Thursday 06 May 2021

"I hope my music has its future, I myself only have my past," said Harald Sæverud when he was asked what he thought would last longer - his music or the anecdotes about him. At tonight's concert, we get an insight into his musical universe.

The fifth symphony is also called the "Symphony of the will to resist" and is the first of his war symphonies. The one-movement symphony was first performed by his "house orchestra", Harmonien, on 16 March 1941 with the composer as conductor.

Sæverud initially said no when he was asked in 1947 to write new music for Peer Gynt for Det Norske Teatret, but finally agreed. While Grieg's music was romantic and evocative, satire, wit and irony were lacking. Sæverud's interpretation was more spontaneous, raw and wild.

Conductor Ingar Bergby, has guest conducted the orchestra several times and in the period 2003 to 2008 was responsible for the orchestra's Norwegian and Nordic repertoire. Bergby was a student of Karsten Andersen, chief conductor of Harmonien from 1964 to 1985, who from the 1960s was the foremost interpreter of Sæverud's music, often with the composer himself eagerly listening in on the first bench.

Henrik Ibsen's deep and eternal drama and Sæverud's music meet Jon Fosse's precise and sharp language in this New Norwegian adaptation of "Peer Gynt".

"During the work on these little bits of taste from Henrik Ibsen's dramatic poem "Peer Gynt", there is a thought that has struck me several times. Namely that Jon Fosse's New Norwegian retelling does almost the same thing as Harald Sæverud's music does. It deromanticizes without detracting, offers barbs and makes me discover the situations anew and that opens up a greater understanding of this massive and important work", says director Bjarte Hjelmeland.

Organized in collaboration with Det Westnorske Teateret

Harald Sæverud, photo: Roar Christiansen, Bergens Tidende.

Ingar Bergby, conductor
Bjarte Hjelmeland, director
Lars Berge, Peer Gynt
Reidun Melvær, Berge Solveig and Ingrid
Karoline Krüger, Mother Aase

Edvard Grieg Choir
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Harald Sæverud
Symphony No. 5 ''Quasi una Fantasia''

Harald Sæverud
Peer Gynt, scenic concert performance
Text by Henrik Ibsen, into Nynorsk by Jon Fosse

Due to national rules, only the public with an address in Bergen municipality can attend the concert.