by Jan Magnus Dahle
The Norwegian Band Federation numbers 1700 bands with 68 000 members (44 000 under the age of 26). This is in fact a big market for new pieces and arrangements, which means good opportunities for composers and arrangers to hear their music performed. Last summer I did a tour of Australia and Singapore conducting Norwegian music with various local bands - amateurs, students and professionals, and it was a great pleasure to notice how well our band music was received - fresh and colourful were frequently used adjectives, so I'm quite confident that WASBE members will find much of interest once they start exploring this rich ore.
Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen (b.1964), has been staff arranger and composer for the Norwegian Armed Forces Music, and is now living in Bergen. His latest piece is Pentagram (a lagre-scale piece commissioned by the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra in Manchester, who premiered it this April), very challenging and difficult for all players. Needs 4 percussion players and lots of equipment! All clarinet parts should have 3 or 4 players, otherwise no doublings. 5 movements (Call and Awakening, Ritual I, De Profundis, Ritual II, Call and Destrucion. Grade 6, about 31', and like most of his works published by Nordic Sounds.
Triade - "The Angels of Destruction" was commissioned by New Music Composers' Group and first performed by the top community band Dragefjellet at the Music Factory in Bergen May 1995. Triade is a very demanding, uncompromising piece with some very lyrical moments (e.g. a short section for 4 triangles and piano!). 14' grade 6, Norwegian Music Information Center (NMI). Needs a big instrumentarium including plenty of percussion, a five strings double bass, double bassoon, double bass clarinet and cor anglais. Three players per part for the clarinets, 2 euphoniums and 5 tubas, otherwise no doublings.
Arctic Landscape (16'30, grade 6, 1992, NMI) depicts Torstein's childhood landscapes of Northern Norway: cold, lyrical, and beautiful. Well suited for 25 players with no doublings required.
One of Aagaard-Nielsen's many strengths as a composer is his ability to create original and well-sounding "utilitarian" music which is both interesting for players and conductor alike, and equally enjoyable for the audience:
Norwegian Dance (1997) quotes Grieg's Symphonic Dance no.4 elegantly using catchy rhythms. Good fun at grade 4-5, 6'30. Draug (1997) and its companion piece, Grim (1998 - pronounced Greem!) depicts two folklore sea monsters (both approx. 7' and grade 4-5). Two different personalities, the Grim is a more jazzy and benevolent creature, but they work well both together and as separate pieces.
From Borge (1997) is based on two folk tunes from a small coastal community in Northern Norway. Lyrical, beautiful and well suited for smaller forces. 4'30, grade 3-4. The Viking Church was written in 1999 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of Kabelvaag church, and first performed by the local community band. It depicts rough and powerful forces set against a sacred and delicate church. 6', grade 4.
Helge Hurum (b. 1936) combines traditional tonalities and solid craftsmanship with elements of jazz. He often draws his inspiration from Norwegian nature and folk tunes. Accessible, lyrical and often elegiac, his music is popular with school and community bands. Among his works meriting closer attention are Eventus (10'30), Adagio for Winds (4'45), Concita for Band (5'15) and Capriccio & Canzone (11'30, grade 4-5, Warner). Band works with soloists are Contrasts for trumpet (6'), Sketches for Oboe and Band, and Ballade for Alto Sax and Band, for which he received 1st price in the European Broadcasting Union's Band Music Competition in 1987. Hurum has also written several works for band and choir: Folklore (7'30) and Vind Fer Vide (15'20). Pulsare (10', grade 5, Warner) is a 2-movement work and was commissioned by the Norwegian Band Federation as a test piece for the 2000 Norwegian Championships 1st division. His latest work is Contrasts for French Horn and Band.
Lars Erik Gudim, trombonist, band leader, composer and arranger naturally gets much of his inspiration from the rich world of jazz. His publisher is Nordic Sounds, unless otherwise stated.
