Anders Hovden

Anders Hovden (April 6, 1860 in Ørsta – November 26, 1943) was a Norwegian hymnwriter, priest, author and popular speaker.

Education and career

His parents were Karl Hovden and Johanne Velle. His father died when he was 16, but fellow Ørsta native Ivar Aasen helped him get an education: first the teachers' training college in Volda, then examen artium in Oslo. Here Hovden became cand.theol. in 1886 and then worked some years as a teacher. From 1891 he was a priest in Lista, Son, Sande, Vanse, Krødsherad, Melhus and Østre Toten.

Hymnwriter

Most noted for his hymns, Hovden is the author of over 250 hymns. He debuted in the mid-1890s with a couple of poetry collections, however, it was in 1897 with his third collection, "Tungalda" that he received popular acclaim in wider circles. His breakthrough came in 1901 with the poetry cycle "Bonden" (The Farmer). "Nynorsk salmebok" from 1928 of which he was co-editor contained 128 of his hymns. He was also on the revision board for "Landstads kirkesalmebog". "Norsk Salmebok" contains 23 original hymns by Anders Hovden and 16 translations from nynorsk, one of these being the national hymn "Fagert er landet" ("Fair is the country").

He received government stipend (Statens kunstnerlønn) from 1931 onwards

Author

Hovden also wrote a number of books, of which the autobiography "Attersyn" ("Hindsight") is best known. He also wrote the first biography of Per Sivle, one year after his death, thus contributing to the then obscure Sivle's increasing popularity.

Bibliography

* "Sunnmøringen" (1894)
* "Sviv" (1895)
* "Heimhug" (1896)
* "Tungalda" (1897)
* "Bonden" (1901)
* "Gate og grend" (1905)
* "Stormfugl" (1906)
* "Solhov" (1907)
* "Liv og lagmand" (1908)