Role

:

Conductor

Birth

:

May 2, 1903

Death

:

October 16, 1983

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

Øivin Fjeldstad was a Norwegian conductor and violinist who was born on November 2, 1908, in Oslo, Norway. He was the son of a violinist and a pianist, and he began playing the violin at a young age. Fjeldstad studied at the Oslo Conservatory of Music, where he received his diploma in violin performance in 1929. He continued his studies in Berlin and Vienna, where he studied conducting with Felix Weingartner and Clemens Krauss. Fjeldstad began his career as a violinist, playing in the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. However, he soon turned his attention to conducting, and in 1945, he was appointed the principal conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. He held this position until 1953, during which time he established the orchestra as one of the leading orchestras in Europe. One of Fjeldstad's most notable performances was his recording of Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1958. The recording was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Fjeldstad as one of the leading conductors of his time. He went on to record many other works by Grieg, as well as works by other Norwegian composers such as Johan Svendsen and Harald Sæverud. Fjeldstad was also known for his interpretations of the works of Ludwig van Beethoven. He recorded all nine of Beethoven's symphonies with the London Symphony Orchestra, and his recordings are still considered to be some of the best interpretations of these works. Fjeldstad was also a champion of the music of Jean Sibelius, and he recorded many of Sibelius's works with the London Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his work with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, Fjeldstad also conducted many other orchestras around the world. He was a regular guest conductor with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He also conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Fjeldstad received many awards and honors throughout his career. In 1958, he was awarded the King's Medal of Merit in gold by King Olav V of Norway. He was also made a Knight of the Order of St. Olav in 1961. In 1970, he was awarded the Sibelius Medal by the Finnish government for his contributions to the music of Jean Sibelius. Fjeldstad continued to conduct and record until his death on December 17, 1983, in Oslo, Norway. He left behind a legacy as one of the greatest conductors of his time, and his recordings continue to be celebrated for their musicality and technical excellence.

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