Nørgård, Per

Nørgård, Per (b Gentofte, 1932). Danish composer. Worked as mus. critic in Copenhagen 1958–62. Taught at Odense Cons. 1958–60, Copenhagen Cons. 1960–5, and århus Cons. from 1965 (prof. of comp. from 1987). Works make use of complex contrapuntal techniques and of some aspects of serialism. In 1959 developed ‘the infinite row’, a 12-note series which expands, it is said, to infinity, and has combined this with rhythms expressed in graphic notation. Works incl.:OPERAS: The Labyrinth (1963); Gilgamesh (1971–2); Siddharta (1973–9); The Divine Circus (1982).BALLETS: Le Jeune Homme à marier (Scenario by Ionesco) (1964); Tango Chicane (1976); Trio (1972).ORCH.: syms. No.1 (1953–5), No.2 (1970), No.3, ch., orch. (1972–5), No.4 (1981), No.5 (1990); Constellations, conc. for 12 solo str. or 12 str. groups (1958); Lyse Danse (1959); Fragment VI, 6 orch. groups (1959–61); Iris (1966–7); Luna (1967); Voyage into the Golden Screen, chamber orch. (1968–9); Doing, wind orch. (1969); Lilá, 11 instr. (1972); Dream Play, chamber orch. (1975); Jousting, small orch. (1975); Twilight, orch., conga player, dancer (opt.) (1977); For a Change, perc. conc. (1982); Burn (1984); Illumination (1984); Between, vc., orch. (1985); Prelude to Breaking (1986); Remembering Child, va., chamber orch. (1986); Helle Nacht, vn. conc. (1987); Pastorale, str. (1988); King, Queen, and Ace, hp., chamber ens. (1989); Spaces of Time, pf., ens. (1991); Night-Symphonies, Day Breaks (1991); Scintillation, 7 instr. (1993).CHORAL & VOCAL: Babel, oratorio (1964); Libra, ten., gui., 2 mixed ch., 2 vibs. or 2 pf. (1973); Singe die Gärten, 8 vv., 8 instr. (1974); Frostsalmer, 16 vv. (1976); Sea-Drift, sop., ens. (1978); Entwicklungen, alt., ens. (1986); L'enfant et l'aube, sop., ten., ens. (1988); November-Prelude, sop., ens. (1993).CHAMBER MUSIC: str. qts.: No.1 (1952), No.2 (1952–8), No.3 (3 Miniatures) (1959), No.4 (Dreamscape) (1969), No.5 (Inscape) (1969), No.6 (Tintinnabulary) (1986), No.7 (1993); Quintet, fl., vn., va., vc., pf. (1951–2); solo vc. sonata (1952, rev. 1953); Diptychon, vn., pf. (1953); wind quintet (1970); Spell, cl., vc., pf. (1973); Nova genitura, sextet (1975); sextet, perc. ens. (1981); I Ching, perc. (1982); Solo Intimo, vc., pf. (1983); Ode to Plutonium, sop., vc. (1984); 9 Friends, pf. or harmonica (1985); Lin, cl., vc., pf. (1986); Hut ab, 2 cl. (1988); Syn, brass quintet (1988); Swan descending, hp. (1989); Re-Percussion, perc. duo (1991); Variations in search of a theme, vc., gui. (1991); Tjampuan, vn., vc. (1992); Roads to Ixtlan, sax. qt. (1992–3); Letters of Grass, cl., pf. (1992–3).KEYBOARD: pf. sonatas: No.1 (1953, rev. 1956), No.2 (1957); Partita concertante, org. (1958); Sketches, pf. (1959); 9 Studies, pf. (1959); 4 Fragments, pf. (1959–61); Grooving, pf. (1967–8); Canon, org. (1971); Turn, pf. or hpd. (1973); Maya, pf. (1983); Achilles and the Tortoise, pf. (1983); 2 Small Pieces (from Babette's Feast), pf. (1987); Trepartita, org. (1988); Remembering, pf. (1989); Light of a Night, pf. (1989); Gemini Rising, hpd. (1990).