Geirr Tveitt(1908-81): a Catalogue of the Orchestral and Choral Music

[Dundonnell]

The task of cataloguing Geirr Tveitt's compositions is, of course, made so very difficult as a consequence of the tragic fire in 1970 which destroyed most of his manuscripts. Fortunately, since then, a substantial number have been rediscovered elsewhere or reconstructed and that task continues. Tveitt also wrote scores of songs with orchestral accompaniment and only one or two are included below. The very large number of undated works is partly the result of Tveitt's own somewhat chaotic attitude towards his manuscripts and the consequential difficulty in dating pieces with any accuracy.

GEIRR TVEITT: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

1927/28:Piano Concerto No.1 in F major, op.1: 20 minutes    +  (BIS and Naxos cds)
1930s:   "Havamal" for tenor, harp, flute, timpani and orchestra: 20 minutes
1931:   Piano Concerto No.2 in E flat major "Hommage a Ravel"   (lost)
             Symphonic Poem "Prillar", op.8: 37 minutes    +  (BIS cd)
1933/47:Piano Concerto No.3 "Hommage a Brahms", op. 126: 29 minutes
1934-38:Ballet "Baldur's Dream" for narrator, soprano, tenor, baritone and orchestra, op.81: 91 minutes    +  (BIS cd)
1934-44:"Hakonarmal" for soprano, tenor, baritone, chorus and orchestra: 40 minutes
1939:   Choroegraphic Drama "Birgingu"
              Variations on a Folk Song from Hardanger for Two Pianos and Orchestra: 30 minutes    +  (BIS and Naxos cds)
1939/2006:Violin Concerto: 25 minutes  (realization)
1948:   Piano Concerto No.4 "Aurora Borealis", op.130: 30 minutes   +  (BIS and Naxos cds)
1950-63:A Hundred Hardanger Tunes, op.151:
                   Suite No. 1, op.151, Nos. 1-15: 31 minutes  +  (BIS and Naxos cds)
                   Suite No.2 "Fifteen Mountain Songs", op.151, Nos. 16-30: 35 minutes    +  (BIS and Naxos cds)
                   Suite No.3, op.151, Nos. 31-45    (lost)
                   Suite No.4 "Wedding Suite", op.151, Nos. 46-60: 29 minutes    *   +  (Naxos cd)
                   Suite No.5 "Troll-tunes", op.151, Nos. 61-75: 36 minutes   + (Naxos cd)
1950:   Piano Concerto No.5, op.156: 32 minutes   +  (BIS and Naxos cds)
1953c.:"The Turtle" for high voice and orchestra: 29 minutes    +  (BIS cd)
1955:   Concerto No.1 for Hardanger Fiddle and Orchestra, op.163: 29 minutes   + (BIS cd)
1956:   Ballet "Husguden", op. 184: 30 minutes
1957:   Concerto No.2 for Harp and Orchestra "Concerto Eroica", op.170
             "Kjikartn" for male choir and orchestra
             "Sju Silve-songar" for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.166, Nos.1-7
1958:   Symphony No.1 "Christmas Eve", op.183: 36 minutes      *
             Symphonic Painting "Nykken" for orchestra, op.187: 16 minutes   + (BIS cd)
             Three Pieces from "Baldur's Dream" for orchestra, op.81: 20 minutes
                   (reconstruction as "Sun God Symphony", 1999    +  (BIS cd))
1965:   Concerto No.2 for Hardanger Fiddle and Orchestra "Three Fjords", op. 252: 18 minutes    +  (BIS cd)
1970:   "Prinds Christian Frederiks honnormarch" for brass band    +  (Naxos cd)
1971:   "Basun" for tenor and orchestra: 11 minutes
             "Bergkrystall" for chorus and orchestra: 3 minutes
             "Sanger til Tarjei Vesaas" for chorus and orchestra
1974:   Cantata "Telemarkin" for reciter, mezzo-soprano, hardanger fiddle and orchestra: 26 minutes    +  (BIS cd)
             "Sinfonietta di soffiatori" for symphonic band and organ, op. 203: 20 minutes    +  (Chandos and Naxos cds)
1975:   "Cleng Peerson" for reciter and orchestra

and   
"Herregard og husmannsplass" for orchestra
"Jonsokbalet" for orchestra
"Julereisa" for orchestra: 2 minutes
"The Nixie" for orchestra, op.187: 14 minutes
"To juletoner fra Hardanger" for orchestra: 4 minutes
"Stavkyrkja I Kapanger" for orchestra
"Lur" for orchestra
"Intrata Academica" for orchestra
"Reisebilleder No.2: Via Appia" for small orchestra: 3 minutes
"Reisebilleder No.3: Sicilia" for small orchestra: 3 minutes
"Reisebilleder No.4: Tripoli" for small orchestra: 3 minutes
"Reisebilleder No.6: El Escorial" for small orchestra: 3 minutes
"Reisebilleder No.7: Sevilla" for small orchestra: 4 minutes
"Reisebilleder No.8: Beduinjenter ved oasen" for small orchestra:2 minutes
"Reisebilleder No.9: Stjernhimmel over Sahara" for small orchestra: 4 minutes
Norwegian Suite No.1 for youth orchestra
Norwegian Suite No.2 for youth orchestra
"Uppskoka" ("Consecration")  for youth orchestra
"Utsyn" for chamber orchestra: 3 minutes
"Fra fjord og fjaere, fra fjeld og dyben dal" for small orchestra
"Lavransdattars vise" for small orchestra
"The Old Man on the Brook" for symphonic band, op.204    + (Chandos and Naxos cds)
"Hymne til fridomen" for symphonic band
"Jonsoknat" for soprano, tenor, baritone, narrator and orchestra: 45 minutes
Songs to Poems by Francois Mauriac for chorus and orchestra
"Ved nyingen" for chorus and orchestra: 3 minutes
Ten Songs of Arnulf Overland for tenor and orchestra: 32 minutes
      

Piano Concerto No.6     (lost)
Concerto No.1 for Harp and Orchestra   (lost)
Harpsichord Concerto   (unfinished)

[giles.enders]

The Variations on a Folk Song from Hardanger for two pianos and orchestra, dates from 1939 and not 1949.  The reason it still exists is that his first wife, who it was written for kept the MS.
Piano Concerto No.3 only exists as a 1947 recording, the original MS was lost in the fire.

[Dundonnell]

Many thanks for the correction of the date for the Variations