Geirr Tveitt

Geirr Tveitt was a Norwegian composer and pianist who was a central figure of the national movement in Norwegian cultural life during the 1930s. He was influenced by the folk music traditions of his native Hardanger, as well as by the continental music styles of France, Germany, and Austria. He composed over 300 works, including piano concertos, ballets, operas, and choral and orchestral pieces. He also wrote popular songs and lyrics based on Norwegian poetry. He was especially known for his collection of "Hundred Folk Tunes from Hardanger", which he arranged and orchestrated from original melodies. He also experimented with modal scales and microtonality in some of his works. Tveitt was a talented pianist who performed in many countries, including Southern Europe and North Africa. He also worked as a music critic, translator, and broadcaster. He faced many challenges and tragedies in his life, such as losing his first wife and most of his manuscripts in a fire, being accused of collaborating with the Nazis during World War II, and suffering from cancer and mental illness. He died in Oslo in 1981, at the age of 72. He is buried in Vikøy kirkegård in Kvam, Hardanger. His music has been rediscovered and appreciated by many musicians and listeners in recent years.