Amalie Christie (21 December 1913 – 4 March 2010) was a Norwegian classical pianist, author and

anthroposophist Anthroposophy is a spiritualist movement founded in the early 20th century by the esotericist Rudolf Steiner that postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience. Followers ...

Personal life

She was born in

Vang, Hedmark Vang is a former municipality in the old Hedmark county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1992 when it became part of Hamar Municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was at Fredvang. This sit ...

as a daughter of professor Werner Hosewinckel Christie (1877–1927) and Baroness Karen Amalie

Wedel-Jarlsberg The Count of Wedel-Jarlsberg (also ''Wedel Jarlsberg'') is a title of the Norwegian nobility and of the Danish nobility. The family of Wedel-Jarlsberg is a branch of the larger family von Wedel, which comes from Pomerania, Germany. Family members ...

(1886–1952). She was a sister of Generals

Johan Johan * Johan (given name) * Johan (film), ''Johan'' (film), a 1921 Swedish film directed by Mauritz Stiller * Johan (band), a Dutch pop-group ** Johan (album), ''Johan'' (album), a 1996 album by the group * Johan Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Nunav ...

and Werner Christie, a grandniece of politician

Hans Langsted Christie Hans Langsted Christie (1826–1907) was a Norwegian jurist and politician. He was born in Fridalen in Aarstad, a son of customs treasurer Werner Hosewinckel Christie (1785–1872).Christian Christie Eilert Christian Brodtkorb Christie (24 December 1832 – 13 September 1906) was a Norwegian architect. Personal life He was born in Bergen as a son of customs officer Werner Hosewinckel Christie (1785–1872) and Hansine Langsted (1802–1864) ...

, an aunt of Werner Christie and a second cousin of

Jacob Christie Kielland Jacob Christie Kielland (20 January 1897 – 19 October 1972) was a Norwegian architect. Personal life He was born in Bergen to architect Jens Zetlitz Monrad Kielland (1866–1926) and his wife Anna Magdalena Katherine (1871–1948), née Christi ...

and

Else Christie Kielland Else may refer to: Places * Else (Lenne), a river in Germany, tributary to the Lenne * Else (Werre), a river in Germany, tributary to the Werre People * Else (given name) * Else (surname) Music * Else (song), "Else" (song), a 1999 rock song * '' ...

. Between 1944 and 1947 she was married to

Robert Riefling Robert Dankwart Leo Riefling (17 September 1911 – 1 July 1988) was a Norwegian classical pianist and pedagogist. He was regarded among Scandinavia's leading pianists, and toured all over the western world. He was a Professor in Copenhagen fro ...

. She was then married to

Dan Lindholm from 1948 until Lindholm's death in 1998. They lived in

Bærum Bærum () is a municipality in the Greater Oslo Region in Norway that forms an affluent suburb of Oslo on the west coast of the city. Bærum is Norway's fifth largest municipality with a population of 128,760 (2021). It is part of the electoral ...

. She died in March 2010.

Career

Christie studied at the Berlin State School of Music, and made her concert debut in 1938. She held many concerts at home and abroad throughout her career. She also published books on

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

and music education. During her life, she was a strong opponent of totalitarian ideologies. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, she courageously protested against deportation of Jews, and after the war, she protested against death penalties for people charged with treason. She also made herself known as an opponent of

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

. She became especially known for a debate about the song ''

Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli Norway was represented by Kirsti Sparboe, with the song "Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli", at the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 29 March in Madrid. "Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the ...

'', the Norwegian entry in the

Eurovision Song Contest 1969 The Eurovision Song Contest 1969 was the 14th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Madrid, Spain, following the country's victory at the with the song "La, la, la" by Massiel. Organised by the European Broadcasting Uni ...

. Songwriter

Arne Bendiksen Arne Joachim Bendiksen (19 October 1926 – 26 March 2009) was a Norwegian singer, composer and producer, described as "the father of pop music" in Norway. Career Bendiksen was born in Bergen, Norway. In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, he was a m ...

was summoned to the

Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK, an abbreviation of the Norwegian ''Norsk Rikskringkasting AS'', generally expressed in English as the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and the largest ...

studio for a televised debate, which was extended to two more debates. In the third debate, Christie was present to attack the vulgarity of Bendiksen's work, and she called him a "vampire". Christie was then told by

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own duri ...

artist and popular singer

Elisabeth Granneman Elisabeth Granneman (born Inger Elisabeth Fauk; 11 May 1930 – 28 March 1992) was a Norwegian singer, songwriter, children's writer and actress. Biography Granneman was born as Inger Elisabeth Fauk in Bergen, Norway to Karl O. Fauk (1909� ...

to "shut it"; the debate ended with Christie receiving treatment with

smelling salts Smelling salts, also known as ammonia inhalants, spirit of hartshorn or sal volatile, are chemical compounds used as stimulants to restore consciousness after fainting. Usage The usual active compound is ammonium carbonate—a colorless-to-w ...

Books

*''Mennesket og musikken'', 1948 *''Beethoven'', 1970 *''Beethovens brev og notater'', 1999 *''Vi spiller fra hånd til hånd'', 2006

Literature

Ingeborg Solbrekken Ingeborg is a Germanic feminine given name, mostly used in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, derived from Old Norse ''Ingiborg, Ingibjǫrg'', combining the theonym '' Ing'' with the element ''borg'' "stronghold, protection". Ingebjørg is the N ...

: ''Med empati som våpen : Amalie Christies kamp mot deportasjon og rettsoppgjør'', 2004

TV documentary

*''Musikken framfor alt : et møte med Amalie Christie'', directed by Ingeranna Krohn Nydal, 2000

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christie, Amalie 1913 births 2010 deaths Musicians from Hamar Norwegian expatriates in Germany Norwegian women pianists Anthroposophists Musicians from Bærum Norwegian people of Scottish descent Women classical pianists