Composer of the Month 6/2011: Johan Svendsen   (selected by Peter van Dessel / Belgium)

Norwegen 5.10.1990 The Norwegian composer and conductor Johan Severin Svendsen was born on 30 September 1840 in Christiania (now Oslo). His father taught him violin, flute and clarinet, and he wrote his first violin compositions at the age of eleven. From 1863 to 1867 he studied composition at the conservatory in Leipzig. After returning to Christiana, Svendsen together with Edvard Grieg was working for the revival of Norwegian music. For several years he conducted the orchestra of the Christiania Music Society. When he was offered the position of conductor at the Royal Danish Theatre in 1883, he went to Copenhagen where he lived and worked until his death. Johan Svendsen was the first major Norwegian "symphonist". He laid the foundation stone for the Norwegian symphonic tradition. A number of his works were considered classics in the Norwegian music history. Johan Svendsen starb am 14. Juni 1911 in Copenhagen. His death anniversary comes up again for the 100th time in June 2011. The video shows the Dutch violinist Judy Schomper and the orchestra "Jonge mensen op het podium concert" (Young People on the Concert Stage) conducted by Jos Cleber with the Romance in G major by Johan Svendsen. More composer can be found in the members only section