Johan Halvorsen
Johan Halvorsen ( born March 15, 1864 in Drammen, † December 4, 1935 in Oslo) was a Norwegian violinist, composer and conductor.
Halvorsen studied music in 1883 in Christiania (Oslo ) and Stockholm. He was concertmaster in Bergen ( Norway ), Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Aberdeen and Professor of Music in Helsinki. In 1893 he returned to Bergen back ( Den Nationale Scene ). When he was offered in Christiania the post of chief conductor of the National Theatre, he settled down there in 1899 and held this position until 1929. During this time he conducted, among others, 30 operas.
After his retirement he devoted himself stronger than before the composition of musical works which are in the national romantic tradition of his native country. Are known primarily his three great symphonies and his Norwegian Rhapsodies, also the Bojarenes inntogsmarsj ( Entry of the Boyars ), the journeys til Julestjernen ( Journey to the Christmas Star ) and the Bergensiana.
Halvorsen designated Edvard Grieg, whose niece he married, and Johan Svendsen as his musical idols. The actor Stein Grieg Halvorsen (1909-2013) was his son.
2003 created by Per Ung statue of the composer was unveiled at the National Theater in Oslo.