Geirr Tveitt

From Young Composers

Geirr Tveitt

Geirr (Nils) Tveitt (October 19, 1908–February 1, 1981) was a Norwegian composer. Being one of Norway's most prolific composers, he wrote more than 300 opuses.

Tveitt's music reflects his love for the russian, as well as the french school. Despite his cosmopolitan approach, his music is almost always underpinned by idioms derived from Norwegian folk-music: Tveitt displayed, through his music and his musicological writings and reviews, an almost obsessive preoccupation with distilling and developing a genuinely Norwegian kind of music - he is often called a Norse impressionist.

Music

It should be noted that a large part of Tveitt's œuvre has been lost - about 4/5 of his music burned up in a tragic fire at his family's farm in 1970.

The interest for Tveitt's music has, after his death, been on the rise, also beyond the borders of Norway. Most of his remaining orchestral works and concertos have been recorded on the labels BIS and NAXOS, many of his works are also published by the norwegian label Simax. Notable pianists playing Tveitt include Leif Ove Andsnes, Håvard Gimse and Einar Røttingen.

Selected works

• Prillar - suite in Norwegian modes, 1931.
• Baldur's Dreams - music from the ballet.
• Piano Concerto No. 1.
• Piano Concerto No. 4 'Aurora Borealis' (Northern Lights).
• Piano Concerto No. 5.
• Piano Sonata No. 29, Op.129, 'Sonata Etere'.
• A Hundred Hardanger Tunes for Orchestra, Op. 151
  • Suite No.1.
  • Suite No.3.
  • Suite No.4.
  • Suite No.5.
• Fifty Hardanger Tunes - arranged for piano, Op. 150.
• Variations on a Folk song from Hardanger, for two pianos and orchestra.
• Nykken (The Water Sprite), symphonic poem for large orchestra.
• Jeppe, opera.
• Concerto No. 1 for Hardanger fiddle and orchestra.
• Concerto No. 2 for Hardanger fiddle and orchestra 'Three Fjords'
• The Sun God Symphony, for orchestra (abridged version of Baldur's Dreams)
• Telemarkin - Cantata for voice and orchestra.

Resources on Young Composers

• On our forum, you can find a thread for the discussion of Geirr Tveitt's music. Information about his works as well as sound clips and videos are provided there.

External links

• Norwegian Music Information Centre Biography of Geirr Tveitt.