Ole Olsen: Trombone Concerto in F Major

Ole Olsen (1850-1927)

Trombone Concerto in F Major

I. Allegro moderato 0:00
II. Molto andante 4:00
III. Allegro moderato 7:11

Christian Lindberg, trombone
Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra
Rune Halvorsen, conductor

Ole Olsen (1850 – 1927) was a Norwegian organist, composer, conductor and military musician. Olsen was born in Hammerfest, in the county of Finnmark. His mother died when he was young. His father was Iver Olsen, a craftsman and an amateur musician who played the organ at the local church. From a young age Olsen learnt to play the piano and the violin. At the age of five he composed his first small piece, and by the age of seven he sometimes stood in for his father playing the church pipe organ. In 1865 Olsen went to Trondheim as apprentice to a craftsman. He also studied composition and the organ from Fredrick and Just Lindeman, and sometimes substituted for Just as the organist in the Trondheim cathedral. In 1870, having given up his apprenticeship, he moved to Leipzig where he studied under Oscar Paul at the music conservatory until 1874. There he wrote his Symphony in G major, and began his opera Stig Hvide. In 1874 he became a teacher in Christiania (now Oslo), where he spent most of the rest of his life. He conducted the Christiania Artisans' Choral Society from 1876–1880, the Music Society orchestra from 1877–1880, and the freemason's orchestra from 1894–1908. From 1884 he was the music director of the Akershus 2nd Brigade. From 1899–1920 he was a music inspector. He had married Marie Hals, the daughter of piano manufacturer Karl Hals, in 1879. He died in Oslo on November 4, 1927. His interment was at Cemetery of Our Saviour.