scandinavian composers

[op.109]

Who are some of your favorite piano composers from the Scandinavian countries, from any time period?

[tocca]

In my opinion, Grieg stands out so cleary amongst the Scandinavian composers that i won't mention anyone else. 

[Rach3]

Then I will name Sibelius, composer of the greatest violin concerto ever. (snicker)

[Nordlys]

In my opinion, Grieg stands out so cleary amongst the Scandinavian composers that i won't mention anyone else. 

What? No patriotic feelings for your home country, Sweden? 
Who is the "Swedish Grieg", is it Wilhelm Stenhammar, or Wilhelm Peterson-Berger? They have anyway both some nice romantic piano music.

Sibelius piano music is also interesting.
By the way I think there is a lot of good finnish music by more modern composers, which I unfortunately don't know. Anybody have any suggestions?

The danish composer Carl Nielsen has some interesting piano music. The Chaconne is very much played, a variation piece with an exciting virtuosic climax, but not too difficult. Very pianistically written.
There are a few other pieces also, which sounds more modern.


Being from Norway, I know the norwegian composers best. Some that I find interesting:

From the romantic period there are many, besides Grieg, often with no less quality than Griegs music.  Can we say that Grieg is slightly overrated? Composers with interesting piano music:
Ole Olsen - has a collection of nice and fresh character pieces.
Sigurd Lie - quite unknown, but the piano work "årstidsbilder" (four seasons) is a very  pianistical and good work.
Agathe Backer Grøndahl - a woman concert pianist and composer. Some beautiful piano pieces, like "Sommervise" (Summer Song), and a lot of concert etudes.
Christian Sinding has some piano music. I think I only know the "Frühlingsrauschen". I also heard his piano concerto. Too pompous and grandious for my taste.

Some interesting ones from the post-romantic era:
Fartein Valen - an atonal modernist who had Bach as his ideal. Contrapuntal music, but very intense, late romantic expression.
Alf Hurum -  the Norwegian Debussy, but kept something "norwegian" in his style. Many very nice pieces, like the collections "Fairytale Land" and "Gothic images".
David Monrad Johansen - "Nordlandsbilleder" (images from the north), is a very good suite for piano. Pianistical writing. Advanced tonal language, but not atonal. Very descriptive.
Geirr Tveitt - A lot of piano music, the most famous being the "50 folkmelodies from Hardanger", which are 50 small character pieces. Some are not too easy to play. Very characteristic style, influenced by among others Bartok and Debussy. Hard, effective, and colourful. Elements of folk music integrated in the style. He also has some piano concertos.

[bernhard]

What? No patriotic feelings for your home country, Sweden? 
Who is the "Swedish Grieg", is it Wilhelm Stenhammar, or Wilhelm Peterson-Berger? They have anyway both some nice romantic piano music.

Sibelius piano music is also interesting.
By the way I think there is a lot of good finnish music by more modern composers, which I unfortunately don't know. Anybody have any suggestions?

The danish composer Carl Nielsen has some interesting piano music. The Chaconne is very much played, a variation piece with an exciting virtuosic climax, but not too difficult. Very pianistically written.
There are a few other pieces also, which sounds more modern.


Being from Norway, I know the norwegian composers best. Some that I find interesting:

From the romantic period there are many, besides Grieg, often with no less quality than Griegs music.  Can we say that Grieg is slightly overrated? Composers with interesting piano music:
Ole Olsen - has a collection of nice and fresh character pieces.
Sigurd Lie - quite unknown, but the piano work "årstidsbilder" (four seasons) is a very  pianistical and good work.
Agathe Backer Grøndahl - a woman concert pianist and composer. Some beautiful piano pieces, like "Sommervise" (Summer Song), and a lot of concert etudes.
Christian Sinding has some piano music. I think I only know the "Frühlingsrauschen". I also heard his piano concerto. Too pompous and grandious for my taste.

Some interesting ones from the post-romantic era:
Fartein Valen - an atonal modernist who had Bach as his ideal. Contrapuntal music, but very intense, late romantic expression.
Alf Hurum -  the Norwegian Debussy, but kept something "norwegian" in his style. Many very nice pieces, like the collections "Fairytale Land" and "Gothic images".
David Monrad Johansen - "Nordlandsbilleder" (images from the north), is a very good suite for piano. Pianistical writing. Advanced tonal language, but not atonal. Very descriptive.
Geirr Tveitt - A lot of piano music, the most famous being the "50 folkmelodies from Hardanger", which are 50 small character pieces. Some are not too easy to play. Very characteristic style, influenced by among others Bartok and Debussy. Hard, effective, and colourful. Elements of folk music integrated in the style. He also has some piano concertos.

Nice list . Thank you. I have come accross Tveitt, Grondahl and Sinding, but not the others. I shall be looking into them.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[op.109]

Thanks so much for all the wonderful suggestions!  I will certainly investigate...

[tocca]

What? No patriotic feelings for your home country, Sweden? 
Who is the "Swedish Grieg", is it Wilhelm Stenhammar, or Wilhelm Peterson-Berger? They have anyway both some nice romantic piano music.

 

I like some pieces by other Scandinavian composers, although i don't listen that much to it. Peterson-Berger has done some nice things for example.
The thing with comparing Grieg to the others (in my view) is that, while there are other Scandinavian composers that might have composed pieces of Griegs quality it's just a handful of pieces.
I can think of maybe half a dussin, maybe a bit more, pieces that i really like of other Scandinavians. But as far as for Grieg... he just poured out great music! (My view.... again)

Let's put it like this. There are quite a few Scandinavian composers that composed some great music... but Grieg was simply a great composer. A big difference.

Can we say that Grieg is slightly overrated?

That's of course an individual thing... i certainly don't think so!!

EDIT: This is of course as long as we're talking about Piano music, otherwise i have a different view.

[fnork]

Being from Sweden, I know some good composers from here, although I'm still unfamiliar with many composers.

Ture Rangström has written some nice pieces. I have only heard a few, I remember a nice suite called "Mälarlegender". First movement is very well written, and not very difficult to play either.
I'm working myself on a violin sonata by Emil Sjögren. I haven't heard much of his music, but the two first violin sonatas are the most famous - both very good. The one I'm learning is the first one in G-minor, you can hear a concert recording of it here: https://www.angelfire.com/music6/fnork2/

I'm surprised noone mentioned Wilhelm Stenhammar. He's one of the most famous composers from Sweden. I haven't heard much of him, but one of his most wellknown pieces is a fantasy in h-minor.