I did not know him, but I bet the members of The Four Horsemen did.
You couldn’t offer a much better RIP than that last sentence, Lawrence…
Doug
On May 12, 2014, at 7:05 AM, Lawrence Upton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Sten Hanson. Born Klövsjö, Sweden on 15th April 1936; died Stockholm,
> Sweden on 1st November 2013.
>
> Sten Hanson was a fine poet and composer but I don't think his death was
> remarked in the UK press. A few days ago it ran through my head that he
> might be dead. Not a particularly uncanny thought. Four years ago, I did a
> web search on Bengt-Emil Johnson to check a reference to him; and I found
> the man had died a little while before. So it has been somewhere in my head
> since...
>
> You can read about Sten Hanson at *http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Hanson
> <http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Hanson>*
>
> and there is a translation to bring the basic details of Stone Hanson. But
> is a basic page
>
> These two are in English
>
> *http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Hanson-Sten.htm
> <http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Hanson-Sten.htm>*
>
>
> *http://www.discogs.com/artist/156896-Sten-Hanson
> <http://www.discogs.com/artist/156896-Sten-Hanson>*
>
> You'll find text-sound compositions by him on the web.
>
> I'll leave you to those and say something else.
>
> The late Bob Cobbing went to Fylkingen and its (with Sveriges Radio)
> text-sound composition festival from 1965, most years, through to 1977. For
> most of those years, the agent of his invitation was Sten Hanson. Hanson
> saw some of the quality of Bob's work and did what he could to support it.
>
> Hanson was one of the small group from Fylkingen who came to UK in 1972 to
> participate in ICES 72; and thus I met him at National Poetry Centre on an
> evening convened by Cobbing of which I have written elsewhere.
>
> Subsequently, invitations were extended to me and he helped me and my work
> too. I remember Sten sitting down beside me in the studio in Folkungagatan
> with editing block, chinagraph and editing tape beside a reel to reel tape
> recorder that seemed to weigh as much as I did, and teaching me well how to
> edit tape soundlessly. He was generous with his time and very patient.
>
> In truth, the stereo piece I was trying to make could only be improved so
> far; and it is now beyond the reach of human; but before it was let go as
> unviable, Sten also took it, muttering to himself no doubt, and edited it
> *as a sound piece. I learned a lot from that. He made me see that what I
> had been doing could only ever have been decorative.
>
> I knew theoretically what I was trying to do and had access to the accepted
> "standards" of text-sound composition and the people who had made them; yet
> by giving up his time that way, Sten gave me a quick route to absorbing the
> knowledge until it was truly mine. He saved me from years of being too
> literary.
>
> Quadraphonic work by me was presented at the Fylkingen s about a year
> later; and I owe that to Sten's support and encouragement.
>
> It was Sten who arranged the funding to get the other 2 members of the
> group jgjgjg to Stockholm so that we could perform together in front of a
> festival audience.
>
> It's now years since I saw him but I am happy to praise him for his many
> achievements and qualities. He was one of those who did more good than harm.
>
Douglas Barbour
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Recent publications: (With Sheila E Murphy) Continuations & Continuation 2 (UofAPress).
Recording Dates (Rubicon Press).
Something else is out there
godamnit
And I want to hear it
C.D.Wright
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