Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

August 25, 1887 in Stavanger, Norway

Death

:

December 14, 1952 in Haugesund, Norway

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Fartein Valen was a Norwegian composer born on August 25, 1887, in Stavanger, Norway. He was the youngest of five children and grew up in a musical family. His father was a church organist, and his mother was a singer. Valen began playing the piano at a young age and showed an early interest in composition. Valen studied music at the Oslo Conservatory of Music and later in Berlin, where he was exposed to the music of Arnold Schoenberg and other modernist composers. Valen's early works were influenced by the Romantic tradition, but he soon began to experiment with atonal and serial techniques. Valen's music was not well-received in Norway during his lifetime, and he struggled to gain recognition for his work. He was often criticized for his use of dissonance and his rejection of traditional tonality. Despite this, Valen continued to compose throughout his life, producing a body of work that is now considered to be some of the most important and innovative music of the 20th century. Valen's most significant works include his four symphonies, which are characterized by their complex harmonies and intricate counterpoint. His Symphony No. 1, Op. 40, was completed in 1943 and is considered to be one of his most important works. The symphony is divided into three movements and features a dense, dissonant texture that is typical of Valen's style. Valen's other symphonies include Symphony No. 2, Op. 40, which was completed in 1944, Symphony No. 3, Op. 41, which was completed in 1946, and Symphony No. 4, Op. 43, which was completed in 1952. All four symphonies are characterized by their complex harmonies and intricate counterpoint. In addition to his symphonies, Valen also composed a number of chamber works, including his String Quartet No. 1, Op. 5, which was completed in 1914. The quartet is notable for its use of atonal and serial techniques, which were still relatively new at the time. Valen's other chamber works include his Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 8, which was completed in 1919, and his Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 36, which was completed in 1939. Both works are characterized by their complex harmonies and intricate counterpoint. Valen's music was not well-known outside of Norway during his lifetime, but his reputation has grown in recent years. His innovative use of atonal and serial techniques has influenced a number of contemporary composers, and his music is now recognized as some of the most important and innovative of the 20th century.

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