Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen (April 25, 1903 – November 8, 1984) was a Norwegian violinist and composer with a lyrical composition style and folk influences.Sparre Olsen (Store norske leksikon)
Life Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen was born in Stavanger, Norway. When he was a year old, the family moved to Copenhagen, but settled in Oslo during 1909. From 1922, he studied violin with Herman van der Vegt. In 1923, he became a violinist at the Oslo Philharmonic.Petrak M, Albert, David Mason Green’s Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers Volume 1,(The Reproducing Piano Roll Foundation January 2007) p. 1328 He continued there for the next ten years. From 1926 until 1930, he received instruction in composition from Norwegian composer Fartein Valen. He also traveled to Berlin, Germany to study with composer Max Butting from 1930-31.Bjørseth, Sture Sparre Olsen Biography (Listen to Norway. 2002) He conducted for the Bergen Trade Unions Choir . Olsen was also a critic for the newspaper Bergens Tidende.Biography at Musikkhuset
Composer Olsen wrote a significant amount of large choral pieces, orchestral works, and songs. In the 1920s, his music was primary inspired by Norwegian folk songs and is considered harmonically influenced by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. His later music is miniaturist in nature, his compositional style likened to that of Fartein Valen, his compositional instructor. In the 1930s, he composed large instrumental works inspired by Norwegian poet Olav Aukrust. He also wrote Nine Wood-reliefs with Colours, music for paintings by Norwegian painter and sculptor Dagfinn Werenskiold (1892–1977) .Biography on Listen to Norway
In 1937, he composed Draumkvædet and some cantatas. He composed music for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and choir and orchestra similar to Faure's Requiem. The most important work that stemmed after World War II were the Seven Songs to Poems. The poems were written by Norwegian writer Inge Krokann. Around this period he composed Nidarosdomen, an orchestral piece. Other important works include Ver Sanctum for choir and orchestra, Frå Telemark, a folk song for piano and Leitom-suite for piano.Bjørseth, Sture,Sparre Olsen Biography (Listen to Norway. 2002)
Later years Sparre Olsen was a member of the Norwegian National Broadcasting Council from 1950-58. He also published two biographical writings, Percy Grainger (1963) and Tor Jonsson (1968). In 1968, he received the honor of Knighthood in the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. He died in 1984 in Lillehammer and his urn was placed in Lom stave church in Gudbrandsdal.Sparre Olsen / utdypning (Store norske leksikon)
Selected works Canto 1 Draumkvædet Frå Telemark Leitom-suite Nidarosdomen Nine Wood-reliefs with Colours Nocturne for flute and horn, op. 57, no. 2 Norsk kjærleikssong (Norwegian Love Song) for viola or cello and piano, Op.36 No.3 Seven Songs to Poems Tre Dialoger (Three Dialogues) for flute and viola, Op.50 (1976) Ver sanctum
References
Other sources Gaukstad, Øystein Sparre Olsen bibliography (in "Metamorfose. Festskrift til C. G. Sparre Olsen". Universitetsforlaget, 1983)
External links Music Information Centre Norway biography Musikk-Huset Forlag (publisher): Sparre Olsen