Cello studies with Gustav Gröndahl at the State Academy in Stockholm (1966-1969), architectural history at the University
in Aix-en-Provence(from 1970), musicology at the Universityof Stockholm (1971-1972), electronic music at the Electronic Music
Studio Stockholm and at the Groupe de RecherchesMusicales de l'ORTF (GRM) in Paris. He studied composition with Luc Ferrari
between 1973 and 1975 and in the following year at McGill University in Montreal (studies with Bengt Hambraeus). He is an active
lecturer and lives and works mostly in France.
On his music
In the early years Ragnar Grippe composed mainly tape music. Experiment is the keyword for these compositions. From the early
eighties his compositions integrate influences from traditional and pop music, obvious in his Ten Temperaments. Grippe
worked closely with choreographers and filmmakers to produce an extensive output of incidental music.
Apart from electronic music Ragnar Grippe also composed many instrumental and electro-accoustic works, including orchestral
works and operas. In his youngest compositions the accent has been on music for 'big audiences', such as his popular Requiem.
Many of these works are, to my taste, on the border of 'kitsch'.
Principal Works
1973 - Capriccio, tape (13')
1973 - Experimenta I , tape
1973 - Experimenta II, tape
1973 - So long, tape (12')
1973 - Variations de voix, tape
1973 - What?, tape
1973-74 - Sine qua non I, tape (25')
1974 - Anagram, tape (24')
1974 - Corpi identici diversi, tape (30'30)
1974 - Marathon, tape (9'30)
1974 - Sine qua non II, tape (25')
1974 - Three movements, tape (16')
1975 - Chamber Music , tape (7'30)
1975 - Electra glide, tape with clarinet ad lib. (22')
1975 - Margana, tape (24')
1975 - Ritorno, tape (18'30), music for the ballet by Oscar Raiz
1975 - Spar, tape, special version of 'Ur Undrens Tid' for ballet by Paolo Bortoluzzi
1975 - Ur Undrens Tid, tape (17'30)
1975 - Vänthallen, tape, ballet commissioned by the Stockholm Opera, choreography by Oscar Araiz
1976 - Music from the past of today, 2 pianos and tape (16')
1976 - Musique Douze, tape (14')
1976 - Out of sight, tape (25')
1976 - Romeo & Juliet, balletversion for tape (75')
1976 - Romeo & Juliet, concertversion for tape (31'30)
1976 - Situation I, tape-version as well as version for bass clarinet and tape or cello and tape (17')
1976 - Situation III, cello, 2 pianos and tape (17'30)
1976 - Situation IV, tape
1976 - The day after tomorrow, tape (7')
1976 - The Human Confetti, tape
1977 - Omaggio a Picasso, ballet, written for the 200th anniversary of La Scala in Milan
1977 - Reminiscense, tape
1977 - Sand, tape (50')
1977 - Untitled, tape (32')
1977 - Where are they, tape (10')
1978 - Paperland I - IV, tape
1978 - Restes, tape (21')
1980 - Orchestra, tape (13')
1980 - Through black and white, tape, music for ballet
1981 - 30 november, tape, music for ballet
1981 - Salome I - II, tape (42')
1981 - Symphonic songs, tape (82'30)
1981 - Ten Temperaments, tape (40')
1982 - En flicka på halsen, tape, music for the movie
1982 - Jönssonligan och Dynamitharry, tape, music for the movie
1983 - Des sites, tape, music for ballet (71')
1984 - Jönssonligan får guldfeber, tape, music for the movie
1984-85 - Skuggan av Henry, piano, guitar and tape, music for the tv-series
1985 - Conversation, cello and tape (29')
1985 - Musik till Socialdemokraternas valfilm, piano, cello and tape, music for the movie (5')
1985 - Pianostück 1, piano (7')
1985 - Pianostück 2, piano (9')
1985 - Roland Hassel, guitar, percussion and tape, music for the tv-series (13')
1988 - Aurora, opera in 4 acts and 5 scenes. soloists, choir and orchestra (3,3,3,3-4,4,3,1 12-0 strings and piano)
1988 - Eurydike, mixed choir and orchestra (2,2,2,1-3,3,3,1-11-0 strings, piano)
1989 - Six pièces pour hautbois et cordes, oboe and strings
1989 - The Journeys of Orpheus and Odysseus, radio-opera for soloists, choir, orchestra and tape
1990 - Symphonie des deux continents, mixed choir and orchestra (3,2,2,2-4,3,3,1-14-1strings)
1992 - L'arbre egayé, tape (13')
1993 - Pianoconcerto, piano and orchestra (3,2,2,2-5,2,3,1-11 strings and percussion) (28')
1993 - Suspended chois, tape (39'30)
1994 - La distraction fut sentie par plusieurs personnes, 2 pianos. Consists of 3 parts:
La distraction fut sentie par plusieurs personnes; L'arbitre n'est plus ici; Le matin à l'aube
1994 - La mécanicien effréné, tape (23'30)
1994 - L'archer coupe l'air en deux, tape (14')
1995 - La chambre d'un rêve, tape (14')
1996 - L'étrange lumière d'hier, flute, clarinet, string quartet and piano (10')
1996 - Requiem, voice and synthesizers (49')
1996 - Shifting Spirits, tape (21')
1996 - Vase in two parts, tape (8')
1998 - Grand Voyage sans Larmes, tape
???? - Lost secrets, tape. Consists of 8 parts: Dancing Aztecs; Stonehenge; Babylon; Time&space;
Electricity; Pyramid; Turn around; Heartbeat
