Eivind Groven

Eivind Groven. 1951

Eivind Groven (born October 8, 1901 in Lårdal , Tokke , Telemark , † February 8, 1977 in Oslo ) was a Norwegian composer , music researcher, music ethnologist and inventor of a pure-voice organ .

Life

Eivind Groven was the youngest of five sons of the teacher and farmer Olav and his wife Aslaug Rikardsdotter (née Berge). Both parents came from culturally conscious families with a rich folk music tradition.

Groven grew up in the Telemark area. Already in his early years he played seljefløyte (willow flute) and hardingfele ( Hardanger fiddle ). He taught himself to read and write music, and soon he was noticing folk music that he heard others play. These early records later became the starting point for the large seven-volume work Norsk folkemusikk (Norwegian folk music), called Hardingfeleverket . Groven was also exceptionally gifted in mathematics, which would later prove useful in the development of the pure-part organ.

Eivind Groven became a teacher like his father. In 1925 he gave up his teaching profession and worked from then on as a freelance composer and musicologist. In the same year he married his fellow student Ragna Hagen. Their marriage has four children.

From 1931 to 1950 - with the exception of the war years and German occupation - Groven worked for the Norwegian radio (NRK). He was responsible for the weekly folk music lesson on the radio.

In 1960 his wife Ragna died. Two years later he married Signe Taraldlien from Fyresdal. In 1964 he fell ill with Parkinson's. Although writing gradually became more difficult, he continued to compose until the end.

Compositional work

Groven was primarily a melodic. His topics are concise and not easy to forget. Many of his melodies are in fact not folk songs, as some believe, but created by himself. Folk music with its melodic, rhythmic, targeted and tonal structures is always the basis. He found Bach's style related to Slåttemusik. Among other things, he studied Beethoven's scores. For example, Groven was able to combine the asymmetrical form of the Hardingfeleslåtte with the classic sonata form. His joy in timbres is expressed in his harmony and instrumentation. Groven also had a keen sense of text, which can be seen in the setting of lyrics.

Groven was already composing as a student, including piano pieces and slåtter for the Hardingfele. In 1926 he wrote the scene music for Hans E. Kinck's play Bryllupet i Genua (The Wedding in Genoa). Half a year later he made his official debut as a composer.

In 1932 he composed Brudgommen (The Bridegroom), a full-length work for choir, soloists and large orchestra. The premiere took place in 1933 and sparked debates in the press.

Groven wrote his first symphony as a contribution to a competition organized by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). It premiered in New York in 1947 with great success. During the war Groven worked on the development of a pure-voice organ and at the same time wrote his second symphony Midnattstimen (midnight hour). After the war it was premiered in Trondheim with great success. Some critics considered it a victory symphony. The melancholy main theme of the second movement is replaced by bright, optimistic tones in the last movement.

At the end of the 1940s, Groven worked on his piano concerto in A major, among other things. It premiered in Bergen in 1950.

The one-part organ

Groven has had an interest in natural keys and the problem of purity since childhood. The musical culture in which he grew up was not based on temperament. As he aged 13 years harpeleik (a fingerboard loose zither related to the fingerboard zither langeleik wanted to vote), he understood that the temperament was an imperfect compromise. By examining the acoustic properties of a willow flute ( seljefløyte ) used in folk music , he put forward his thesis that Norwegian folk music is largely based on the natural tone series.

In the 1930s he built the first single-part harmonium. But his goal was an automaton that could be used to change the instrument while playing. In 1944 his automat was invented and built with relay technology. He had done all the calculations with pencil and paper. The machine was connected to the harmonium and demonstrated, among other things, on Norwegian radio.

Groven completed a single-part organ in 1953. It initially found its place in the Trefoldighetskirken Oslo. In the late 1940s had Albert Schweitzer learned from Grovens work with the problems of pure coherence and contacted Eivind Groven. In 1954 he came to Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and played the organ. "That's science," he said to Groven, "you make the wine and I'll drink it."

In 1971 Groven had his own music house built in his garden in Ekeberg in Oslo, known as Eivind Grovens Organ House or also as The Ekeberg Cathedral . Here the single-part organ got its permanent place. Interested visitors can view and hear Groven's pure-voice organs in the organ house by arrangement.

