Ketil Hvoslef is a Norwegian

Norwegians

Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...

 composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

. He is the son of composer Harald Sæverud

Harald Sæverud

Harald Sigurd Johan Sæverud was a Norwegian composer. He is most known for his music to Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Rondo Amoroso, and the Ballad of Revolt . Sæverud wrote nine symphonies, and a large number of pieces for solo piano...

.

Hvoslef studied viola

Viola

The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...

 and organ

Organ (music)

The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...

 at the Bergen Music Conservatory (now a part of Grieg Academy) graduating in 1962. He furthered his studies in Stockholm

Stockholm

Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

 with Karl-Birger Blomdahl

Karl-Birger Blomdahl

Karl-Birger Blomdahl was a Swedish composer and conductor born in Växjö. He was educated in biochemistry, but was primarily active in music and by his experimental compositions he became one of the big names in Swedish modernism. His teachers included Hilding Rosenberg...

 and Ingvar Lidholm

Ingvar Lidholm

Ingvar Natanael Lidholm is a Swedish composer.Ingvar Lidholm was born in Jönköping. He was a pupil of Hilding Rosenberg from 1943 to 1945, becoming a viola player with the Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra. Having been awarded the Jenny Lind Fellowship for 1946–7, he travelled to France, Switzerland...

, then in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 with Thomas Rajna

Thomas Rajna

Thomas Rajna is a Hungarian-born composer and pianist, domiciled in Cape Town in South Africa since 1970. He started to play the piano and compose at an early age and studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music where he won the Liszt Prize in 1947. That year he left Hungary to settle in London...

 and Henri Lazarof

Henri Lazarof

Henri Lazarof is a Bulgarian composer.Born in Sofia, Bulgaria his formal musical training began in Israel under Paul Ben-Haim. After a short stint in Rome, Lazarof settled in the United States, studying with Harold Shapero and Arthur Berger at Brandeis University...

. He taught 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...

 and ear training

Ear training

Ear training or aural skills is a skill by which musicians learn to identify, solely by hearing, pitches, intervals, melody, chords, rhythms, and other basic elements of music. The application of this skill is analogous to taking dictation in written/spoken language. Ear training may be...

 at the Bergen Music Conservatory (1963–1979).

Hvoslef had his debut as a composer in 1964 with the Concertino for Piano and Orchestra. He has composed works for the stage including the opera Barabbas, for orchestra including the symphonic poem

Symphonic poem

A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...

 Mi-Fi-Li, chamber music, compositions for piano and organ, vocal music, as well as scores for television and film.

Selected works

Stage

• Døde sardiner (Dead Sardines), Chamber Opera (1986–1987); libretto by Gunnar Staalesen
  Gunnar Staalesen
  Gunnar Staalesen is a Norwegian writer. Staalesen has a Cand philol. degree from Universitetet i Bergen and he has worked at Den Nationale Scene, the main theater in Bergen....
  
  
• Barabbas, Opera in 3 Acts (2000–2003); libretto by the composer after the play by Michel de Ghelderode
  Michel De Ghelderode
  Michel de Ghelderode was an avant-garde Belgian dramatist, writing in French.-Career:...
  
  

Orchestral

• Mi-Fi-Li, Symphonic Poem (1971)
• Variations for chamber orchestra (1976)
• Concertino for orchestra (1979)
• Medmenneske (1980)
• Suite for skoleorkester (Suite for Juvenile Orchestra) (1980)
• Antigone, Symphonic Variations (1981–1982)
• Air (1983)
• Il Compleanno for 2 sextets and orchestra (1985); composed for the 220th anniversary of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
  Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
  The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. It performs some 110 concerts a year, and is based at the 1,500-seat Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway.-History:...
  
  
• Serenata per archi for string orchestra (1991)
• Musikk til Peer Gynt (Music for Peer Gynt) for string orchestra (1993)
• Intermezzo (1999)
• Ein Traumspiel (2009)
• Ung åpning for string orchestra (2009)

Wind ensemble

• Krokeide Skolemusikkorps for brass band (1991)
• Håkonsiana for cornet solo, horn solo, 3 cornets, 2 trombones, euphonium, tuba, percussion and timpani (1996)
• Brass Dance for brass band (2004)
• Ferry-Music for brass band (2004)

