Knut Nystedt

Knut Nystedt is one of the leading figures in Norwegian music in the period since the Second World War. A man of rare musical versatility, he is in the front rank as a composer, conductor and organist. He was born in 1915 in Oslo where he received his basic education at the Music Conservatory. His teachers included Arild Sandvold (organ), Øivin Fjeldstad (conducting), and Per Steenberg and Bjarne Brustad (theory and composition). Nystedt made his debut as an organist in 1938, and as an orchestra conductor in 1945. From 1946 to 1982 he was organist in Torshov Church, and he has appeared frequently as an organist in Norway as well as abroad. Co-founder of the Norwegian Soloists Choir, he has been its conductor since its beginning in 1950. He has also taught choir conducting at the University of Oslo. He was visiting professor in the USA for several years, at Berea College in Kentucky and Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Nystedt has been chairman and board member in a number of music associations, and has received honours in Norway as well as abroad. Knut Nystedt is an extremely productive and versatile composer, and his production encompasses profane and religious works alike. His major oratorio-like compostitions include The Way of Grace (1946), The Burnt Sacrifice (1952), Lucis Creator Optime (1968), Dies Irae (1976) and A Norwegian Te Deum (1977). In addition, he has written several masses and cantatas, large-scale orchestral works such as The Land of Suspense (1947), Symphony for Strings (1950), The Seven Seals (1960), Collocations (1969), Mirage (1974), Ichthys (1976), Sinfonia del mare (1983), a number of chamber music works, organ compositions, and vocal works, including well over 100 motets which have been printed by American and Norwegian publishers.