(b Stockholm, 26 Oct 1694; d Haraldsmåla, 20 Nov 1758). Swedish composer. He joined the Swedish royal chapel as a violinist and oboist in 1711, and c1715-21 studied in England where he had contact with Handel. Returning to Stockholm, he became deputy master of the chapel (1721), later chief master (1727). Besides improving the chapel standards, he founded Stockholm's first public concerts (1731) and toured Europe (1735-7). He retired in 1745.

Roman, the first Swedish composer of real significance, is a leading figure in the country's musical history. His output includes occasional vocal works, sacred music, songs etc orchestral suites and concertos, symphonies and chamber works; best known is the orchestral suite Drottningholmsmusiquen, written for a royal wedding in 1744. Some of his music shows Handel's influence, but his style also has galant features. He arranged works by other composers and translated theoretical works into Swedish.

The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.