Hjalmar Borgstrom 1864-1925

[giles.enders]

Hjalmar Borgstrom  Born 23.3.1864  Oslo  Died 5.1.1925  Oslo

Coming from a musical family, he initially studied with Johan Svendsen and Ludwig M Linden, then from 1887 he went to the Leipzig Conservatory where he stayed for two years, returning for a brief period to Oslo in 1889  From 1890 to 1901 he resided in Berlin.  He was born Hjalmar Jensen but in 1887 changed his surname to Borgstrom which was his mother's maiden name.  In 1904 he married the pianist Harriet Amalie Muller  1868-1913. He is best remembered for his five symphonic poems.

Orchestral

Symphony in C major  Op.5  1890
Symphony in D minor  Op.24  1912
Symphony in G major - in manuscript
Symphonic poem for piano and orchestra 'Hamlet' Op.13  1903   pub. Holograph ms  on ISMLP
Symphonic poem  'Jesus of Gethesemane'  Op.14  1914
Symphonic poem  'John Gabrieel Borkman' (after Henrik Ibsen) Op.15  1905   pub. Holograph ms on ISMLP
Symphonic poem for piano, trumpet, strings and percussion  'Die Nacht der Toten' (Night of the Dead)  Op.16
Symphonic poem  'Tan Kin' (The Thought)  Op.26  1917
Piano Concerto in C major  Op.22  1910   pub. Holograph  ms on ISMLP
Piano Concerto in D minor - fragment.
Violin Concerto in G major  Op.25  1914
Romance for violin and orchestra  Op.12

Chamber

Piano Quintet in F Op.31  1919
Clarinet Quintet  1919
String Quartet in C major  Op.6  1891
Violin Sonata in G major  Op.19  1906

Piano

Six Pieces: Scherzo, Minuet, Burlesque, Vals Caprice, Gavotte, Storm March.  Op.3   pub. by Carl Warmuth
Three Pieces:  Minuet, Impromptu, Waltz.  Op.10  1899  pub. by Carl Warmuth
Two Pieces  Op.18
Six Pieces: An der Wiege, Wehklage, Ein Winterleibnis, Ballet-scene, Ensom (lonely), Zephyr.  Op.20  1908   pub. by Bodrene Hals
Vals  Op.32
Two other pieces ?

Song

Abendlied
Frozen Forest
I dromme stod for meg Madonna
Lyng
The Red Poppy
Smapiger
Spillemaend  Op.2/1
Svalerne
The Swallows

There are another 36 songs

Vocal

'Who are you with a thousand names'  cantata  1889
Bergmanden  for voice and orchestra  Op.27

Opera

Thora paa Rimol (Thora from Rimol)  Op.7  1894   pub. Holograph ms  ISMLP
Fiscaren  (The Fisherman)  1900

[Wheesht]

Thanks a lot for drawing my attention to Borgstrom - it's been a long time since I listened to his music. I only have one CD, issued by the Norwegian Cultural Council in 1991 (NKFCD 50026-2) with 'Hamlet' and 'Tanken' (The Thought). According to Volume 3 of "Norges Musikk Historie", the composer he studied with was called Ludvig M. Lindeman. He also studied with Ole Olsen for two years. The soloist in the first performance of 'Hamlet' was his future wife, Amalie Müller. In addition to composing he also worked as a critic for Norwegian papers, covering topics such as programme music, musical logic and orchestra psychology among others. He was a feared, but at the same time highly respected, concert reviewer who published reviews on an almost daily basis. While 'Tanken', which he finished in 1913, three years after his wife's death, was for several years considered one of the main works in modern Norwegian music, not least because of its use of sirens and an anvil in the last movement, it was later seen as harmless and old-fashioned. With the arrival of impressionism and expressionism in Norway around 1920, he began to be seen as very conservative.

[Gareth Vaughan]

A list of scores and recordings of Borgstrom's music held by the Music Information Centre, Norway, can be found here: http://mic.bibits.no/wsHitList.Asp?sString=FO=borgstr%F8m,%20hjalmarAND%20searchUnitId0%20AND%20NOT%20searchUnitId=4&order_way=desc&language=Eng

I'd like to find the Piano Concerto.

[scottevan]

His opera "Thora paa Rimol" is available on CD and is well worth seeking out. A good historical subject (the final days of pagan rule in Norway, also described in tone poems by Grieg and Smetana) and it has some marvelous choral writing. The violin concerto and two works for piano and orchestra ("Hamlet" and "Night of the Dead") have been recorded.

[Gareth Vaughan]

The violin concerto and two works for piano and orchestra ("Hamlet" and "Night of the Dead") have been recorded.

Where, please?

[thalbergmad]

http://www.amazon.com/Borgstrom-Hamlet-Op-13-Thought-Op-26/dp/B00004SWOS/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1390419095&sr=1-2

I have heard Hamlet a while back and without looking at my shelves, I think this must be the CD.

Thal

[Gareth Vaughan]

Thanks. I know about this CD, but where's "Night of the Dead" which scottevan3 claims has been recorded?

[Gareth Vaughan]

Actually, I've answered the question myself: it's here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hjalmar-Borgstr%C3%B8m-Violin-Concerto-Symphonic/dp/B003AI2JN0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390420159&sr=8-1&keywords=Borgstrom+%2BSimax
The other symphonic poem is "Jesus in Gethsemane" which, like "Night of the Dead", contains a part for piano.

[scottevan]

Yes, thanks for the information and links to the recordings. I only knew that they had been recorded as I heard them on the radio some time back.

Now I'm wondering if any of his chamber or solo piano works have been recorded. We'd have a much more defined picture of Borgstrom as a composer if that were so.

[eschiss1]

Don't know about recordings, but some of his piano works (and others) have been uploaded (manuscripts, mostly) to imslp.org .

[Aramiarz]

Borgstrom was one Excellent composer, I have the violin concert, it's very beautiful! Die Nacht der toten, is one frenetic piece for piano And orchestra. Jesús in Gethsemane it's one very descriptive piece, until was  recreated the arrived of the soldiers for Jesus's capture. Very good Cd!! I had worked in Sibelius Software pieces by Borgstrom, especially I had enjoyed the opus 18: 1 Vaarbrudd, And 2 Drikkevise (anyone know the meaning of these words?), it's interesting say that the romanze op 12 was dedicated to Ysaye!! It will interesting to ese the piano concert And the symphony!
Thora from Rimol op 7, I have the oper but I don't listen yet

[regriba]

I don't know the whole text of Borgström's "Drikkevise", but the title means "drinking song"

[Aramiarz]

Dear Regriba
Thank you!! 50% of the answer is ready!!
Remain pending Vaarbrud

[SadRobotSings]

Curious about the clarinet quintet, anyone know anything more about it? Is there a score somewhere?

[eschiss1]

Well, the Norwegian National Library seems to have a -lot- of often downloadable manuscripts of his ... including what they describe as a piano concerto in D minor which perhaps could be added to that list depending on how complete it is? (http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digimanus_173301 Hrm. Navigating it using Flash- 88 page score- hrm!... ah no indeed, it does seem to be a fragment after all... though this links to 422 pages of score and/or parts of a symphony in G major by him in manuscript. ... hrm. again. ...) I'll see if they have the cl. quintet.