Concertante

• Concertino for piano and orchestra (1964)
• Ariseturo, Concerto for percussion and 8 wind instruments (1966)
• Concerto for trumpet and orchestra (1969)
• Miniett for violin and string orchestra (1970)
• Concerto for double bass and orchestra (1973)
• Concerto No. 1 for cello and orchestra (1976, revised 1987)
• Double Concerto for flute, guitar and string orchestra (1977)
• Concerto for bassoon and string orchestra (1979)
• Vind, Concerto for flute, wind ensemble and percussion (1983)
• Concerto No. 1 for violin and orchestra (1988-89)
• Ve vi Vo vi, Divertimento for trumpet, piano and accordion orchestra (1989)
• Concerto No. 2 for cello and orchestra (1990–1991)
• Concertino for trumpet in C and orchestra (1991)
• Concerto for piano and orchestra (1992–1993)
• Finale for cello and orchestra (1993–1994)
• Concerto for violin, cello, piano and orchestra (1995)
• Concerto for saxophone quartet and orchestra (1996)
• Concerto No. 2 for violin and orchestra (2002)
• Concerto for viola and orchestra with children's chorus (2005, revised 2007)
• A Lumberjack Song for saw
  Musical saw
  A musical saw, also called a singing saw, is the application of a hand saw as a musical instrument. The sound creates an ethereal tone, very similar to the theremin...
  
   and orchestra (2008–2009)

Chamber music

• Woodwind Quintet (1964)
• Duetti per fagotti for 2 bassoons (1966)
• Suite for guitar (1966)
• String Quartet No. 1 (1969)
• Flauto solo for flute solo (1970)
• Tromba solo for trumpet solo (1971, revised 1989)
• Sextet for violin, oboe, trumpet, trombone, cello and bassoon (1972)
• Nordisk kontrapunkt for feler og flasker for 2 violins and 6 bottles (1973)
• Historien om digteren Lin Pe og hans tamme trane for hardanger fiddle
  Hardingfele
  A Hardanger fiddle is a traditional stringed instrument used originally to play the music of Norway. In modern designs, the instruments are very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings and thinner wood...
  
  , clarinet, cello, percussion, harpsichord and piano (1975)
• Brass for 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones and tuba (1978)
• Ludium for 7 flutes (1978)
• Octet for 8 flutes (1978)
• Trio for oboe, viola, percussion (1978)
• Duo: Om hva syv fjær kan bli til for 2 accordions (1979)
• Concerto for violin and pop band (piano/electric piano/electric organ, electric guitar, electric bass and percussion) (1979)
• Violino solo for violin solo (1980, revised 1989)
• Post, Sextet for flute, clarinet, horn, violin, piano and guitar (1980)
• Miniboogietriowoogie for piccolo, flute and piano (1981)
• Duodu for violin and viola (1982)
• Quintet for clarinet and string quartet (1982)
• Chitarra solo for guitar solo (1983)
• Acanthus for accordion solo (1984)
• Erkejubel for 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, synthesizer and percussion (1984)
• Fanfare for 3 trumpets and percussion (1984)
• Rikstrio for flute, violin and synthesizer (1984)
• Sextet for flute and percussion (1986–1989)
• Scheherazade forteller videre for violin and harp (1986)
• Framenti di Roma for oboe, clarinet and bassoon (1988)
• Kirkeduo (Church Duo) for guitar and organ (1988)
• Duo due (Duo Two) for violin and cello (1993, revised 1995)
• Cello solo for cello solo (1995)
• Kammerspill for wind quintet, string quintet, piano and percussion (1995)
• Beethoven Trio for clarinet, cello and piano (1997)
• Fanfare til tusen for 3 piccolos, 3 trumpets and 3 drums (1997)
• Trombone-kvartett for 4 trombones (1997)
• Quartetto Percussivo, for 2 pianos and percussion (1998)
• April Brass for 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, horn, tuba and percussion (2001)
• Bel Canto for violin and piano (2001, revised 2005)
• Piano Quintet (2003, revised 2007)
• Guitar Quintet for guitar and string quartet (2004)
• Canis Lagopus for 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass and percussion (2006)
• Inventiones for violin and piano (2007)
• Perpetuum trompetuum for trumpet and piano (2009)
• Violino solo II for violin solo (2009)
• Octopus Rex for 8 cellos (2010)
• Piano Trio (2010)
• String Quartet No. 3