Fresh Fruit from Friday is a latin piece written in 1998 for the Army Reserves Band in Oslo. It alternates between a light samba and Afro-Cuban salsa groove with solo opportunities for sax or trumpet. 3' grade 4. Eg ser deg utfor gluggen (1996) is a jazzy version of a Norwegian folk tune depicting a young maid waiting for her lover. Alto sax or cor anglais solo in the slow, beautiful introduction before the fun begins. 5', grade 4, Warner. Three Pictures for Band was commissioned by the Strinda Youth Band in 1994. The first part is a rock groove, the second part a pop ballad and the third part combines previous material and ends in a half-time 6/8 groove. Optional electric guitar and bass. Grade 5. Jubilee was written in 1993 for the Sarpsborg Girls' Band and is a traditional concert band piece with a main theme built on fourths. Grade 4-5. Jeg vil meg Herren love is an old religious folk tune, treated to four variations for tuba and wind band. The third variation is a jazz waltz. The demanding solo part was written for virtuoso tuba player Roger Fjeldet. Grade 5-6. Gudim's other work for tuba and symphonic band is his Concert Suite, written in 1991 for Fjeldet's debut recital. 5 short movements played attacca: Variations - Expansions -Latin Waltz - Ballad - Shuffle. Solo part grade 6, band grade 4-5. Bloody Euphonium (concertino for euphonium and band) takes its title from the film "Brassed Off". Written for Sverre Olsrud, who premiered it with the Army Staff Band in 2000. Grade 5.
John Brakstad (b. 1940) I mentioned in my previous article (Newsletter XVI no.4). His most recent work is The Old Railway Station (1999),a three-movement 13-minutes nostalgic piece (Pastorale - Intermezzo - Epilogue) depicting an old narrow-gauged steam railway near Bergen and incorporating local folk tunes. Well suited for smaller forces (no CA, Eb cl. or alto cl., and only two cornet and three horn parts), and all three movements can be played separately. Grade 4, Warner.
Jan Magne Førde (b. 1960), well known jazz trumpeter, arranger and composer of more than 250 works for all types of ensembles, has written several pieces for wind band, the most popular and frequently performed being Wedding March, The Dome (a beautiful trumpet solo with interesting echo effects in the band), and Mountain Air. School bands love these pieces! All approx. 4', grade 3-3,5 and published by Warner. His trumpet concerto "Hornhavet" (14') is a meeting of Norwegian traditional music and international rhythms and sounds - beautifully recorded by Førde and the Kolbotn Symphonic Winds SONCD 9002.
Tom Skjellum (b. 1953) has with Fanitullen (4'45, grade 4, Warner) updated the old legend of the mythical fiddle player who fatally mesmerized anyone who came within the spell of his playing. Terrific fun for audience and players alike! Needs a boot-on-a-stick, a good drum kit and nimble clarinets.
Henrik Lyssand's beautiful Ved Nesland Kirke (1998) depicts an old church and offers soloistic possibilities voice, for oboe, alto sax, trumpet or euphonium, and is well suited for school bands. 3'30, grade 3, Warner.
Bjørn-Morten Kjærnes (b. 1951) has with Form and Colours written an exciting, well-crafted piece based on the mathematical formula for the Golden Section (5.8). Good contest piece with many interesting challenges. 8'30 grade 4, Warner.
Geirr Tveitt (1908-1981), a major music personality in the middle of the previous century, I also mentioned in my previous article. His wonderful and highly personal Sinfonia Sofficatori no.3 (grade 5-6, 14'30) is at long last commercially available from Warner. First performed in 1974 by the St.Olaf College Band (USA) at the Bergen International Arts Festival, it needs a harp in addition to regular symphonic band forces. Fabulous music by any standard!
For those interested in more modernistic music will find great pleasure in trying out Changes (12') by Rolf Wallinn, and three very good pieces by Bjorn K.Hoemsnes: Opus Partus (13') and two very good pieces by Bjorn K. Hoemsnes: Metamorphoses (5') and "Voices from the Script", the last using sampled sounds and other esoteric effects in an evocative ending. Or you could look at "Etwas neues unter der Sonnen oder Das unterirrdische Klippenkonzert" by Kjell Habbestad. A highly original work (23') which features the ingenious Hardanger fiddle! One For Tinka (9'30) by Roy Hellvin (NMI) and Kjell Mørk Karlsen's revised Viking_Hymn (13'30) also fits the bill of being exciting without posing equestrian problems, organ, sampled sounds and other esoteric effects.
The author can be contacted at jmdahle@hotmail.com.
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