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.