Gunno Södersten (1920-1998) studied in Stockholm and also with Messiaen. He was a pianist, organist, and conductor, serving at the Immanuel Church in Stockholm 1943-1985. He wrote a number of organ works, among them 6 Symphonies, this is the 2nd movement of Symphony 1, titled "Kyrie". The composer writes this about the work:
This symphony is intended to be a sermon - following the classical pattern with three points - over Bo Setterlind's poems to the church bells in the Immanuel church in Stockholm: Immanuel-Kyrie-Gloria. It also has a musical connection to the notes of church bells C-A-G (the so-called Gloria motif) and famous chorales and spiritual songs that have this motif and to texts that are in harmony with the content of the poems. The symphony has three movements.
About the second movement:
After the presentation of the seven notes in the melody of Lina Sandell's reconciliation hymn "Jesus for the world gave his life", an elegiac, meditative organ chorale is spun that ends in quiet confidence.
At the top of the page is this inscription:
"Dying is victory,
not defeat.
It shines over the mountains,
night has turned to day."
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