Norwegian Rhapsodies

Composer: SVENDSEN, Johan
  • Svendsen wrote four Norwegian Rhapsodies for orchestra between 1876-77 (Op. 17, 19, 21, and 22).
  • In writing his Norwegian Rhapsodies, Svendsen was inspired by Liszt‘s Hungarian Rhapsodies. Svendsen worked traditional Norwegian folksongs into large-scale orchestral works.1
  • Fun fact – the theme of the “Andante” section of Norwegian Rhapsody No. 3, a folksong called “Åsmund Frægdegjæva,” was also used by Jalvorsen in Norwegian Air, Op. 7.2
    • Additional fun fact – the second theme of Norwegian Rhapsody No. 2 was also used for Grieg’s Old Norwegian Melody with Variations, Op. 51.3

Sources

  1. Richard Whitehouse, Notes in accompanying booklet, SVENDSEN, J.: Norwegian Rhapsodies Nos. 1-4 / Romeo and Juliet / Zorahayda performed by the South Jutland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jkarte Engeset, Naxos 8.570322, 2009, compact disc.
  2. “Norwegian Rhapsody No.3, Op.21 (Svendsen, Johan),” IMSLP, accessed March 31, 2026, https://imslp.org/wiki/Norwegian_Rhapsody_No.3%2C_Op.21_(Svendsen%2C_Johan).
  3. “Norwegian Rhapsody No.2, Op.19 (Svendsen, Johan),” IMSLP, accessed March 31, 2026, https://imslp.org/wiki/Norwegian_Rhapsody_No.2%2C_Op.19_(Svendsen%2C_Johan).

Cut IDs

43172 23737 43173 23738 43174 23739 43175 23740