Synopses & Reviews
Johan Svendsen was one of the most important musical figures of the late Romantic period. His reputation spread rapidly after his international breakthrough in the late 1860s, and from then until 1883, when he became musical director at the Royal Opera House in Copenhagen, his fame as a composer grew steadily. His list of compositions includes, in addition to two fine symphonies, such orchestral masterworks as the four Norwegian Rhapsodies, Carnival in Paris, Festival Polonaise, Zorahayda, Norwegian Artists Carnival, and the famous Romance for Violin and Orchestra. Until about 1890 Svendsen was the Nordic composer whose works were performed most frequently outside Scandinavia. As a conductor he was also instrumental in launching the careers of his contemporaries, Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius. In 1898 Svendsen was invited to become musical director of both the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic orchestra. Svendsen, however, did not wish to risk his secure position in Copenhagen for an uncertain future in a foreign environment.
Review
“Here at last we get the opportunity to extend our knowledge of this imposing figure in Norwegian and Danish music. . . . This is a fascinating biography of a great artist and a richly talented human being. . . . The book is exceptionally well written, authoritative and informative, and bears witness to the authors supreme mastery of their voluminous and diverse sources.”—Karen-Marie Ganer, on the Norwegian edition in Musikk og skole Karen-Marie Ganer
Review
“Here at last we get the opportunity to extend our knowledge of this --Karen-Marie Ganer
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 403-409) and indexes.
About the Author
Finn Benestad and Dag Schjelderup-Ebbe, both professors at the Institute of Musicology at the University of Oslo, are the coauthors of Edvard Grieg: The Man and the Artist (Nebraska 1988). William H. Halverson is the translator of that work. He also translated, with Leland B. Sateren, Nils Grindes A History of Norwegian Music (Nebraska 1991).