Nordraak, Rikard

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Nordraak, Rikard

Nordraak, Rikard, Norwegian composer; b. Christiania, June 12, 1842; d. Berlin, March 20, 1866. He was a pupil of Kiel and Kullak in Berlin, becoming a composer with a strong Norwegian nationalist tendency. He was a close friend of Grieg, upon whom he exerted a considerable influence, and who wrote a funeral march in his memory. He wrote the Norwegian national anthem, Ja, vi elsker dette landet (Yes, We Love This Land), which was first sung on Norway’s national day (May 17, 1864). His other works include incidental music to Björnson’s Maria Stuart i Skotland (1864–65; Christiania, 1867) and Sigurd Slembe: Kaares sang (Copenhagen, 1865), several unaccompanied men’s choruses, songs, and piano pieces. His death at the age of 23 was a grievous loss to Norway’s music.

Bibliography

L. Greni, R. N. (Oslo, 1941); A. van E. Sein, R. N. (Oslo, 1942).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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