Organ

• Orgelvariasjoner (Variations for Organ) (1972)
• Organo Solo (1974)
• Påskevariasjoner (Easter Variations) (1986)
• Toccata: Fontana dell'Organo, Villa d'este (1988)
• Revidert åpenbaring for organ (1991, revised 2001)
• Passacaglia (1997–1998)

Piano

• Rondo con variazioni (1970)
• Beethoven Phantasy (1982)
• Piano Solo (1999)

Vocal

• Kvartoni for soprano, recorder, guitar and piano (1974)
• Trio for soprano, alto and piano (1974)
• Collage i svart/hvitt med rødt (Collage in Black/White with Red) for narrator (baritone), violin, guitar, bass clarinet and percussion (1975); words by Marit Monsen
• Dano tiore, Quintet for soprano, violin, viola, cello and harpsichord (1985)
• Hardingtrio for soprano, hardanger fiddle
  Hardingfele
  A Hardanger fiddle is a traditional stringed instrument used originally to play the music of Norway. In modern designs, the instruments are very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings and thinner wood...
  
   and piano (1995)
• Gåte (Puzzle) for voice, 2 hardanger fiddles
  Hardingfele
  A Hardanger fiddle is a traditional stringed instrument used originally to play the music of Norway. In modern designs, the instruments are very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings and thinner wood...
  
   and harmonium
  Harmonium
  A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
  
   (2006–2007)
• From The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene for mezzo-soprano and piano (2009)

Choral

• So einsam ist der Mensch for chorus a cappella (1971); words by Nelly Sachs
  Nelly Sachs
  Nelly Sachs was a Jewish German poet and playwright whose experiences resulting from the rise of the Nazis in World War II Europe transformed her into a poignant spokeswoman for the grief and yearnings of her fellow Jews...
  
  
• Or "Håvamål" for chorus and orchestra (1974); words from Hávamál
  Hávamál
  Hávamál is presented as a single poem in the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems from the Viking age. The poem, itself a combination of different poems, is largely gnomic, presenting advice for living, proper conduct and wisdom....
  
  
• Concerto for choir and chamber orchestra (1977)
• Spillemænd for chorus, hardanger fiddle
  Hardingfele
  A Hardanger fiddle is a traditional stringed instrument used originally to play the music of Norway. In modern designs, the instruments are very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings and thinner wood...
  
   and organ (1980); words by Henrik Ibsen
  Henrik Ibsen
  Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
  
  
• Balladen om Narkis och Eko: En mytisk ballad i vår tid (The Ballad of Narcissus and Echo: A Mystical Ballad of Our Time) for mixed chorus a cappella (1981); words by Claes Andersson
  Claes Andersson
  Claes-Johan Rudolf Andersson is a Finland-Swedish psychiatrist, author, musician, politician and former member of the Finnish Parliament, representing the Left Alliance and the Finnish People's Democratic League. He was member of Finnish Parliament in 1987-1999 and 2007-2008.-External links:*...
  
  
• Nattlig Madonna for male chorus (1984); words by Edith Södergran
  Edith Södergran
  Edith Irene Södergran was a Swedish-speaking Finnish poet. She was one of the first modernists within Swedish-language literature and her influences came from French Symbolism, German expressionism and Russian futurism. At the age of 24 she released her first collection of poetry entitled Dikter...
  
  
• Bibelske bilder (Biblical Images), Santimmagine for mixed chorus and saxophone quartet (2006–2008)

Film and television scores

• Peer Gynt, Norwegian TV mini-series based on the play
  Peer Gynt
  Peer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"...
  
   by Henrik Ibsen
  Henrik Ibsen
  Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
  
   (1993)
• Kristin Lavransdatter
  Kristin Lavransdatter (film)
  Kristin Lavransdatter is a 1995 Norwegian film directed by Liv Ullman, featuring Elisabeth Matheson, Bjørn Skagestad, Jørgen Langhelle, Lena Endre and Sverre Anker Ousdal, based on Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. It was the Norwegian entry to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...
  
  (1996)

Awards

Hvoslef has received the "Work of the Year" award from the Norwegian Society of Composers four times:

• 1978 for Concerto for Choir and Chamber Orchestra
• 1980 for Concerto for Orchestra
• 1985 for Il compleanno
• 1992 for Serenata per archi

Sources

• Ketil Hvoslef biography
• Norwegian Society of Composers

External links

• Ketil Hvoslef at Music Information Centre Norway