Moses Pergament was not only a composer but also a remarkably active and wide-ranging writer. His earliest preserved writings are found in a collection of poems in Yiddish, Swedish and German, begun at the age of thirteen. Many Swedish readers became familiar with the signature ‘M.P.‘ in Svenska Dagbladet, Nya Dagligt Allehanda, Aftontidningen and Stockholmstidningen, the newspapers for which Pergament wrote in his day job as music critic. During his lifetime he published three books of music essays — Vandring med Fru Musica, Ny vandring med Fru Musica and Svenska tonsättare — as well as a biography of Jenny Lind. Less well known is the fact that he continued writing poetry throughout his life, and also authored unpublished theatre and film scripts.

Presented here is a cross-section of Pergament’s writings in different formats. They are published with permission of Pergament’s heirs and appear here for the first time in English translation, alongside the original Swedish texts. Editorial commentary and archival materials are included where relevant.