Rikard Nordraak

Nordraak was one of the few Norwegian composers who did not come under the influence of Grieg although the two became friends in Nordraak's twenty three years. In Berlin, Nordraak studied piano with Kullak, composition with Kiel and in Copenhagen he studied with Gerlach. He met Lindemann and Bull in Christiania while studying with Magnus. With Grieg, Horneman and Matthison-Hansen Nordraak founded Euterpe in 1861, which was for the promotion of music by young Scandinavian composers. He composed the Norwegian national anthem which was first performed on May 17, 1864. Historically Nordraak is important for his passion towards Norwegian folk music and nationalism and inspiring others from his country to return to folk themes. Musically his melodies were simple built on triads and on diatonic scales; this is because Nordraak sought unsullied lines and lucidity in his compositions. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi