Symfoni nr. 1 'Fatum' - Symphony No. 1 "Fate"

Johan August Halvorsen (1864-1935) was born in Drammen and played violin and several brass instruments. He played in both orchestra and wind bands and in 1881 he became a student at Brigademusikken in Oslo. After a brilliant violinist career he proved himself talented as a conductor and composer. From 1899 he became conductor and composer at the National Theatre, where he wrote many of his most famous works. It was in this period in 1924 he wrote «Fatum». «Fatum» means destiny and like Beethoven he opens the symphony with a motif he uses in all four movements. This work shows that Halvorsen was a great composer and a traditionalist.