberg of Shakespeare's play at the Royal Swedish Opera (Op. 30, 1955; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) The Queen's Tiara (), incidental music for ensemble to a production by Alf Sjöberg of Almqvist's novel at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (1957; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) Hamlet, incidental music for ensemble to a production by Alf Sjöberg of Shakespeare's play at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (1960; unpublished) King John () incidental music for ensemble, to a production by Alf Sjöberg of Shakespeare's play at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (1961; published by Svensk Musik/STIM)
Chamber works Quartets and quintets String Quartet No. 1 (undated work; withdrawn) String Quartet No. 2 (Op. 9, 1935; published by in 1939)
String Quartet No. 3 (Op. 18, 1941–1945; published by in 1946)
String Quartet No. 4 (Op. 28, 1952–1953; published by in 1955)
Quartet, for flute, oboe, clarinet, and cello (Op. 31, 1956; published by in 1960)
String Quartet No. 5 (Op. 41, 1970; published by in 1972)
Quintet for Wind Instruments, for wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn) (Op. 42, 1971; published by in 1973)
Duos and trios Cello Sonatina No. 1, for cello and piano (Op. 1, 1931; published by Edition Suecia and Svensk Musik/STIM in 1969)
Cello Sonatina No. 2 in E minor, for cello and piano (Op. 4, 1933; published by in 1976)
Piano Trio No. 1 in C-sharp minor (Op. 6, 1933; published by in 1963)
Miniature Suite No. 1, for cello and piano (Op. 8a, 1934; published by Edition Suecia in 1948)
Miniature Suite No. 2, for piano trio (violin, cello, and piano) (Op. 8b, 1934; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) Violin Sonatina, for violin and piano (Op. 15, 1940; published by the Swedish Art Music Society in 1949)
Piano Trio No. 2 (Op. 36, 1961; published by in 1963)
Solo instrument Theme with Variations (), for piano (Op. 5, 1933; published by in 1949)
Ironical Miniatures (), for piano (Op. 19, 1942–1945; published by in 1947)
Piano Sonatina (Op. 25, 1950; published by in 1944)
Improvisations (), for piano (Op. 35, 1959; published by in 1960)
Little Serenade (), for guitar (Op. 39, 1964; published by in 1964)
Little Suite for Piano () (Op. 43, 1971; published by in 1972)
Film scores Nothing Is Forgotten (), original score to a feature film by Åke Ohberg (1942; published by Svensk Musik/STIM) Just among Us Thieves, or A Can of Pineapples (), original score to a feature film by Olof Molander (1945; unpublished) Green Gold (), original score to a documentary short by Theodor Christensen (1949) Only a Mother (), original score to a feature film by Alf Sjöberg (1949; unpublished) Miss Julie (), original score to a feature film by Alf Sjöberg (1951; unpublished) A Lesson in Love (), original score to a feature film by Ingmar Bergman (1954; unpublished) Wild Birds (), original score to a feature film by Alf Sjöberg (1955; unpublished) The Phantom Carriage (), original score to a feature film by Arne Mattsson (1958; unpublished) A Matter of Morals (), original score to a feature film by John Cromwell (1960; unpublished)
Vocal Titania for women's voices, words by Gustaf Fröding (1942) Three sea poems a capella, words by Karin Boye (1963) Livet och skrifterna ("En helig man"), words by Nils Ferlin (1934) Mitt trollslott står i skogens bryn, words by August Strindberg (1934) To your bed, Op. 13a, An autumn evening, Op. 13b, words by Erik Axel Karlfeldt (1938) Jungfru Maria and Malenavisorna, Op. 13 a-b (1938), words by Erik Axel Karlfeldt Annorstädes vals, words by Alf Henrikson (1965)
Notes, references, and sources