Pehr Henrik Nordgren

Pehr Henrik Nordgren (19 January 1944 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll allmusic Biography] ] in Saltvik, island Åland - 25 August 2008 in Veteli) was a Finnish composer.

Life

Pehr Henrik Nordgren received composition lessons starting from 1958 in Helsinki and studied music science at the university from 1962 to 1967, as well as receiving private tuition from Joonas Kokkonen from 1965 to 1969. At the university for art and music in Tokyo he supplemented his composition studies from 1970 to 1973 with Yoshio Hasegawa and became acquainted with traditional Japanese music, which soon became an influence in his works.

1973 he married Shinobu Suzuki in Tokyo, and returned to Finland where he established himself in Kaustinen, a small place in Ostrobottnien, as a freelance composer. Kaustinen is the center of folk music in Finland; folk music festivals take place all summer long with travellers coming from around the world. Thus Nordgren concerned himself now with the music of his country. On the other hand, he intensively began co-operation with the Ostrobottni Chamber Orchestra and its leader Juha Kangas, which led to an abundance of orchestral works.

Nordgren's style proceeds from the twelve tone technique as well as the cluster technology Ligetis, refers however many further elements and can altogether than pluralistisch being designated. Apart from the meeting with the traditional Japanese music (e.g. into the Kwaidan Balladen for piano) and the employment of its instruments into its compositions the Finnish people music with their instruments, particularly the Kantele, plays a large role. In the center of Nordgren's Œuvre are located however the works for strings; whether in concertos, works for string orchestras, string quartets or sonatas.

