Halvorsen, Johan

Halvorsen, Johan – Fossegrimen Op.21 / Orchestral suite from the incidental music to Sigurd Eldegard’s ‘Troll Play’ Fossegrim

(b. Drammen, 15 March 1864 – d. Oslo, 4 December 1933)

Orchestral suite from the incidental music to Sigurd Eldegard’s ‘Troll Play’ Fossegrim

First movement p.3
Second movement: Huldre dance p.43
Third movement: Bridal march p.54
Fourth movement: Melodrama and Aud’s song p.74
Fifth movement: Fanitullen p. 92

Foreword
In Norway, it is called Fossegrim, in Sweden Strömkarlen or Näcken, and in Germany this legendary creature is known as Nöck: we are talking about a spirit or troll that lives in waterfalls, enchanting passers-by with the sounds of its harp and fiddle and, as the musical ruler of the underworld, passing on its skills. With his four-act ‘troll play’ Fossegrim, Norwegian actor and author Sigurd Eldegard (1866-1950) wrote not only one of the first stage works in New Norwegian, but also one of the most successful plays in his country, which has been performed more than 140 times since its premiere in 1905.

Fossegrimen is based on the myth of the legendary fiddle player Myllarguten (1801-1872), who, according to legend, learned his craft from Fossegrim himself. In Eldegard’s play, the main character is called Torgeir, who receives a devilish violin in exchange for his soul, with which he travels from village to village. The national romantic play is full of supernatural situations: although he has a lover, Torgeir is denied earthly love and must instead marry the troll’s daughter. Only at the end does he succeed in breaking Fossegrim’s spell and marrying his great love, Aud.

read more / weiterlesen … > HERE