Gerhard Schjelderup
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Rosenkrone Schjelderup (born Kristiansand
, November 17, 1859 - died Benediktbeuern
, Bavaria
, July 29, 1933) was a Norwegian
composer, known especially for his operas. One of five children, each with an artistic bent, his talent was encouraged from youth. In 1878 he traveled to Paris
, where he studied cello
with Auguste Franchomme
and music theory
with Augustin Savard
. He also studied with Jules Massenet
at the Conservatoire de Paris
. By the time of his return to Norway, in 1884, he had already written a number of works.
Schjelderup was introduced to the work of Richard Wagner
while in Paris, and went to Germany
for further exposure to his work. This in turn inspired him to write operas, which were to prove the bulk of his output, though he also composed a number of orchestra
l and chamber
works. He also wrote on music for Norwegian publications, and wrote biographiers of Edvard Grieg
and of Wagner. In 1921 he published the first Norwegian history of music.
Schjelderup was among the founders of the Norwegian Society of Composers in 1917, and from that year until 1920 served as its chairman. He continued to promote Norwegian music despite living abroad; he died in Germany in 1933.
The composer Mon Schjelderup
was his cousin.
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
, November 17, 1859 - died Benediktbeuern
Benediktbeuern
Benediktbeuern is a municipality in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen in Bavaria, Germany. The distance between Bichl and Benediktbeuern is only 2 kilometers, or 1.25 miles. The village has about 3,500 residents as of 2004....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, July 29, 1933) was a Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
composer, known especially for his operas. One of five children, each with an artistic bent, his talent was encouraged from youth. In 1878 he traveled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he studied cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
with Auguste Franchomme
Auguste Franchomme
Auguste-Joseph Franchomme was a French cellist and composer.Born in Lille, Franchomme studied at the local conservatoire with M...
and music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
with Augustin Savard
Augustin Savard
Augustin Savard:* Marie Gabriel Augustin Savard — French composer* Marie Emmanuel Augustin Savard — French composer, his son...
. He also studied with Jules Massenet
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...
at the Conservatoire de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
. By the time of his return to Norway, in 1884, he had already written a number of works.
Schjelderup was introduced to the work of Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
while in Paris, and went to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for further exposure to his work. This in turn inspired him to write operas, which were to prove the bulk of his output, though he also composed a number of orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l and chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
works. He also wrote on music for Norwegian publications, and wrote biographiers of Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
and of Wagner. In 1921 he published the first Norwegian history of music.
Schjelderup was among the founders of the Norwegian Society of Composers in 1917, and from that year until 1920 served as its chairman. He continued to promote Norwegian music despite living abroad; he died in Germany in 1933.
The composer Mon Schjelderup
Mon Schjelderup
Mon Schjelderup was a Norwegian composer and pianist.-Biography:Maria Gustava Schjelderup was born in Fredrikshald , Østfold, of parents Captain Christian Bernhard Koren Schjelderup and Anne Sofie Preus Berg...
was his cousin.
Operas
- Austanfyre sol og vestanfyre måne (1889-1890) – one act performed at MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 1990 - Sonntagmorgen (1891-92) – Munich, 1893
- Norwegische Hochzeit (1894) – PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, 1900 - as Bruderovet –KristianiaOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, 1919 - En hellig aften (1895) – Kristiania, 1915
- Sampo Lappelill (1890-1900)
- Et folk i nød (1906-07)
- Vårnatt (1906-07) – DresdenDresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, 1908 - Opal (1915) – Dresden, 1915
- Den røde pimpernell
- Sturmvögel – SchwerinSchwerinSchwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
, 1926