Johan Halvorsen - Selected Compositions

Selected Compositions

Operetta

• Mod Nordpolen; in 3 acts

Incidental music

• Gurre, Op. 17; music for the play by Holger Drachmann
• Nordraak iana
• Askeladden
• Reisen til Julestjernen (Journey to the Christmas Star); music for the play by Sverre Brandt
• Tordenskjold, Op. 18; music for the historical play by Jacob Breda Bull
• Kongen (The King), Op. 19; music for the play by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
• Fossegrimen, Op. 21; music for the play by Sigurd Eldegard
• Vasantasena; music for the old Indian play
• The Merchant of Venice; music for the Shakespeare play
• Much Ado about Nothing (1915); music for the Shakespeare play
• Livet i skogen, Op. 33; music for William Shakespeare's As You Like It
• Dronning Tamara (Queen Tamara); music for the play by Knut Hamsun
• Macbeth (1920); music for the Shakespeare play

Orchestra

• Bojarenes inntogsmarsj (Entry March of the Boyars) for orchestra (or concert band) (1895)
• Festovertyre (Norwegian Festival Overture), Op. 16 (1899)
• Nächtlicher Zug from Miniatures for string orchestra, Op. 29 No. 2 (1910); arrangement by the composer
• Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in Memoriam, Op. 30 (1910)
• Norway's Greeting to Theodore Roosevelt, Op. 31 (1910)
• Suite ancienne to the Memory of Ludvig Holberg, Op. 31 (1911)
• Festmarsj (Festival March). Op. 32
• Scène funèbre
• Sérénade, Op. 33 (1913)
• Bergensiana, Rococo Variations on an Old Melody from Bergen "Jeg tog min nystemte Cithar i Hænde" (I Took Up My Newly Tuned Zither) (1913)
• Norske rapsodie No. 1 (Norwegian Rhapsody No. 1) in A major (1919–1920)

1. Springar
2. I went so lately to my bed
3. Halling - Springar

• Norske rapsodie No. 2 (Norwegian Rhapsody No. 2) in G major (1919–1920)

1. Dance tune from Åmot
2. Han Ole
3. Springar

• Symphony No. 1 in C minor (1923)
• Symphony No. 2 "Fatum" in D minor (1924, revised 1928)
• Symphony No. 3 in C major (1929)
• Norske eventyrbylleder (Norwegian Fairy-tale Pictures), Op. 37 (1933); reworking of 1925 incidental music

1. Peik, prinsessen og stortrollet (Peik, the Princess and the Big Troll)
2. Prinsessen kommer ridende på bjørnen (The Princess Comes Riding on a Bear)
3. Trollenes inntog i berget det blå (Entry of the Trolls into the Town Hall)
4. Dans av småtroll (Dance of the Little Trolls)

• Festovertyre (Norwegian Festival Overture), Op. 38
• Elegi for string orchestra
• Forspill til den hvite Ring
• Rabnabryllaup uti Kraakjalund, Norwegian Folk-Song Arrangement for string orchestra

Concert band

• Hallingdal Bataljon's Marsj (1882–1883)
• Gatemarsj (Street March)
• Norwegian Sea Picture
• Salutation to the Royal Couple of Norway

Concertante

• Air norvégien (Norwegian Air) for violin and orchestra, Op. 7 (1896/1903).
• Veslemøy's Song for violin and orchestra (1898); dedicated to Kathleen Parlow
• Norwegian Song "The Old Fisherman's Song" for violin and string orchestra, Op. 31 (1901, 1913)
• Andante Religioso for violin and orchestra (1903)
• Concerto in G major for violin and orchestra (1909)
• Bryllupsmarsch, Norwegian Wedding March for violin and orchestra, Op. 32 No. 1
• Danses norvégiennes No. 1 for violin and orchestra (1915)
• Danses norvégiennes No. 2 for violin and orchestra (1915)

Chamber music

• 6 Stimmungsbilder (6 Mood Pieces) for violin and piano (1890)
• Suite in G minor for violin and piano (1890)
• Danses norvégiennes for violin and piano (1897)
• Elegie (Andante) for violin and piano (1897)
• Passacaglia in G minor on a Theme by George Frideric Handel (from Harpsichord Suite in G minor, HWV 432) for violin and viola (1897)
• Sarabande con Variazioni in G minor on a Theme by George Frideric Handel for violin and viola (1897)
• Crépuscule for violin and piano (c. 1898)
• Suite Mosaïque for violin and piano (1898)

1. Intermezzo orientale
2. Entr'acte
3. Scherzino – "Spurven" (The Sparrow)
4. Veslemøys sang (Veslemøy's Song)
5. Fête nuptial rustique (An Old-fashioned Wedding)

• String Quartet in E, Op. 10
• Little Dance Suite for violin and piano, Op. 22
• Slåtter, Peasant Dances for violin solo (1903)
• Miniatures, 5 Easy Pieces for 2 violins and piano, Op. 29 (1910)
• To serenader (Two Serenades) for violin and piano
• Norske viser og danse (Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances), 30 Folk Arrangements for violin and piano
• Concert Caprice on Norwegian Melodies for 2 violins

Choral

• Varde, Cantata for male chorus and orchestra, Op. 11 (1904); words by Per Sivle
• Alrune for soprano solo, female chorus and chamber orchestra, Op. 20 No. 1
• Kantate ved kroningen i Trondhjems Domkirke den 22 juni 1906 for soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, orchestra, harp and organ, Op. 27 (1906); words by Sigvald Skavlan
• Bergensiana for mixed chorus