Compositions

1925

• Tøvær, Romance (text: Herbrand Underberget). Singing / piano
• Natt, Romance (text: H. Underberget). Singing / piano

1926

• Romansene from skuespillet "Bryllupet i Genua" by Hans E. Kinck :
• Den Olme Hjort, vocals / piano
• Rorpinden, vocals / piano
• 1. and 2. Auricle Singing, Singing / Piano
• Mot nord, vocals / piano
• Gulfardo, vocals / piano
• Veronicas bøn, vocals / piano. (1934 arranged for orchestra)
• Moen, from novellas "sus" by Hans E. Kinck, vocals / piano, (1934 arranged for orchestra)
• Du må lyse, text by Hans E. Kinck, vocals / piano
• Ballads om Toscanaland, romance, text by Hans E. Kinck, vocals / piano
• Å, så rødblond, romance, text by Hans E. Kinck, vocals / piano

1928

• Hun var bare 16, romance, text by Hans E. Kinck, vocals / piano
• Jeg vil va ', fra romanen "Dr. Gabriel Jahr" by Hans E. Kinck, vocals / piano. (1948 arranged for orchestra under the title "Skumhvirvler")
• Marihand, piano work

1929

• Fjellvind, romance, vocals / piano
• Vårnatt (not completed), singing
• Neslandskyrkja, text by MB Landstad. Singing / piano
• Men en kveld, romance, singing / piano
• Mot vår, piano pieces, original melody from 1917. Orchestrated in 1947
• May, piano pieces. Orchestrated in 1947
• September, piano pieces. Orchestrated in 1947

1930

• Moderens Korstegn, Romance, text by Henrik Wergeland, vocals / piano orchestrated 1942
• På Hospitalet om Natten, Romance, text by Wergeland, vocals / piano Orchestrated 1942. Choral setting 1952
• Annen nat på Hospitalet, romance, text by Wergeland, vocals / piano
• Sommerfuglen, romance, lyrics by Wergeland, vocals / piano

1931

• På heksmo, male choir, text by Ingeborg Refling Hagen
• Svartfuglen, romance, text by Theodor Dahl, vocals / piano

1932

• Mulig forveksling, romance, text by Henrik Wergeland. Singing / piano
• Til Sylvan, male choir, text by Wergeland. 1973 arranged for mixed choir
• Stenen i Stefanens panne, movement for mixed choir, text by Wergeland

1933

• Brudgommen, soloists, choir and orchestra. Based on a novella by Ingeborg Refling Hagen
• Mot ballad, choir and orchestra. Based on a novella by Hans E. Kinck

1934

• Præriekonens Bånsull, women's choir, text by Ingeborg Refling Hagen. 1965 arranged for voice and piano
• På Sykeleiet, romance, text by Wergeland, vocals / piano.
• Serenade fra skuespillet "Venetianerne", romance, text by Wergeland, vocals / piano.
• Gyldenlak, romance, text by Wergeland, vocals / piano

1935

• Renessanse, symphonic poem in six movements, based on a novella by Hans E. Kinck. The work "Lengsel og Dåd" is Renessanse's first movement, arranged for two pianos. The work "Capriccio" from 1956 is the second movement arranged for piano.

1936

• Historiske Syner, tone poem in three movements. Also arranged for two pianos

1938

• 1. symfoni, "innover Viddene", inspired by "Driftekaren" by Kinck, 1951 new version
• Fjelltonar, tone poem about folk music

1939

• Bryllaupet i Skogen, small orchestra. Folk music
• Beppos sang from "Agilulf den vise" by Kinck. Singing / piano
• Huldrelåt, small orchestra, folk songs

1942

• Allehelgens dag, women's choir, text by Ragna Groven

1945

• Temple of Nature, choir and orchestra, text by Ragna Groven. Also for choir and piano and organ solo under the title "På hellig Grunn"

1946

• Ivar Aasen-suite, texts by Ivar Aasen. Choir and orchestra. Separately:
• Den tyngste care og møda, mixed choir
• Takk vere Gud, mixed choir
• Hugen, mixed choir
• Dei gamle fjelli, piano
• Dei vil alltid klaga og kyta, piano
• 2. Symfoni, "Midnattstimen". Big orchestra
• Så høy en Himmel, romance, text by Arne Paasche Aasen, vocals / piano

