Nils Larsen (June 7, 1888 – November 5, 1937) was a Norwegian pianist, composer, and pedagogue. He was one of Norway's leading pianists before the Second World War and was an influential promoter of Norwegian piano performance. Larsen was born in Kristiania (now Oslo). As a young man he studied under

Martin Knutzen Martin Knutzen (14 December 1713 – 29 January 1751) was a German philosopher, a follower of Christian Wolff and teacher of Immanuel Kant, to whom he introduced the physics of Isaac Newton. Biography Martin Knutzen was born in Königsberg (t ...

from 1906 to 1909. He made his debut as a composer with four works in 1908 and as a pianist at the

Gamle Logen Gamle Logen is a concert hall and music venue located at Grev Wedels plass 2 in Oslo, Norway. The hall also hosts artistic performances, conferences, banquets and private parties. History Gamle Logen was originally built in 1836 for the Norwegia ...

concert hall in 1909. In Berlin he studied under

José Vianna da Motta José Vianna da Motta (modern spelling as 'Viana da Mota') (22 April 18681 June 1948) was a Portuguese pianist, teacher, and composer. He was one of the last pupils of Franz Liszt. The José Vianna da Motta Music Competition was founded in 1957 ...

and

Rudolph Ganz Rudolph Ganz (24 February 1877 – 2 August 1972) was a Swiss-born American pianist, conductor, composer, and music educator. Career Early career as a pianist and conductor Born in Zurich, Ganz studied cello with Friedrich Hegar and piano wi ...

from 1910 to 1914. He spent time in the United States from 1919 to 1920, and he toured Norway with the violinist Leif Halvorsen with great success until his last concert, on January 15, 1924. During this time he produced several compositions; these are smaller pieces that are still used in teaching. Larsen was also affiliated with 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 ...

and he operated the Nils Larsen Piano School ( no, Nils Larsens klaverskole) at Parkveien 75 in Oslo. He taught over forty students until their debuts. Among his students were Robert Levin,

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 ...

Reimar Riefling Østen Gottlieb Reimar Riefling (4 December 1898 – 22 May 1981) was a Norwegian classical pianist, pedagogist and music critic, a brother of pianist Robert Riefling. He made his concert debut in Dresden in 1922, and toured in Germany and Sc ...

, Tore Sinding,

Elisabeth Reiss Aasta Elisabeth Reiss (June 14, 1902 – March 8, 1970) was a Norwegian pianist and cabaret performer. She was the daughter of the lawyer, composer, and musicologist Georg Reiss and the sister of the actor Thorleif Reiss. Classical pianist Elis ...

, Eline Nygaard,

Kristian Hauger Kristian Hauger (24 October 1905 – 18 October 1977) was a Norwegian pianist, orchestra leader and composer of popular music from the late 1920s to mid 1950s. Kristian Asbjørn Hauger was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. His father, H ...

Sølvi Wang Sølvi Valborg Wang (28 August 1929 – 31 May 2011) was a Norwegian singer, actress and comedian. She was born in Bærum, Akershus, to the jazz musician Yngvar Wang and the singer Marie Gulbrandsen. Already at an early age she sang with ...

, Gunvor Mjelva,

Ester Skogsrud In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ar ...

Ruth Lagesen Ruth Lagesen (August 10, 1914 – April 7, 2005) was a Norwegian pianist and conductor. Biography Lagesen was born in Bagn in the Valdres Valdres () is a traditional district in central, southern Norway, situated between the districts of Gudb ...

, Ingebjørg Gresvik, Hans Solum, Hildegunn Reuter,

Kåre Siem Kåre Siem (8 June 1914 – 23 June 1986) was a Norwegian musician and writer. Early and personal life Siem was born in Kristiania, to Sverre Julius Siem and Elida Annette Antonsen. He was married to Evy Christophersen from 1942 to 1959, and to ...

Klaus Egge Klaus Egge (July 19, 1906 – March 7, 1979) was a Norwegian composer and music critic. Background Egge was born in Gransherad, Telemark, Norway. He was the son Rasmus Klausen Egge (1874-1962) and Rakel Abrahamsdatter Iversen (1877-1986). He gr ...

, Johan Øian, and

Ivar Johnsen Ivar (Old Norse ''Ívarr'') is a Scandinavian masculine given name. Another variant of the name is Iver, which is more common in Norway. The Old Norse name has several possible etymologies. In North Germanic phonology, several of the elements c ...

. After his early death, responsibility for the piano school was taken over by his former student Ingebjørg Gresvik.

Publications

* ''Bøljan blå, sjømannsviser og bygdesanger med musikk'' (The Blue Wave: Sailor Tunes and Village Songs with Music, 1930)

Publications

References

Further reading