In Memorium

Johan Halvorsens In Memoriam, Opus 30 was written for the great Norwegian poet Bjornstjerne Bjornson. The two men became very close friends and Halvorsen composed a funeral march in Bjornsons honor upon his death in 1910. The musics link with Bjornson is underscored by the fact that it opens with a paraphrase of the Norwegian national anthem. At the peak, it suddenly falls away, and following a roll of the timpani, the anthem is played in its entirety. Vocal parts sung by members of the ensemble contribute to the overall effect and make this a most memorable and moving work.