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EYVIND ALNÆS David C F Wright DMus If most people were to be asked to name a Norwegian composer they would probably say Grieg and may have difficulty naming another but some may come up with Christian Sinding. However, one such composer is Eyvind Alnæs. He was born in Fredrickstad on 29 April 1872 and became a pianist, organist, choir director and composer. He studied music in Oslo with Iver Holter (1850 -1941) who is best remembered for succeeding Grieg as conductor of the Bergen Symphony Orchestra in 1882. Alnæs then went to Leipzig to study with Carl Reinecke (1824-1920). Reinecke was a prolific composer of four piano concertos, three symphonies, concertos for cello, violin, harp and flute, many other works including a piano sonata for left hand only. His opus numbers reach 300. The young Norwegian’s first success was his Symphony no 1 in C minor, Op 7 premiered in 1896. He then studied on a scholarship with Julius Ruthardt (1841- 1909) who was primarily a violinist. In 1898 Alnæs’s Symphonic Variations for orchestra was premiered. For twelve years from 1895 Alnæs was the organist at Drammen and, from 1907, organist at several churches in the Oslo area and a regular conductor of choirs. He was a founder of the Norwegian Society of Composers in 1917 and a member of TONO, the Norwegian Performing Rights Society. His Symphony no 2 in D is his Opus 43 He wrote much piano music including Four Pieces Op 4 Vaterlandische Hymn in E flat, Volksweise in G minor, Albumblatt in A and Humoreske in D Variations on an original theme Op 5 which starts in F and concludes in D Three Pieces Op 9 Impromptu in A minor, Study in A flat and a Novelette which goes through B flat C flat, A, C flat and B flat. The first two pieces are strong and very impressive. Four Piano Pieces Op 13 Hymn in E, Souvenir in E flat minor and Albumleaf in F Much of his piano music is superior to that of Grieg and it deserves to be heard. The Piano Concerto in D Op 27 is a very good work although it was described as empty and vacuous by one critic. I can think of some piano concertos with are that but this is not one of them. It is lyrical with many brilliant passages. The second movement has the character of a funeral march but is often beautiful but the weakness is the finale which is a type of Viennese waltz. He died in Oslo on 24 December 1932. Score of Three Piano Pieces op. 9 follows. © COPYRIGHT David C F Wright, DMus 2004 – This article or any part of it, however small, must not be copied, quoted, reproduced, downloaded or altered in any way whatsoever nor stored in any retrieval system. Failure to comply is in breach of International Copyright Law and will render any offender liable to action at law.

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EYVIND ALNÆS

David C F Wright DMus

If most people were to be asked to name a Norwegian composer they would probably say Grieg and may havedifficulty naming another but some may come up with Christian Sinding.

However, one such composer is Eyvind Alnæs.

He was born in Fredrickstad on 29 April 1872 and became a pianist, organist, choir director and composer.

He studied music in Oslo with Iver Holter (1850 -1941) who is best remembered for succeeding Grieg asconductor of the Bergen Symphony Orchestra in 1882.

Alnæs then went to Leipzig to study with Carl Reinecke (1824-1920). Reinecke was a prolific composer offour piano concertos, three symphonies, concertos for cello, violin, harp and flute, many other works includinga piano sonata for left hand only. His opus numbers reach 300.

The young Norwegian’s first success was his Symphony no 1 in C minor, Op 7 premiered in 1896. He thenstudied on a scholarship with Julius Ruthardt (1841- 1909) who was primarily a violinist. In 1898 Alnæs’sSymphonic Variations for orchestra was premiered.

For twelve years from 1895 Alnæs was the organist at Drammen and, from 1907, organist at several churchesin the Oslo area and a regular conductor of choirs.

He was a founder of the Norwegian Society of Composers in 1917 and a member of TONO, the NorwegianPerforming Rights Society.

His Symphony no 2 in D is his Opus 43

He wrote much piano music including

Four Pieces Op 4 Vaterlandische Hymn in E flat, Volksweise in G minor, Albumblatt in A and Humoreskein D

Variations on an original theme Op 5 which starts in F and concludes in D

Three Pieces Op 9 Impromptu in A minor, Study in A flat and a Novelette which goes through B flat Cflat, A, C flat and B flat. The first two pieces are strong and very impressive.

Four Piano Pieces Op 13 Hymn in E, Souvenir in E flat minor and Albumleaf in F

Much of his piano music is superior to that of Grieg and it deserves to be heard.

The Piano Concerto in D Op 27 is a very good work although it was described as empty and vacuous by onecritic. I can think of some piano concertos with are that but this is not one of them. It is lyrical with manybrilliant passages. The second movement has the character of a funeral march but is often beautiful but theweakness is the finale which is a type of Viennese waltz.

He died in Oslo on 24 December 1932.

Score of Three Piano Pieces op. 9 follows.

© COPYRIGHT David C F Wright, DMus 2004 – This article or any part of it, however small, must notbe copied, quoted, reproduced, downloaded or altered in any way whatsoever nor stored in any retrievalsystem. Failure to comply is in breach of International Copyright Law and will render any offender liableto action at law.