Johansen, David Monrad

Johansen, David Monrad, Norwegian pianist, music critic, and composer, father of (David) Johan Kvandal (Johansen); b. Vefsn, Nov. 8, 1888; d. Sandvika, Feb. 20, 1974. He studied piano with Winge and Johnson (1904-09), then theory with Elling and Holter, as well as piano with Nissen at the Christiania Cons. (1909-15). In 1915 he went to Berlin, where he took lessons with Humperdinck and Kahn. By this time in middle age, he continued his studies in composition in Paris (1927) and in Leipzig (1933, 1935), where he took a special course in counterpoint with Grabner. In the meantime, he pursued an active career as a concert pianist and composer; made his debut in Christiania in 1910. He was ed. of Norsk musikerblad (1917-18); was music critic of Norske intelligenss edler (1916-18) and of Aftenposten (1925-45). He wrote a monograph on Grieg (Oslo, 1934; 3^rd ed., 1956; Eng. tr., 1938). His music continued the national Norwegian tradition, in the lyric manner of Grieg; as time went by, Johansen experienced a mild influence of Russian and French music, gradually forming an innocuous modern style with sporadic audacious incursions into the domain of sharp dissonance.

Works

ORCH.: Symphonic Fantasy (1936); Pan, symphonic poem (1939); Piano Concerto (1955). CHAMBER: Violin Sonata (1912); Piano Quartet (1947); Quintet for Flute and String Quartet (1967); String Quartet (1969); piano pieces. VOCAL: Voluspa, oratorio (1926); Sigvat Skald for Baritone and Orch. (1928); several choruses; songs.

Bibliography

O. Sandvik and O. Gaukstad, DM. J. i skrift og tate (Oslo, 1968).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire