Pauline Hall (composer) facts for kids
Pauline Margrete Hall (born August 2, 1890 – died January 24, 1969) was a famous Norwegian composer and music critic. She helped start an important music group called Ny Musikk. She was its first leader from 1938 to 1961. Pauline Hall also led the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) from 1952 to 1953. This group helps new and modern music.
Early Life and Education
Pauline Hall was born in Hamar, Hedmark, Norway. Her father, Isak Muus Hall, was a pharmacist. He ran pharmacies in different places like Hamar, Kabelvåg, and Tromsø.
From 1908, Pauline studied piano in Kristiania, which is now Oslo. Her teacher was the composer Johan Backer Lunde. Later, from 1910 to 1912, she learned about music theory and how to compose. She studied with Catharinus Elling, a classical music teacher. Pauline also spent time studying in Paris from 1912 to 1914.
Music Career
Pauline Hall first showed her music to the public in 1917. She held a whole concert evening in Oslo with only her own works. At first, she was known for writing "romances," which are songs for a singer and piano. But today, her orchestral pieces are most famous. Her Verlaine Suite from 1929 is a very important work.
Pauline loved French art and books. They gave her many ideas for her music. This was sometimes hard in Norway in the 1930s. Many people there preferred a style called "national romanticism." This style focused on Norwegian folk music and stories. Pauline Hall found it challenging to bring new music styles to Norway.
Besides orchestral music, Pauline Hall also wrote music for choirs. She also composed music for plays. She really loved theater. She translated many important plays into Norwegian. These included Soldier’s Tale by Igor Stravinsky and Le Roi David by Arthur Honegger. In 1930, she translated, directed, and put on the play The Threepenny Opera. This play was by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. She also led the music for its first show in Oslo.
Pauline Hall wrote music for radio shows. In 1932, she started her own singing group called Pauline Hall's vocal quintet. From 1934 to 1964, she worked as a music critic. She wrote for the Oslo newspaper Dagbladet. She was known for speaking out against bad music and for supporting modern music.
In 1938, she helped create Ny Musikk. This was the Norwegian part of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM). She was the first leader of Ny Musikk. She also became the president of the international ISCM group from 1952 to 1953. She managed the ISCM International Music Festival in Oslo in 1953. She led Ny Musikk until 1961. After her, composer Finn Mortensen took over.
Awards and Later Life
Pauline Hall received a special award in 1938. It was called the King's Medal of Merit (Kongens fortjenstmedalje) in gold. She passed away in Oslo and was buried at Vestre gravlund.
Selected Works
Pauline Hall wrote many kinds of music. This included music for orchestras, theater, films, and for voices. Here are some of her important compositions:
- 1929 Verlaine Suite, for orchestra
- 1933 Cirkusbilleder, for orchestra
- 1949 Suite av scenemusikken til «Julius Caesar» på Nationaltheateret, for orchestra
- Foxtrott, for orchestra
- 1950 Markisen, ballet, first performance: 1964, Oslo, Den Norske Opera
- 1947 Ro ro te rara, for male choir
- En gutt gikk ut på elskovssti, for male choir, words by: Gunnar Larsen
- Nachtwandler, for 6 part mixed choir and orchestra, words by: Falke
- Til kongen, for mixed choir
- To Wessel-tekster, for male choir, op. 7, words by: Johan Herman Wessel
- 1945 Fangens aftensang, for voice and piano
- 1961 Fire Tosserier, for voice, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet and French horn
- Du blomst i dug, for voice and piano, words by: Iens Petter Jacobsen
- Rondeau, for voice and piano, words by: E. Solstad
- Tagelied, for voice and orchestra
- Tango, for voice and orchestra
- To sanger, for voice and piano, op. 4, words by: Knut Hamsun Auerdahl
- 1945 Suite, for wind quintet
- Liten dansesuite, for oboe, clarinet and bassoon
Her music has also been put on CDs, for example:
- Pauline Hall: Verlaine Suite/Julius Caesar Suite/Suite for Winds/4 Tosserier (June 26, 2007) Simax Records/Premiere, ASIN: B000027ALU
See also
In Spanish: Pauline Hall para niños
