Svendsen, Johan (Severin) (1840–1911)

Norwegian composer, violinist, and conductor, the greatest Scandinavian conductor of his period. After a career as a virtuoso violinist, he took up composing. He was a friend of Grieg, who admired his orchestrational technique. His style, though Romantic, shows elements of Norwegian folk music. He wrote two symphonies and other orchestral works, as well as chamber and vocal works.

He learnt music from his father, a bandmaster, and at first adopted that profession himself. But, playing several instruments, he joined the orchestra at the Christiania Theatre, began extensive travels in Sweden and Germany in 1861, and studied at the Leipzig Conservatory 1863–67. After travelling in Scandinavia and Scotland in 1867, he settled in Paris in 1868. In 1870–71 he was in Germany again, mainly at Leipzig and Weimar, and taught and conducted at Christiania 1872–77. After visits to Munich, Rome, London, and Paris, he was court conductor at Copenhagen 1883–1908.

Works Orchestral incidental music to Coppée's Le Passant (1869), two symphonies, overture to Bjønson's Sigurd Slembe, Carnaval à Paris, Carnaval des artistes norvégiens, four Norwegian Rhapsodies, legend Zorahayda, overture to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and other pieces for orchestra.

Chamber violin concerto (1870) and romance, cello concerto (1870); string quartet (1865), string quintet, string octet.

Other Marriage Cantata; songs.