Evening Concert | Norwegian Organ Festival

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of church musician and composer Egil Hovland. He became a prominent and influential church musician who renewed service music in the Norwegian Church and created many beautiful hymn tunes. Additionally, he was an innovative composer who introduced modernism in Norway in the 1950s and 60s with major works for chamber ensembles and full symphony orchestras. Some of his church music works, such as Missa Vigilate and the most radical organ music, caused quite a stir, leading to public debate. He produced a large body of church music, from grand monumental works for various ensembles to smaller-scale utilitarian music for services. Over the 1970s, his tonal language softened, and he remained an active composer of major works well into the 2000s. This evening's program features a fine selection of Hovland's larger choral compositions from various periods, with and without the organ. They will be performed by the chamber choir Bocca from Haugesund, led by conductor Ive Buch Romme, who aims to perform music of higher difficulty at a high musical level. Anders Eidsten Dahl will play with the choir and present a cross-section of Egil Hovland's very interesting organ production.