Ole Windingstad
Encyclopedia
Ole Windingstad was a Norwegian-American conductor, pianist and composer. He was the conductor of the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra in Brooklyn, New York and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic
. His most notable symphonic composition was The Tide.
, Norway
. At age 14, he studied at the Music Conservatory in Oslo
, Norway
and three years later in Leipzig
Germany . There he studied piano, organ, composition and conducting. In 1905 he traveled to the United States. He settled in New York in 1906.
Ole Windingstad married Anna Hansen. They had five children: Solveig, Alf, Edgar, Jane and Arthur. Solveig, Alf and Jane died of Spanish flu in 1918, and Edgar died in a traffic accident in 1959. In 1926 he was appointed Knight to the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for his work with Norwegian music in America.
Ole Windingstad's most important musical works was a symphony called The Tides , which was composed in 1936 and first performed in Albany in 1938. "The Tides" was also played in New Orleans in 1941 during his tenor as conductor and the Ole Windingstad tour in 1955. Ole Windingstad also performed the piece at the Aula University in Oslo Norway. He was also a conductor in Kingston, New York where Ole Windingstad passed away on June 3, 1959 at age 73.
reported on March 26, 1916}}:
. On October 29, 1953 Ole Windingstad and the orchestra presented a program of two Norwegian composers, Grieg Olsen and Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen
at New York's Carnegie Hall
. During Ole Windingstad's tenure the orchestra presented Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf
which was narrated by former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt
.
Hudson Valley Philharmonic
The Hudson Valley Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in Poughkeepsie, New York in the United States. The Hudson Valley Philharmonic also known as HVP began in 1932 and it serves the Hudson Valley region....
. His most notable symphonic composition was The Tide.
Biography
Ole Windingstad was born in SandefjordSandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
, Norway
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...
. At age 14, he studied at the Music Conservatory in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo 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...
, Norway
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...
and three years later in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
Germany . There he studied piano, organ, composition and conducting. In 1905 he traveled to the United States. He settled in New York in 1906.
Ole Windingstad married Anna Hansen. They had five children: Solveig, Alf, Edgar, Jane and Arthur. Solveig, Alf and Jane died of Spanish flu in 1918, and Edgar died in a traffic accident in 1959. In 1926 he was appointed Knight to the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for his work with Norwegian music in America.
Ole Windingstad's most important musical works was a symphony called The Tides , which was composed in 1936 and first performed in Albany in 1938. "The Tides" was also played in New Orleans in 1941 during his tenor as conductor and the Ole Windingstad tour in 1955. Ole Windingstad also performed the piece at the Aula University in Oslo Norway. He was also a conductor in Kingston, New York where Ole Windingstad passed away on June 3, 1959 at age 73.
Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra
Also known as the Nordmændenes Sangforening, the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra was based in Brooklyn, New York. In the period from 1913 to 1939, Ole Windingstad led the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra but also led many other choral, orchestral, and operatic groups in the New York area. Ole Windingstad also kept an open relationship with musical organizations from Norway, he may have guest conducted the Oslo Philharmonic and other venues. After a notable performances The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported on March 26, 1916}}:
New Orleans Philharmonic Society
Ole Windingstad conducted the New Orleans Philharmonic from 1940 to 1944.Hudson Valley Philharmonic
In 1945 Ole Windingstad was hired by George Hagstrom one of the founders of the Hudson Valley PhilharmonicHudson Valley Philharmonic
The Hudson Valley Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in Poughkeepsie, New York in the United States. The Hudson Valley Philharmonic also known as HVP began in 1932 and it serves the Hudson Valley region....
. On October 29, 1953 Ole Windingstad and the orchestra presented a program of two Norwegian composers, Grieg Olsen and Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen
Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen
Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen was a Norwegian violinist and composer. His composition style is lyrical with a strong grounding in Norwegian folk tunes.-Life:...
at New York's Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. During Ole Windingstad's tenure the orchestra presented Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf , Op. 67, is a composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936 in the USSR. It is a children's story , spoken by a narrator accompanied by the orchestra....
which was narrated by former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
.