Arne Eggen (28 August 1881 in

Trondheim, Norway Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most pop ...

– 26 October 1955 in Bærum, Norway) was a Norwegian composer and organist, married in 1916 to Engel Johanne Othilie Sparre Gulbranson (1878–1918), the brother of musicologist and composer (1877–1957), and brother-in-law to the opera singer Ellen Gulbranson (1863–1947).

Biography

Eggen studied at the

Conservatory of Music A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger i ...

in Oslo with Catharinus Elling (1858–1942), Peter Brynie Lindeman (1858–1930), and graduated as organist in 1905. He also studied at the

Leipzig Conservatory The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig (german: Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig) is a public university in Leipzig (Saxony, Germany). Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn ...

(1906–1907) with

Stephan Krehl __NOTOC__ Stephan Krehl (5 July 1864 – 9 April 1924, in Leipzig) was a German composer, teacher, and theoretician. His writings include ''Traité général de la musique'' and ''Théorie de la musique et de science de la composition.'' His pupil ...

and

Karl Straube Montgomery Rufus Karl Siegfried Straube (6 January 1873 – 27 April 1950) was a German church musician, organist, and choral conductor, famous above all for championing the abundant organ music of Max Reger. Career Born in Berlin, Straube stu ...

(1873–1950). He worked as organist in Bragernes Church (1908–1924), Drammen Church (1908–1924),

Bryn Church Bryn Church ( no, Bryn kirke) is a long church ( no, langkirke) located in Rykkinn in the municipality of Bærum in Akershus county, Norway. The church functions both as a road church and is the parish church for Bryn. History The church was bu ...

(1924–1955) and Tanum Church, Bærum. He was chairman of the

Norwegian Society of Composers The Norwegian Society of Composers ( no, Norsk Komponistforening) was founded in 1917. The Society's main objectives are to promote its members' music and secure their rights. As of today the Society counts 185 members who meet regularly for discu ...

(1927–1945), Honorary Chairman 1945 in TONO 1928–1930. Of his compositions include ''Oratorio King Olav'' (1930), the operas ''Olav Liljekrans'' (lyrics by Ibsen, 1931–1940) and ''Cymbelin'' (lyrics by Shakespeare, 1943–1950), premiered in 1951, with

Aase Nordmo Løvberg Aase Nordmo Løvberg (10 June 192325 January 2013) was a Norwegian opera soprano. ''Dagbladet'' called her "one of Norway's greatest opera singers." For many years she sang with Jussi Björling at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, and she also sang ...

in the role of Imogen, the choral ''Mjøsen'' (mixed choir with piano, 1922), the melodrama ''Liti Kersti'', ''Cantata to Drammens 100th anniversary'' (soli, choir and orchestra), music to ''Liti Kjersti'' (1915), ''Symphony in G minor'' (1920), 2 violin sonatas, cello sonatas, organ works (Ciaconna) and a numerous romances. Stylistically Eggen continued Grieg and Svendsen's national romantic line, and he has been particularly known for his great ability to create beautiful melodies. He died at

Bærum Hospital 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 ...

Works

* Cymbeline, opera after Shakespeare 1951

Recordings

The orchestral work ''Bjørgulv spelemann (Liti Kersti-suite)'' ("Bjorgulv the Fiddler") was recorded by the

Oslo Philharmonic The Oslo Philharmonic (Oslo-Filharmonien) is a Norwegian symphony orchestra based in Oslo, Norway. The orchestra traces its roots to the Philharmonic Society founded in 1847 and the Christiania Musical Association co-founded by Edvard Grieg in 18 ...

under conductor

Odd Grüner-Hegge Odd Ragnar Grüner-Hegge (September 23, 1899 – May 11, 1973) was a Norwegian conductor and composer. He was the longest-serving conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, and he was the conductor at the Norwegian National Opera in the 1960s. Family ...

in 1951, and again by the

Iceland Symphony Orchestra Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands (Iceland Symphony Orchestra) (ISO) is an Icelandic orchestra based in Reykjavík, Iceland. Its primary concert venue is the Harpa Concert Hall. The Iceland Symphony is an autonomous public institution under the aus ...

. The psalm-hymn ''"Ære det evige forår i livet"'' ("Praise the eternal spring of life") to a text by

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson ( , ; 8 December 1832 – 26 April 1910) was a Norwegian writer who received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguishe ...

, was recorded by

Kirsten Flagstad Kirsten Malfrid Flagstad (12 July 1895 – 7 December 1962) was a Norwegian opera singer, who was the outstanding Wagnerian soprano of her era. Her triumphant debut in New York on 2 February 1935 is one of the legends of opera. Giulio Gatti-Casa ...

with the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's Hall Orc ...

, conducted by Øivin Fjeldstad.''International Record Review'' 2000– Volume 1, Issues 7–12, Page 118 "The song by Eggen, Song of the eternal spring in life ('Aere det evige forar I livet') will, I hope, grab you wholly and carry you along on a great burst of heart-warming vision. Far better, in my view, that Olympic organizers discard the dreary Olympic anthem heard recently in Sydney and replace it with something as ennobling as this song."

References

1881 births 1955 deaths Musicians from Trondheim Musicians from Bærum 20th-century Norwegian composers 20th-century classical composers Norwegian organists Male organists 20th-century organists 20th-century Norwegian male musicians {{Norway-composer-stub