Norwegian Military Music 1850–1920 – Oslo Brigade Orchestra

Norwegian military music from the period between 1850 and 1920

Oslo Brigade Orchestra, under conductor Jan Eriksen, presents Norwegian military music from the period between 1850 and 1920. The result is of the highest quality – not overly surprising given that the band have specialized in Norwegian music for brass and woodwinds from this time period. Their musical expression is also authentic: the band uses several original instruments from the time the musical pieces were written, as well as the original manuscripts.

On this album Oslo Brigademusikk performs everything from marches to dances and serenades, written by several different composers. Represented with most compositions is Oscar Borg (1851-1930), a central figure in Halden´s musical life, and Adolf Hansen (1852-1911), one of the most productive entertainment composers from the 19th century. Even so, the pieces by the remaining composers, such as Johannes Hanssen (1874-1967), with his ragtime-inspired «Bjørnedans», Ole Olsen (1850-1927), with his folk inspired «Regimentsmarsj», and Johan Svendsen (1840-1911), one of Norway´s most famous composers of all time, are still more than notable.

Oslo Brigade Orchestra presents a stately, majestic and elegant musical expression of past musical forms. Still, the album is more than a mere historical curiosity, it is a beautifully crafted musical testament of an important period in the history of Norwegian music.