Magne Hegdal

Magne Hegdal (1944) studied piano with Nicolai Dirdal and Erling Westher, and made his debut as a pianist in 1969. Three years later he received his degree in composition from the Oslo Music Conservatory, studying with Conrad Baden and Finn Mortensen. Hegdal has taught at the Norwegian Academy of Music, and was for many years the main music critic for Dagbladet, one of Norway’s largest daily newspapers. In addition he has lectured and written extensively about both classical and contemporary music.

During the 70’s Hegdal’s music was characterized by the use of strict and pervasive aleatoric techniques. The compositional process itself consisted of defining the characteristic features of the music and working out a suitable strategy for chance operations. The music thus arose as a result of chance within the defined framework. John Cage has been a clear influence, but European serialism played an important part as well. Soon Hegdal’s music developed toward far greater stylistic breadth and in due course a freer use of compositional techniques. But the tension between order and chance has continued to play a major role.

The composer’s own instrument, the piano, has had a prominent place in Hegdal’s music, but his work list includes compositions in nearly every genre. He has received the award for “Composition of the Year” from the Norwegian Association of Composers four times, for Morgensolens sange (soloists, choir and orchestra), the multimedia composition Konsert, the chamber work For 2 no.3, and most recently in 1996 for Grande symphonie de salon. In 2002 he received the Lindeman Prize, Norway’s highest award within classical and contemporary music. In 2014 Hegdal was awarded the Arne Nordheim Prize.

September 2014