Biography

Johan Kvandal, son of the Norwegian composer David Monrad Johansen, graduated as an organist and conductor from the Music Conservatory in Oslo. He also studied theory and composition with Geirr Tveitt, theory with Per Steenberg and organ with Arild Sandvold. He continued his composition studies with Joseph Marx in Vienna, and Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Kvandal worked as an organist in Vålerengen Church in Oslo from 1959-74.

He has been active as a music critic and has also held a variety of honorary posts in connection with music. Like other composers of his generation, Kvandal was influenced in his early works by the then prevailing national movement in the 1920's and 1930's. This can be seen in Seven Songs, Op. 4 and the Piano Pieces, Op. 1 and 5.
His early work also reveals an urge to combine Norwegian folk music elements with classical forms such as the rondo and sonata form, e.g. Sonatina for Piano, Op. 2 and Norwegian Overture Op. 7. His stay in Paris in 1952-54 served as an important stimulus to his further work. Through his studies with Nadia Boulanger and exposure to an extremely rich musical environment, he became very familiar with the works of Bartok and the later works of Stravinskij and Messiaen. This resulted in a far greater compositional freedom, which in due course led to a musical language based on what Kvandal himself defines as "modern tonality."
This modern musical expression is reflected in Variations and Fugue, Op. 14 for orchestra (1954), Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 19. (1959), Symphony No. 1, Op. 18 (1958-59), Symphonic Epos, Op. 21 for orchestra (1962), Flute Concerto, Op. 22 (1963) and String Quartet No. 2, Op. 27 (1965-66). In Fantasies on Three Country Dances, Op. 31 (1969), Kvandal again turns to Norwegian folk music for inspiration and thematic material.

Antagonia, Op. 38 for two string orchestras and percussion (1972-73) reveals a synthesis of the national and international tendencies in Kvandal's compositions. His later works often contain transformed folk music material, for instance Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 45 (1976) and Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra, Op. 46 (1976-77). At the same time romantic elements become progressively more discernible, particularly in Michelangelo Poem, Op. 49 (1977) and the large-scale Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 52 (1979). Michelangelo Poem, Op. 49 was originally composed for his wife, the coloratura soprano Lilleba Lund Kvandal, who for several years was an opera singer in Germany. Soon after the completion of Michelangelo Poem came Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op. 52 (1979). One of the music critics wrote after the first performance: "Kvandal's Violin Concerto is such a monumental composition that I would not be surprised if it were the best Norwegian work in this genre." The solo part is extremely well suited for the violin, with a real sense of flow through all the three movements. The concerto opens with Norwegian folk rythms, contrasted by a lyrical second theme. The lovely second movement has an expressive cadenza, and the final has a lighter, elegant rythm.

Ibsen Cantata, Op. 51, commissioned for the Ibsen jubilee in 1978, Triptychon for Orchestra, Op. 53, commissioned by the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra for its 70th anniversary, and two nonets for wind instruments and double bass (op. 54 and 57) are important works in his further development. Lately, Kvandal has written several commissioned works for solo instrument: Sonata for Solo Harp, Op. 63 (1984), Sonata for Solo Guitar, Op. 65 (1984), and Sonata for Solo Accordion, Op. 71 (1987), as well as shorter pieces for horn and clarinet.
The composer's first opera, Mysteries, Op. 75, commissioned by the Norwegian National Opera, was written during the early Nineties, and premiered to standing ovations in 1994. The life story of the dreamer- philosopher Johan N. Nagel, his love, his visions and final descent and destruction has a strong relevance to our times. The music critics stated that Kvandal's music has a striking artistic resemblance to Knut Hamsun's writing, especially in terms of spiritual poetry, atmosphere and dramatic stringency. The opera was chosen among 100 European works to be broadcast by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in November 1996. The opera was recently translated into German.

The opera was followed by the colourful Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, Op. 77, commissioned by The Edvard Grieg Society', New York, for the Grieg jubilee in 1993. The first performance, at the Lincoln Centre in New York, was by American pianist-duo Bradshaw & Buono. The expressive Sonata for String Orchestra, Op. 79 was commissioned by Norsk Kulturrad ( The Norwegian Culture Council) for it's 30th anniversary.
After Fantasia for Hardanger fiddle and String orchestra, Op. 82. came Fantasia for Organ and Strings, Op. 83, followed by Missa Brevis, Op. 84 for mixed choir and organ. The last work Kvandal completed is Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 85, commissioned by the Elverum Music Festival 1998 and The Norwegian Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Kvandal's music is often described as energetic, with a dramatic expression and flow. Both he and his father David Monrad Johansen were strongly rooted in the European classical tradition of composition, and never left this as the main fundament for the compositional form and language. In their childhood they both had experienced the Norwegian modal tonality of folk music, which they later combined with the sonata- and symphony form. Johan Kvandal said that this form of classical music was not a conformity, but an enormous field of energy, which he as a composer could activate. He often emphasised Norway's position as a young musical nation, having a great portion of fresh and unconsumed musical material, and therefore also having a great possibility of musical development.