Gunnar Gjerstrøm 1891-1951

[M. Henriksen]

I'm glad to see the interest in Halfdan Cleve's music on this forum, and so I reckon it could be interesting to introduce you to one of Cleve's piano pupils; Gunnar Gjerstrøm.
Gjerstrøm composed in a late-romantic style, and his two Piano Concertos from the 1930's could be very interesting to hear. I think I've read about a Symphony by the same composer, but I can't find any information on the web (I've not done a thorough research!).

Here's a short biography:

http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2002101214500790874341

And some excerpts of some songs, chamber music and piano pieces:

http://www.mic.musikkonline.no/shop/displayPerson.asp?pid=24286&pname=Gunnar Gjerstrøm&pg=1 (There are 2 pages of excerpts)

Gjerstrøm's short orchestral piece "Sagn" (Legend) is also included on Norwegian Classical Favourites 2 (Naxos).

Maybe the Piano Concertos of Cleve and Gjerstrøm could be of interest for Hyperion in the future!?


Morten

[eschiss1]

one other piece of his on CD - see here two movements from a piano suite (Pro Musica PPC 9047, released ca.2006). This might be from an LP of piano music mentioned in Worldcat or it might be a new recording? (Ah I see, that CD is mentioned in your 2nd link- perhaps the EMI and other LPs I think I noticed are also.)
Looked at bibsys.no for Gjerstrøm piano concertos - they have a score (159 p) of the f minor piano concerto (published by Norsk notestik & forlag, at Avdeling Bjergsted). Hopefully the scores and parts of the others, and the parts of the F minor, are available somewhere, so that Hyperion or some other interested label can take them up. (Hrm. It seems that the University of Louisville has the 2nd concerto in score, and a university _in_ Louisville has another copy of the 1st... well, good!)

[eschiss1]

one other thing- apparently in a repository called the Kirsten Flagstad collection ? there is a reel tape of a 1959 performance, Waldemar Alme piano, ( ? orch, ? conductor) of a 1959 performance of the F minor piano concerto.

[pianoconcerto]

one other thing- apparently in a repository called the Kirsten Flagstad collection ? there is a reel tape of a 1959 performance, Waldemar Alme piano, ( ? orch, ? conductor) of a 1959 performance of the F minor piano concerto.

In addition, both Gjerstrom piano concertos have been recorded for broadcast by Ebba Isene/Olslo PO/Øivin Fjeldstad.  That's why I list these works in my online discography of Music for Piano and Orchestra.

Gjerstrøm, Gunnar (1891-1951) Norway
Concerto No. 1 in f (1930)
Concerto No. 2 "Sjøstemninger" [By the Sea] (1936)

I would think that anyone interested in the scores could get them from these parties or learn whom to contact.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Information about publishers and where to obtain the scores of Gunnar Gjerstrøm's 2 piano concertos (and much else) can be found at:
Music Information Centre Norway
P.O. Box 2674 Solli
N-0203 Oslo
Tel: +47 2327 6300
Fax: +47 2327 6301
info@mic.no

[M. Henriksen]

Just a small detail: I see Gjerstrøm's 2nd Concerto being referred to as The Sea, By the Sea and Sjøstemingar, the latter can be translated to Moods of the Sea. I don't know what the correct title is, but I'm sure that Gunnar Gjerstrøm's son; the composer Bjørn G. Gjerstrøm can help us out with more information about his father and his compositions. I'll see if I can get in contact with him in the near future.


Morten