Gunnar Sønstevold

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Gunnar Sønstevold (born November 26, 1912 in Elverum , † October 18, 1991 in Oslo ) was a Norwegian composer . He composed numerous film scores, for example for the film dramas Gassenjungen and As far as the forces can .

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Since 1932 Sønstevold studied piano with Erling Westher and Nils Larsen and music theory and composition with Karl Andersen and Johannes Hanssen in Oslo . During his studies he was successful as a jazz musician ; Between 1932 and 1939 he played piano and trombone in the Funny Boys quartet . After the occupation of the country, he fled to Sweden in 1940, where he studied with Hilding Rosenberg in Stockholm and married his wife Maj, who also composed.

After the end of the Nazi regime, he returned to Norway. From 1946 to 1969 he composed music for 40 feature films and 3 documentaries. He was also active as a theater composer; when he wrote incidental music for William Shakespeare's The Tempest in 1957 , he was the first Norwegian composer to experiment with electronic instruments. Between 1960 and 1967 he continued his composition studies with Hanns Jelinek at the Academy for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna ; after his stay in Vienna, his music was largely shaped by the twelve-tone technique . From 1966 to 1974 he was the head of the music department of Norwegian television .

Sønstevold composed two ballets , a sinfonietta, a saxophone concerto , a double concerto for flute and bassoon, and chamber music works. His Litany in Atlanta (1971) was created in memory of Louis Armstrong .

Filmography (selection)

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personal data
SURNAME Sønstevold, Gunnar
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Norwegian composer
DATE OF BIRTH November 26, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Elverum
DATE OF DEATH October 18, 1991
Place of death Oslo