Grappa musikkforlag Halgeir Schiager

Back

Halgeir Schiager

Biography

Halgeir Schiager was born at Biri near Gjøvik, and in 1979 he graduated as an organist from the Norwegian Academy of Music where he studied organ with Magne Elvestrand. He continued his education in Munich and Strasbourg with Professor Franz Lehrndorfer and Professor Daniel Roth respectively. He made his debut in the Oslo Concert Hall in 1985. Schiager has given concerts in many European countries and made radio recordings in Germany and Norway. He has also taken part in a number of highly acclaimed CD recordings. For Hyperion he has recorded the complete organ works of Petr Eben. Schiager has been member of international organ competitions. In 2001 he received the Norwegian Critics Annual Prize. He made his doctoral degree on aspects of interpretation in the organ music by Gustav Merkel at the Norwegian Academy of Music. At present Schiager is working as an organist at the Sofienberg church in Oslo.

Oct 2011
+ german

Halgeir Schiager wurde in Biri bei Gjøvik geboren, und machte 1979 sein Organistenexamen an der norwegischen Musikhochschule in Oslo. Dort studierte er bei Magne Elvestrand. Spätere Studienaufenthalte führten ihn nach München (Prof. Franz Lehrndorfer) und Strasbourg (Prof. Daniel Roth). Seinem Debutkonzert im Osloer Konzerthaus (1985)folgte seither eine umfangreiche Konzerttätigkeit in vielen europäischen Ländern. In Deutschland und Norwegen hat er zahlreiche Rundfunkaufnahmen gemacht. Schiager war an diversen CD-Produktionen beteiligt und hat mehrere, von der Kritik gelobte, Solo-CDs herausgegeben. Für die englische Firma Hyperion hat er sämtliche Orgelwerke von Petr Eben eingespielt. Zudem ist er bei verschiedenen internationalen Orgelwettbewerben Mitglied der Jury gewesen.
2001 wurde ihm der Preis der Norwegischen Musikkritiker verliehen. Halgeir Schiager hat 2008 an der norwegischen Musikhochschule über interpretatorische Aspekte der Orgelwerke Gustav Merkels promoviert und ist derzeit Kantor an der Kirche von Sofienberg in Oslo.

Jan 2009

Halgeir Schiager

Discography

Gustav Merkel organ works, vol. 3

27.01.2012

This is the 3rd of Halgeir Schiager's four-CD-series with the organ works of Gustav Merkel (1827-1885).
Gustav Merkel organ works, vol. 4

27.01.2012

With this fourth release in the series of Gustav Merkel's organ works, Halgeir Schiager completes his big project with this German composer. The most central parts of his impressive work is now available for the first time.

This release contain the three last organ sonatas Merkel wrote, the last one only weeks before he died. There is also an interesting example of music written especially for the British market in the Christmas March, where Merkel also quotes Adeste fideles.

Merkel's works for organ can be divided into sacred an non-sacred works. Among the non-sacred, special mention msit be made of his nine sonatas, five fantasias, sets of variations, pastorales, and works with various different titles. Modelled on the classical Viennese tradition, the sonatas and fantasias are mostly in three movements ... a slow movement surrounded by two fast movements. The first movements of these works usually adhere to sonata form with its classical thematic dualism. The middle movements are inspired by lyrical piano pieces of the time, as exemplified by Mendelssohn's Lieder ohne Worte. The final movements were often composed as fugues, frequently preceded byn an introduction. Merkel's sacred organ music consists of a number of chorale preludes and short pieces for liturgical use. He also wrote a much-used organ tutor.
Gustav Merkel organ works, vol. 1

17.08.2009

The German composer Gustav Merkel has been the main interest of Norwegian organist Halgeir Schiager the last couple of years. This interest has resulted in a pioneer doctorate thesis on the composer"s organ works, and four CD recordings.
Gustav Merkel organ works, vol. 2

17.08.2009

The German composer Gustav Merkel has been the main interest of Norwegian organist Halgeir Schiager the last couple of years. This interest has resulted in a pioneer doctorate thesis on the composer"s organ works, and four CD recordings.