Inspiration
Quite a lot of my compositions have been written for a special occasion, on request or for the simple reason that I did not have suitable music at hand. For example, I wrote a "baroque suite" on a Norwegian hymn for a radio recording on the Wagner baroque organ in Trondheim (1741), because there is no original Norwegian baroque music for organ as far as I know. I had been specifically asked to play something Norwegian.
The six "Bibelske salmer" were written for a concert I had been asked to give for my parents celebrating the 40^th anniversary of their wedding. "Passio" was written because the priest with whom I worked together at that time was inspiring me to do so and to write it in a more contemporary style, which fits very well to the dramatic character of the story.

My composition style
The style of my compositions reflects the unique situation in which we live today, which began after World War II: we both listen to and practise all kinds of musical styles of many centuries and traditions. Writing in for example baroque style is sometimes unavoidable, because of the organ and its tuning, and writing in Bach style is my own way to express my admiration for him. In for example the "Seks Bibelske Salmer" and  "Passio" my music has both a traditional and a more modern expression. My Postlude on "Herre Gud, ditt dyre navn" has perhaps some jazz influences, if you would define syncopated rhytms as a typical jazz-style element. It is a challenge for me to develop a non-historical style, which certainly can have elements from the past, but also can be identified as contemporary. In this context I very much admire the compositions of Benjamin Britten, which in my opinion embodies this ideal.

My publishers in Norway

• Lyche Musikkforlag A/S
  PostBoks 624, Strømsø, 3003 Drammen, Norway,
  Phone (+47) 32 24 51 82, or (+47) 32 24 51 83.
  Fax: (+47) 32 24 51 89
• Cantando Musikkforlag A/S
  Normannsgate 24, PostBoks 1594, 4093 Stavanger, Norway,
  Phone: (+47) 51 89 46 01, Fax: (+47) 51 89 46 02
  http://www.cantando.com
  E-mail: order@cantando.com 

Ordering from another country (than Norway)
At present, both my publishers accept direct orders with VISA. You can order and send a fax with your order (quote the publishing numbers) with full name and address. After you have received what you have ordered, you can fax your VISA number.

 Help with playing the sound clips and using the PDF-files  can be found in the Technical info section

List of my major compositions

1994

• Partita for organ on "Jezus, om uw lijden groot", seven variations on the French passion hymn "Jésus, au nom saint et doux". (published privately)
• "Psalm 145", for organ, composed at the request of the Dutch Reformed Organists Society (GOV), published in their monthly magazine, April 1995.

1995

• Meditation on "Den store hvite flokk"  for trombone/baryton and organ, written for All Saints, (published together with "Meditation "Eg veit i himmerik ei borg" by Cantando Musikkforlag in 2 000, order nr.: "C0663 To Meditasjoner for Allehelgensdag")
• "Glade jul"  for trombone/baryton and organ. 

1996

• "Seks bibelske salmer" for mezzo-soprano and organ (published by Lyche Musikkforlag,1998, order nr. 1087). More info
• Study in baroque composition stile: Suite in baroque stile on Norwegian Salme 723, "Kom Jesus, lys din fred på jord", composed for recording for the Dutch Radio (Evangelische Omroep) on the restored (1993-1994) Wagner baroque organ (1741) in the Nidaros cathedral, Norway. More info. (published by Lyche Musikkforlag,1999 together with "10 Orgelkoraler over norske salmer, komponert i Bachstil", order nr.: 1097)
• Meditation "Eg veit i himmerik ei borg"  for trombone/baryton and organ, (published by Cantando Musikkforlag in 2000)

1997

• "Passio" liturgical organ music for use on Good Friday, depicting the Passion in all its elements, following the story at close hold by taking certain keywords as a starting point for the composition. Must be performed on Good Friday in combination with readings of the passion-texts (published by Lyche Musikkforlag, 1998 with Norwegian text) More info on Passio.
• Postludium on "Herre Gud, ditt dyre navn", composed for recording may '97 for Dutch Radio (Evangelische Omroep) on the new Steendam organ (1997) in Valle, Norway. (published by Cantando Musikkforlag in 2000)
  Clip 1    More Info / download clip
• "Kyrie", for trumpet and organ, (published by Cantando Musikkforlag in 2000,  order nr.:C0664)

1998

• 10 Orgelkoraler over norske salmer, komponert i Bachstil etter modeller fra hans "Orgelbüchlein": Ten studies in Bach's composition stile: Orgelbüchlein-models used on Norwegian psalms (1996-1998). Recorded on a Dutch organ made by Flentrop Orgelbouw, the Netherlands. Published by Lyche Musikkforlag in 2000 together with Suite in baroque stile "Kom Jesus, lys din fred på jord", order nr.: 1097). More info

1999

• Meditation on "Å Jesus, var eg meir deg lik", for mans voice, flute and organ, (published by Cantando Musikkforlag in 2000, order nr.:C0665)
• 8 Organ chorale preludes in Bach style on Genevan Psalm melodies,
  commissioned  by the VOGG, a Dutch church organist association. These chorale preludes are published as part of  their annual publication in October 2000. Like the Norwegian "10 Orgelkoraler i Bachstil over norske salmer",  these chorale preludes also are based on Bach's Orgelbüchlein models.  More info.
   

2000

• Organchorale on "Våre harper ustemt henger", (published by Cantando Musikkforlag in "Permen" 2000
• Organchorale on "Kornet har sin vila", (published by Cantando Musikkforlag in "Permen" 2000
• Organchorale on "O come, all ye faithfull" for Gea Hoven, Zwolle, NL
• Petite fantaisie canonique sur le nom de Dragt for organ
• "I denne glade juletid" for organ and 4 part brass

2001

• "I himmelen, i himmelen", for male voice  and organ, for All Saints Day
• Psalm CXVII, for solo voice, church choir, congregation and organ, composed for the Lutheran Cantorij, Zwolle, The Netherlands
• Variations on "Amazing Grace" for organ and trumpet.
• "Gammal Sjugur-marsjen for organ
   

2002

• "Eg veit i himmerik ei borg"", for female voice and organ

2004

• Partita on Psalm 130, for organ, commissioned  by the VOGG, a Dutch church organist association. These variations are published as part of their annual publication in October 2004.More info

Clipnumber Filename	Kb	Ta	Musical contents of  the clip	Other info
Clip 1 40Valle_postl268.ra	873	64	Postlude for organ "Herre Gud ditt dyre navn" composed for recording with Dutch Radio	Steendamorgan '97, Valle, Norway Recording:© Evangelische Omroep '96 (Gert Altena, Erik Zwiep)

 

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