The success of his dramatic symphony Heimferd (Homecoming) in
1930 brought him national fame, but post-War modernism, coupled with his
personal modesty, pushed Irgens-Jensen's tonal music into the shadows. A
growing number of recordings is now reminding listeners that he was one of the
most distinguished and distinctive voices in twentieth-century music, a figure
of international importance, writing music of striking nobility and strength of
purpose.
Toccata Press www.toccatapress.com has recently
published an English translation by Beryl Foster of Ludvig Irgens-Jensen: The Life and Music of a Norwegian Composer by
Arvid O. Vollsnes.
This new book
distributed by Boydell and Brewer www.boydellandbrewer.com
is the first biography in English of Ludvig
Irgens-Jensen that, hopefully, will bring a wider interest in his life and
music. Indeed, a sampler CD that is provided with the book should help in this
wider appreciation and encourage listeners to explore further.
 |
| Ludvig Irgens-Jensen - The Life and Music of a Norwegian Composer Arvid O Vollsnes Toccata Press Composer Studies ISBN: 978-0-907689-73-7 pp 368 Hardback, Size 16.4 x 24.1 cms Published: March 2014 |
The first chapter gives the reader the flavour of Musical Life in Kristiania, from 1877 to 1925 the name for the city of Oslo, setting the scene for the world in which Irgens-Jensen was to be born. We are then taken through his early life in a family that ran a successful and well-known grocery company, Jensen and Co.
Although born with reduced eyesight in one eye this did not
prevent him having an adventurous nature, something that would later develop
into an enthusiasm for mountaineering. Irgens-Jensen also showed a methodical
approach to anything he tackled with an extract from his early notebook
detailing how he would organise his ideal day.
As a grammar school student he was already writing poems; a
number of which are included in an appendix to this volume. There is a
suggestion that he may have had plans at one time to become a painter, indeed
there are photographs of a number of pencil sketches reproduced here which
shows a definite talent.
However his musical studies continued and by 1915 Irgens-Jensen
was studying with the composer Nils Larsen (1888-1937). He was developing rapidly as a pianist
tackling repertoire such as Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Beethoven’s last
sonatas and the piano works of Chopin and Schumann. He never appeared in public
as a pianist apart from the odd occasion that he stood in as an accompanist.
Irgens-Jensen began to compose at an early age although his
earliest sketches only date from around 1913. In order to keep outside of
traditional composition teaching, he systematically read books on harmony,
counterpoint and general music theory, whilst also discussing music with his
childhood friend, the composer and later conductor, Odd Gruner-Hegge
(1899-1973).
In 1919 Irgens-Jensen was confident enough to allow
publication of a number of his songs, signing a five year contract with the new
publishing firm of Skandia Musikforlag. This wasn’t a success, the publisher
failing after some seven months to publish a single song. Irgens-Jensen managed
with some difficulty to extract himself from the contract and published the
songs himself. Later performances drew from the critics a grudging recognition
of the composer’s talent.
In October 1920 Irgens-Jensen went to Paris where he was
able to hear the music of Schoenberg, Stravinsky and Debussy. A short visit to
Berlin allowed him to hear Hindemith’s First String Quartet. In the 1920s he
was very productive, producing many songs with a number of critics noticing
changes in his compositional style. His Violin
Sonata in B flat major was first performed in 1923, receiving an
enthusiastic review in Aftenposten. It seems that Irgens-Jensen’s fine orchestral
work Tema con variazioni dates from
around 1925 though reworked and published in 1935.
This publication provides detailed information on this and
many other of Irgens-Jensen’s works including musical examples. We are taken
through his Piano Quintet of 1927, his
very fine Passacaglia (1927), the large scale choral work Heimferd (1930), incidental music Driftekaren (1937) from which he drew
his Partita Sinfonica (1938), his Symphony in D minor (1941) as well as
his songs including his last large scale work, a song cycle Japanischer Frühling (1958) a revision
of his Op.2 of 1920.
Chapter Twelve takes a look at Irgens-Jensen the man, his intense shyness, his reliability and dependability, his knowledge and wisdom, his kindness and modesty and much more. The following chapter looks at Irgens-Jensen’s view of music and his musical style. Perhaps here it is best to quote the composer himself in an interview given in 1931 where he states ‘On the whole I am against everything unnatural, everything strained in art. Art cannot be forced, it must grow organically…’
There is a list of Irgens-Jensen’s works, a bibliography and
discography and general index as well as details of the contents of the sampler
CD provided that also contains a rare recorded interview with the composer.
This is a well-illustrated book that is full of detail and
information on this much underappreciated composer. It is rare that a book has
led me to explore a composer with as much enthusiasm as this one has, leading
me to seek out recordings of his music. He has an important place in the
history of Norwegian music as well as twentieth century music in general.
If you acquire this new book and CD I will be surprised if
you aren’t also persuaded to investigate further the music of Irgens-Jensen.
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