Biography
Torvald Torén (29 September 1945 – 5 July 2001) was a Swedish organist, professor at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and organist at Hedvig Eleonora Church in Stockholm from 1966 to 2001.
Torvald Torén was educated at the Royal College of Music, where, in addition to his degrees in church music and music teacher, he also obtained a soloist diploma in both organ and piano. His organ studies continued abroad with, among others, Flor Peeters, Jean Langlais and Maurice Duruflé.
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Torén paid special attention to the French symphonic repertoire. He gave concerts internationally and made numerous radio and record recordings. He is documented on record with, among others, all of Vierne's organ symphonies, all organ works by Franck and Duruflé and works by Tournemire, Dupré, Jongen, Widor and other composers from the Franco-Belgian school. He also recorded Bach's six trio sonatas and Swedish music.
In 1983, Torén became a teacher of soloist organ playing at the Royal College of Music, where he was appointed professor in 1994. In teaching, Torén was firmly rooted in the French aesthetic, with Marcel Dupré as his main role model. Torvald Torén is buried at Hedvig Eleonora cemetery in Stockholm.
Trivia:
Torén is one of the supporting characters in John Irving's novel Until I Find You.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.