Saeverud, Harald (Sigurd Johan)
Saeverud, Harald (Sigurd Johan)
Saeverud, Harald (Sigurd Johan) , prominent Norwegian composer, father of Ketil Hvoslef (real name, Saeverud); b. Bergen, April 17, 1897; d. Siljustl, March 27, 1992. He studied theory at the Bergen Music Academy with B. Holmsen (1915–20) and with F.E. Koch at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin (1920–21); took a course in conducting with Clemens Krauss in Berlin (1935). In 1953 he received the Norwegian State Salary of Art (a government life pension for outstanding artistic achievement). He began to compose very early, and on Dec. 12, 1912, at the age of 15, conducted in Bergen a program of his own symphonic pieces. His music was permeated with characteristically lyrical Scandinavian Romanticism, with Norwegian folk melos as its foundation; his symphonic compositions are polyphonic in nature and tonal in essence, with euphonious dissonant textures imparting a peculiarly somber character.
Works
DRAMATIC : The Rape of Lucretia, incidental music to Shakespeare’s play (1935; also a Lucretia Suite for Orch., 1936); Peer Gynt, incidental music to Ibsen’s play (1947; Oslo, March 2, 1948; also as 2 orch. suites and a piano suite); Olav og Kari, dance scene (1948); Ridder Blåskjeggs mareritt (Bluebeard’s Nightmare), ballet (Oslo, Oct. 4, 1960). ORCH. : 9 syms.: No. 1, in 2 symphonic fantasias (1916–20; Bergen, 1923), No. 2 (1922; Bergen, Nov. 22, 1923; rev. 1934; Oslo, April 1, 1935), No. 3 (1925–26; Bergen, Feb. 25, 1932), No. 4 (Oslo, Dec. 9, 1937), No. 5, Quasi una fantasia (Bergen, March 6, 1941), No. 6, Sinfonia dolorosa (1942; Bergen, May 27, 1943), No. 7, Salme (Psalm; Bergen, Sept. 1, 1945), No. 8, Minnesota (Minneapolis, Oct. 18, 1958), and No. 9 (Bergen, June 12, 1966); Ouverture Appassionata (1920; retitled second fantasia of his Sym. No. 1); 50 Small Variations (1931); Oboe Concerto (1938); Divertimento No. 1 for Flute and Strings (1939); Syljetone (The Bride’s Heirloom Brooch) for Chamber Orch. or Piano (1939); Rondo amoroso for Chamber Orch. or Piano (1939); Gjaetlevise-Variasjoner (Shepherd’s Tune Variations) for Chamber Orch. (1941); Siljuslåtten (Countryside Festival Dance; 1942; also for Piano); Galdreslåtten (The Sorcerer’s Dance; 1942); Romanza for Violin and Orch. or Piano (1942); Kjempeviseslåtten (Ballad of Revolt; 1943; also for Piano); Piano Concerto (1948–50); Violin Concerto (1956); Allegria (Sinfonia concertante) (1957); Bassoon Concerto (1963); Mozart-Motto- Sinfonietta (1971). chamber : 20 Small Duets for Violins (1951); 3 string quartets (1970, 1975, 1978); Pastorale (Indian Summer) for Cello (1978). piano: 5 Capricci (1918–19); Sonata (1921); Tunes and Dances from Siljustl(5 vols., 1943–46); 6 sonatinas (1948–50); Fabula gratulatorum (1973).
Bibliography
C. Baden, H. S. 80 år (Oslo, 1977); L. Reitan, H. S. (1897–1992): Mannen, musikken og mytene (Oslo, 1997).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire