DESCRIPTION:
David Monrad Johansen (November 8, 1888 -- February 20, 1974) was a Norwegian composer.

He was born in Vefsn and grew up near Mosjøen, where he received his first piano lessons. He came to Christiania (Oslo) in 1904 to study at the conservatory there, and he continued taking lessons with Catharinus Elling, Iver Holter and others until he went to Berlin in 1915 for further studies. In 1920, he went for a study trip to Paris, and here Stravinsky's music came to make a huge impression on him. In addition he met Fartein Valen, which inspired him to start studying dissonant counterpoint. Later, in 1933 and 1935, he spent short periods abroad for further studies. Monrad Johansen's study time was extraordinary diverse, and his development was affected by this.

Monrad Johansen's most famous piece is Voluspaa op. 15 (1926). It was composed for soloists/vocals, choir and orchestra, and it's based on the poem Voluspaa, from the Edda. This piece and the Nordlands Trompet op. 13, are the most pure nationalistic of Monrad Johansen's works, and often called a Norwegian impressionism. Regarding sound, they are related to impressionism, but have structures with more polyphonic features than what was common in f. ex. Debussy's impressionistic pieces. The basis for the music, which is clearly tonal, has modal features. Dorian, Phrygian and Lydian scales are often apparent. Even though Monrad Johansen had achieved significant recognition with these pieces, it was clear to him that the style was a dead-end, and the following pieces show a composer on a stylistic search. Then, during the studies in 1933 and 1935, he turned more into a neo-classical direction, more polyphonic, more clear tonality, classical forms -- also more clear sound and colours, and fewer dissonances than in the 1930s.

During the German occupation of Norway in the course of World War II, Johansen supported the collaborationist government of Vidkun Quisling,[1] and during the period of 1942-1945 was a member of the Nazi-appointed Kulturting (Cultural Council).
David Monrad Johansen's son was the composer Johan Kvandal. (Ref: Wikipedia)

Performers: DetNorske, Solistkor, Karl Frisell, Else Nedberg, & Odd Wolstad
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Øivin Fjeldstad, conducting