1948

• Solstemning, flute / piano. Also arranged for flute and orchestra

1950

• Hjalarljod, overture for orchestra
• Piano concert, med stoff from "Marihand". Excerpt "laling og sull" for flute and piano

1954

• Fantasi over religious folketone, organ

1955

• Jotunheimen, orchestral pieces over a melody by Olav Sande to a text by Aasmund Olavsson Vinje
• Nyperoser, Romance, text by Arne Paasche Aasen, vocals / piano
• Guro rid til ottesong, blanda choir, text by Jørund Telnes.

1956

• Symfoniske slåttar 1, Bureslått, springar og gangar (own material). The "Springar" was arranged in 1962 for two Hardanger fiddles

1957

• Soga om ein by, choir cantata, solos, choir and orchestra, text by Halvor J. Sandsdalen.

1958

• Forventning, small orchestra
• Olav Liljukrans, soloists and choir

1959

• Barnets Åsyn, choir, text by Wergeland

1961

• Hymn for organ
• Bruremarsj

1962

• Balladetone, for two Hardanger fiddles. Also for a pure voice organ
• Springar fra symfoniske slåttar 1 (1956), for two Hardanger fiddles
• Rainbow, halling for to hardingfeler
• Margit Hjukse, choir, soloists and Hardanger fiddle

1963 (premiered 1965)

• Draumkvæe, soloists, choir and orchestra

1965 (premiered 1967)

• Faldafeykir, symphonic Slåttar 2, Springar, Gangar and Halling. Big orchestra. Partly folk music

1968

• Tinnemannen, pure-voice organ

Discography

• Margit Hjukse, Opus 48; Brudgommen, Opus 16. Filharmonisk selskaps orkester; Det norske solistkor; hardingfele: Eivind Groven. Philips, 1965. 2 LP
• Hjalarljod: overture; Draumkvædet for soli, kor and orkester. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; conductor Per Dreier; Aurora, 1988. 1 CD
• Tyrielden: Eivind Groven spelar hardingfele. 2001. Utgitt som bilag til Årbok for norsk folkemusikk
• Piano concerto; Symphony no. 2. Trondheim symphonic orchestra; conductor Ole Christian Ruud; Wolfgang Plagge, piano. Simax, 1993. 1 CD
• Som symra rein og blå, Eivind Grovens purest organ. Medvirkende: På organ: Kåre Nordstoga, Sigvart Fotland and Eivind Groven; Singing: Knut Askje og Dagne Groven Myhren; tussefløyte and seljefløyte: Steinar Ofsdal. Heilo, 1999 1 CD
• Frå ottesong til elveleik. 16 choir singers. Mountains domkantori; conductor Magnar Mangersnes. Bergen digital, 2005. 1 CD.
• Towards the Mountains. Stavanger Symphony Orchestra; conductor Eivind Odland. Naxos, 2007. Inneholder: Hjalarljod; Symfoni no. 1, "Innover viddene"; Symfoniske slåttar no. 1; Faldafeykir, symfoniske slåttar no 2.
• Mot ballade, Filharmmonisk selskaps orkester og Akademisk korforening, dir. Arnulv Hegstad. Plata innholder og
• Cappriccio for piano m ,. Jens Harald Brattlie
• Solstemning, Per Øien, fløyte, Kåre Ørnung , piano
• Romanzer with tekster from Wergeland and Kinck, solister Åse Normo Løvberg and Gunstein Draugedalen. Acc. Robert Levin. Philips, 1975
• With harding and seljefløyte on the game and next vegar Eivind Groven spiller. Dagne Groven Myhren vocals. (Heilo)

Web links

• Eivind Grovens Orgelhaus ( Memento from November 13, 2001 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on August 22, 2018

Individual evidence

1. ^ Reidar Sevåg: Neutral Tones and the Problem of Mode in Norwegian Folk Music. In: Gustaf Hilleström (Ed.): Studia instrumentorum musicae popularis III. (Musikhistoriska museets skrifter 5th Festschrift for Ernst Emsheimer .) Musikhistoriska museet, Stockholm 1974, p. 207