The violin Romance, Op. 26, remains the most celebrated composition by Johan Svendsen, a Norwegian musician whose career spanned orchestral conducting and virtuosic performance. Born in Oslo in 1840, he established himself as a central figure in Scandinavian classical music during the late nineteenth century, eventually settling in Copenhagen where he served as the principal conductor of the Royal Theater Orchestra.
Early Development and Education
Svendsen began his musical training under the tutelage of his father, a military bandmaster who instructed him on the violin and clarinet. By age nine, he performed in orchestras, and he started composing at eleven. His formal education took place at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig from 1863 to 1867. Although hand problems curtailed his violin studies under Ferdinand David, he excelled in composition with Carl Reinecke, graduating with a first prize.
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Following his studies, Svendsen navigated a life of frequent travel between European music capitals, including Paris and various German cities. He held a significant tenure as the conductor of the Musical Society Concerts in Christiania from 1872 to 1877. In 1883, he accepted the position of principal conductor at the Royal Theater Orchestra in Copenhagen, a post he maintained until his death in 1911. His work gained him appointments as a Knight of the Order of St. Olav in 1881 and a commander of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1892.
Compositional Style and Legacy
Unlike his peer Edvard Grieg, who prioritized small-scale instrumentation, Svendsen focused on orchestration and large ensembles. His catalog features two symphonies, cello and violin concertos, and several Norwegian Rhapsodies. His chamber music, including a string quartet and octet written in Leipzig, received early critical praise. In 2011, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra premiered sketches for a third symphony, which had been previously thought lost or destroyed in a domestic fire involving his first wife, Sarah Levett Schmidt.
Fast facts
- Born: 1840, Oslo
- Died: 1911, Copenhagen
- Educated: University of Music and Theatre Leipzig (1863-1867)
- Notable honor: Knight of the Order of St. Olav (1881)
- Key work: Romance for violin and orchestra, Op. 26
- Burial site: Vår Frelsers gravlund
- Primary occupations: Composer, conductor, violinist
Questions readers ask
Which instruments did Johan Svendsen play?
He was trained in violin and clarinet, and during his military service, he also played flute, trombone, and percussion.
Did he have children?
Yes. He had one son, Johann Richard Rudolph, from his time in Leipzig, and three children with his second wife, Juliette Haase, including actor Eyvind Johan-Svendsen.
Achievements
- Knight of the Order of St. Olav — 1881
- commander of the Order of the Dannebrog — 1892
- Medal of Merit in Gold — 1908
- Order of the Dannebrog
- Instruments: clarinet and violin
- Genres: symphony
