Demonstrating the breadth of Norwegian tonal language

When Norwegian music was to be presented, particularly works from the post-war period, the Festival felt that Herresthal was ideal for the job. He stands out as a strong promoter of Nordic contemporary music and possesses a vast knowledge of Norway’s musical heritage.

What was your reaction when you got this assignment from the Festival?

– That this was the perfect assignment for me. I’ve worked so much with Norwegian and Scandinavian repertoires.

A starting point for the concert series is the debate between Arne Nordheim and Harald Sæverud in the 60's. Can you tell us about this background?

Is the selection of works an attempt to define a Norwegian canon?

– No, actually I'd rather call it a theme with variations. The works of Nordheim and Sæverud, for example, are set against a range of popular works from Sinding to Wallin. Moreover, the composers will be visiting each other: you can hear Sæverud performed at Grieg’s home and vice versa. The plan is that we continue the Festival's Nordic focus next year, and present Danish Landings.

Do Norwegian compositions have any distinctive characteristics – can something be ‘typically Norwegian’?

– Yes, I’m sure they do; especially in national romantic styles and in folk music: however Grieg’s legacy also cast a shadow on Nordheim’s generation that they wanted to step out of. The goal of this concert series is not to determine which works are best, or what is typically Norwegian, but rather to show the huge breadth of Norwegian musical expression.

Arne Nordheim would have been 80 this year, and has been important to this project. What did Nordheim mean to you?

What relationship do you think most Norwegians have to their musical heritage, and what do you think about the argument that not enough Norwegian music is played today?

– Yes, there’s been a lot of focus recently on whether or not enough Norwegian music is played in orchestras or at educational institutions. My impression is that Norwegians have a strong relationship with Grieg and national-romantic music, but that, for example, more people have a relationship with Munch's pictures, than with the music of the same period. Maybe this has to do with quality, but, unless we get to hear the music more often, we’ll never know.

What do you want the audience to take away with them from their weekend with Norwegian Landings?  

– I want them to get an idea of Sæverud’s and Nordheim’s artistic voices, both their similarities and differences. At the same time, I hope that these Norwegian classics and old favourites that are scattered around these two masters’ music act as appetizers, enticers and door openers to a more complex tonal language.

Text: Silje GripsrudEnglish version: Alistair Spalding