Torsten Nilsson (b. 1920) developed late as a composer; intending to be a pianist, he switched to the organ in the mid-1930s. Around 1950 he began to compose as the result of one day ''losing his temper'', since when he has written over 130 works, the majority for church use. Occupying a similar place in Swedish musical life to Knut Nystedt's in Norway, his musical profile is not as strong, nor is he a pioneer like his contemporary and compatriot, Bengt Hambraeus.
By concentrating on piano music, this disc (in Caprice's Composer series) gives a rather misleading impression of Nilsson's output. Both concertos (No. 1 with strings dates from 1974-7, No. 2—On The Threshold for piano, winds and percussion—from 1975) are written in a recognizably modern, expanded-tonal style with some use of serial techniques, fluently composed if dynamically rather monochrome (one or two passages border on the trite). The Suite for Grand Piano (1988) exhibits a range of expression and delicacy of touch absent from both larger works.
Performances and recording are ideal but this is not, I fear, music to set the world alight. A disc of Nilsson's organ or sacred music might have made out a better case for him, otherwise this is really only of interest to students of post-War Swedish music.'