Works

*Symphonies:
**Symphony No.1 op.20 (1974)
**Symphony for strings op.43 (1978)
**Symphony No.2 op.74 (1989)
**Symphony No.3 op.88 (1993)
**Chamber Symphony op.97 (1996)
**Symphony No.4 op.98 (1997)
**Symphony No.5 op.103 (1998)
**Symphony No.6 " Interdependence " for soprano, tenor, choir and orchestra op.107 (1999-2000)
**Symphony No.7 " Equilibrium " "Rock score"
*Concertos
** Violinkonzert Nr.1 op.10 (1969)
** Violakonzert Nr.1 op.12 (1970)
** concert for clarinet, folklore instruments and small orchestra op.14 (1970)
** Herbstliches concert for traditional Japanese instruments and orchestra op.18 (1974)
** piano concert op.23 (1975)
** Violinkonzert Nr.2 op.33 (1977)
** Violakonzert Nr.2 op.48 (1979)
** cello concert Nr.1 op.50 (1980)
** Violinkonzert Nr.3 op.53 (1981)
** cello concert Nr.2 op.62 (1984)
** concert for Kantele and small orchestra op.66 (1985)
** Violakonzert Nr.3 op.68 (1986)
** " HATE LOVE " for cello and Streicher op.71 (1987)
** " Phantasme " for old saxophone and orchestra op.81 (1992)
** cello concert Nr.3 op.82 (1992)
** concert for Viola, retort bass and chamber orchestra op.87 (1993)
** cello concert Nr.4 op.89 (1994)
** Violinkonzert Nr.4 op.90 (1994)
** concert for old saxophone and caper orchestra op.92 (1995)
** concert for trumpet and caper orchestra op.93 (1995)
** concert for horn and Streicher op.95 (1996)
** trombone concert op.102 (1998)
** concert for Kantele and orchestra Nr.2 op.106 (1999)
** concert for saxophone quartet and caper orchestra with gong op.108 (2000)
** concert for oboe and Streicher op.116 (2001)
* further works for orchestras
** " Euphonie I " op.1 (1966)
** " Épiphrase " for Streicher op.4 (1967)
** " Euphonie II " op.5 (1967)
** " Minore " for piano and Streicher op.6 (1968)
** " The Turning POINT " op.16 (1972)
** " Koko maailma valittanee " (" the whole world will complain ") for Streicher op.26 b (1966-74)
** " Euphonie III " op.24 (1975)
** " Pelimannimuotokuvia " (" pictures of the play people ") for Streicher op.26 (1976)
** " buzzer Music " for piano and Streicher op.34 (1977)
** " Häjyt ". Music for a television play op.38 (1977)
** " Tuolla mun heilani asuskeloo " (" Yonder live My Sweet Love ") for Streicher OI. 40 (1977)
** " Euphonie IV " for Big volume op.51 (1981)
** concert for Streicher op.54 (1982)
** " Jumala on kauneus " (" God is beauty "). Music for a television play op.64 (1984)
** " Elegia Vilho Lammelle " (" Elegie for Vilho Lampi ") op.65 (1984)
** " TRANSE CHORAL " for 15 Streicher op.67 (1985)
** " Cronaca by archi " op.79 (1991)
** " Streams " for chamber orchestra op.80 (1991)
** " Equilibrium " op.94 (1995)
** " Yamagata rhapsody " op.99 (1997)
* caper quartets
** caper quartet Nr.1 op.2 (1967)
** caper quartet Nr.2 op.7 (1968)
** caper quartet Nr.3 op.27 (1976)
** caper quartet Nr.4 op.60 (1983)
** caper quartet Nr.5 op.69 (1986)
** caper quartet Nr.6 op.73 (1989)
** Caper quartet Nr.7 op.85 (1992)
** caper quartet Nr.8 op.105 (1999)
* further chamber music
** " night watch ". Music to a broadcast radio play op.3 (1967)
** " Neljä kuolemankuvaa " (" 4 pictures of death ") for chamber ensemble op.8 (1968)
** Sonatina by sestetto op.9 (1969)
** " Kolme maanitusta " (" 3 temptations "). Bläserquintett Nr.1 op.11 (1970)
** Ritornello for violin and piano op.13 (1970)
** quartet for traditional Japanese instruments Nr.1 op.19 (1974)
** " As in A Dream " for cello and piano op.21 (1974)
** Bläserquintett Nr.2 op.22 (1975)
** quartet for traditional Japanese instruments Nr.2 " Seita " op.42 (1978)
** Klavierquintett op.44 (1978)
** " A Late Pastorale " for horn and string quintet op.47 (1979)
** Klaviertrio op.49 (1980)
** " Equivocations " for Kantele and Streichtrio op.55 (1981)
** " Epilogue " for cello and piano op.61 (1983)
** " FATE NOSTALGIA " for clarinet, Violin, piano and 12 cellos op.72 (1989)
** " programs Music " op.76 (1990)
** " Going on " for retort bass and Schlagzeug op.77 (1991)
** " Sculpture fanfare " for 3 trumpets and 3 trombones op.84 (1992)
** Violinsonate op.86 (1992)
** " Distance Dream " for cello and accordion op.101 (1997)
** " Zest " for saxophone, cello and piano op.109 (1999)
** string quintet op.110 (2000)
** " Tuulimyllyfantasia " (" Windmühlenfantasie ") for 3 accordion op.113 (2001)
** quartet for clarinet, violin, cello and piano (2003)
** Quintett for guitar and caper quartet op.119 (2003)
* works for solo instruments
** " Kymmenen ballaadia japanilaisiin kauhutarinoihin " (" Kwaidan balladit ") (10 Balladen after Japanese spirit stories or " Kwaidan Balladen ") (1972-77)
** " Butterflies " for guitar op.39 (1977)
** " in Patches " for accordion op.41 (1978)
** Sonate for cello solo op.83 (1992)
** Sonate for violin solo op.104 (1999)
** " Come lontano " for guitar op.122 (2003)
* vocal works
** " Agnus Dei " for Sopran, Bariton, choir and orchestra op.15 (1971)
** " Maan alistaminen there " (" subjecting the earth ") for mixed choir (1973)
** " Lávllaráidu Nile Aslak Valkeapää divttai' e " (song cycle after poems of Nile Aslak Valkeapää) for Bariton, cello and piano op.45 (1978)
** " Kuninkaan kämmenellä " (" in the palm of the king "). Kantate op.46 (1979)
** four songs after poems choir OI mixed by Edith Södergran op.58 (1982)
** " Taivaanvalot " (" the lights of the sky ") for Sopran, tenor, choir and orchestra op.63 (1985)
** " Perpetuum mobile " for man choir op.75 (1989)
** " Beavi, áhçázan " (" the sun, my father ") for 3 Mezzosoprane, tenor, bass, choir and orchestra op.70 (1990)
** " Odotus " (" expectation ") for man choir op.78 (1991)
** " Köyhyydestä " (" discussion over poverty ") for. 96 (1996)
** " width unit Deum " for Sopran, bass, choir and orchestra op.111 (2000)
** " night of the nights " for 2 Soprane, violin, cello and piano op.114 (2000)
** " egg ne kaikki kuollehia " for Sopran and piano OI. 115 (2001)
** " Tuuri ". Dramatic Ballade for tenor, bass, choir and orchestra op.117 (2002-03)
** " Amor Desesperada ". 4 pieces after Pablo Neruda for Sopran, Bariton, Koto, Shakuhachi and retort bass op.120 (2003)
* operas
** " the svarte munken " (" the black monk "). Chamber opera op.52 (1981)
** " Alex ". Television opera op.56 (1983)

References

External links

* [http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/mainframe?readform&nordgren+pehr%20henrik Pehr Henrik Nordgren at the Finnish Music Information Centre]
* [http://www.ondine.net/index.php?lid=en&cid=4.2&oid=644 Pehr Henrik Nordgren at the Ondine label]