Johan Halvorsen

Johan Halvorsen (15 March 1864 – 4 December 1935) was a Norwegian composer, conductor, and violinist.

Life Born in Drammen, he was an accomplished violinist from a very early age and became a prominent figure in Norwegian musical life. He received his musical education in (now Oslo) and Stockholm, and was a concertmaster in Bergen before joining the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. He was a concertmaster in Aberdeen, then a professor of music in Helsinki, and finally became a student once again in Saint Petersburg, Leipzig (with Adolph Brodsky), Berlin, (with Adolf Becker), and Liège (with César Thomson). 1898 Music festival in Bergen by Agnes Nyblin. Left to right: Christian Cappelen, Catharinus Elling, Ole Olsen, Gerhard Rosenkrone Schelderup, Iver Holter, Agathe Backer Grøndahl, Edvard Grieg, Christian Sinding, Johan Svendsen and Halvorsen thumb Card Party in Leipzig c. 1887 showing Nina and Edvard Grieg, Johan Halvorsen, Frederick Delius, and Christian Sinding Returning to Norway in 1893, he worked as conductor of the theatre orchestra at Den Nationale Scene in Bergen and of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. He became concertmaster of the Bergen Philharmonic in 1885, and principal conductor in 1893. In 1899 he was appointed conductor of the orchestra at the newly opened National Theatre in Kristiania, a position he held for 30 years until his retirement in 1929.

In early 2016, librarians at the University of Toronto announced that they had located the manuscript score of his violin concerto, performed only three times in 1909 and considered lost. The piece received its fourth performance, 107 years later, in 2016.

Selected compositions Operetta Mod Nordpolen, in 3 acts (1911); libretto by Vilhelm Dybwad

Incidental music Gurre, Op. 17; music for the play by Holger Drachmann Nordraakiana Askeladden Reisen til Julestjernen (Journey to the Christmas Star); music for the play by Sverre Brandt Tordenskjold, Op. 18; music for the historical play by Jacob Breda Bull Kongen (The King), Op. 19; music for the play by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Fossegrimen, Op. 21; music for the play by Sigurd Eldegard Vasantasena; music for the old Indian play The Merchant of Venice; music for the Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing (1915); music for the Shakespeare play Livet i skogen, Op. 33; music for Shakespeare's As You Like It Dronning Tamara (Queen Tamara); music for the play by Knut Hamsun Macbeth (1920); music for the Shakespeare play

Orchestra Bojarenes inntogsmarsj (Entry March of the Boyars) for orchestra (or concert band) (1895) Festovertyre (Norwegian Festival Overture), Op. 16 (1899) Nächtlicher Zug from Miniatures for string orchestra, Op. 29 No. 2 (1910); arrangement by the composer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in Memoriam, Op. 30 (1910) Norway's Greeting to Theodore Roosevelt, Op. 31 (1910) Suite ancienne to the Memory of Ludvig Holberg, Op. 31 (1911) Festmarsj (Festival March). Op. 32 Scène funèbre Sérénade, Op. 33 (1913) Bergensiana, Rococo Variations on an Old Melody from Bergen "Jeg tog min nystemte Cithar i Hænde" (I Took Up My Newly Tuned Zither) (1913) Norske rapsodie No. 1 (Norwegian Rhapsody No. 1) in A major (1919–1920) Springar I went so lately to my bed Halling - Springar Norske rapsodie No. 2 (Norwegian Rhapsody No. 2) in G major (1919–1920) Dance tune from Åmot Han Ole Springar Symphony No. 1 in C minor (1923) Symphony No. 2 "Fatum" in D minor (1924, revised 1928) Symphony No. 3 in C major (1929) Norske eventyrbylleder (Norwegian Fairy-tale Pictures), Op. 37 (1933); reworking of 1925 incidental music Peik, prinsessen og stortrollet (Peik, the Princess and the Big Troll) Prinsessen kommer ridende på bjørnen (The Princess Comes Riding on a Bear) Trollenes inntog i berget det blå (Entry of the Trolls into the Town Hall) Dans av småtroll (Dance of the Little Trolls) Festovertyre (Norwegian Festival Overture), Op. 38 Elegi for string orchestra Forspill til den hvite Ring Rabnabryllaup uti Kraakjalund, Norwegian Folk-Song Arrangement for string orchestra

Concert band Hallingdal Bataljon's Marsj (1882–1883) Gatemarsj (Street March) Norwegian Sea Picture Salutation to the Royal Couple of Norway

Concertante Air norvégien (Norwegian Air) for violin and orchestra, Op. 7 (1896/1903). Veslemøy's Song for violin and orchestra (1898); dedicated to Kathleen Parlow Norwegian Song "The Old Fisherman's Song" for violin and string orchestra, Op. 31 (1901, 1913) Andante Religioso for violin and orchestra (1903) Concerto in G minor for violin and orchestra, Op. 28 (1909); dedicated to Kathleen Parlow Bryllupsmarsch, Norwegian Wedding March for violin and orchestra, Op. 32 No. 1 Danses norvégiennes No. 1 for violin and orchestra (1915) Danses norvégiennes No. 2 for violin and orchestra (1915)

Chamber music 6 Stimmungsbilder (6 Mood Pieces) for violin and piano (1890) Suite in G minor for violin and piano (1890) Danses norvégiennes for violin and piano (1897) Elegie (Andante) for violin and piano (1897) Passacaglia in G minor on a Theme by George Frideric Handel (from Harpsichord Suite in G minor, HWV 432) for violin and viola or cello (1897) Sarabande con variazioni in D minor on a Theme by George Frideric Handel for violin and viola or cello (1897) Crépuscule for violin and piano (c. 1898) Suite Mosaïque for violin and piano (1898) Intermezzo orientale Entr'acte Scherzino – "Spurven" (The Sparrow) Veslemøys sang (Veslemøy's Song) Fête nuptial rustique (An Old-fashioned Wedding) String Quartet in E, Op. 10 Little Dance Suite for violin and piano, Op. 22 Slåtter, Peasant Dances for violin solo (1903) Miniatures, 5 Easy Pieces for 2 violins and piano, Op. 29 (1910) To serenader (Two Serenades) for violin and piano Norske viser og danse (Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances), 30 Folk Arrangements for violin and piano Concert Caprice on Norwegian Melodies for 2 violins

Choral Varde, Cantata for male chorus and orchestra, Op. 11 (1904); words by Per Sivle Alrune for soprano solo, female chorus and chamber orchestra, Op. 20 No. 1 Kantate ved kroningen i Trondhjems Domkirke den 22 juni 1906 for soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, orchestra, harp and organ, Op. 27 (1906); words by Sigvald Skavlan Bergensiana for mixed chorus