Oscar Borg (1851–1930) was a Norwegian composer and band conductor. After having received his music education in Stockholm, Sweden, he spent the rest of his professional life – more than 40 years – in the town of Halden in south-eastern Norway, conducting the local 1st Brigade Army Band.
Borg is best known for his marches for wind band and has been called ‘The March King of Norway’. He composed 60 marches for military band, 100 songs and about 170 arrangements of various kinds.
Foremost among his marches are some of the earliest ones he wrote – King Haakon VII Honorary March (1905), and Crown Prince Olav Honorary March (1891, initially written to honour Swedish Prince Carl and renamed when Norway had a new royal family in 1905).
Borg composed all works for his small band of 19 musicians: Piccolo in D♭, Flute in E♭, Clarinet in E♭, 3 Clarinets in B♭, Cornet in E♭, Cornet in B♭, 2 Trumpets in E♭, 3 Alto Horns in E♭, Tenor Horn, 2 Valve Trombones (Tenor II & III), 2 Tubas (probably E♭ & B♭), Percussion.
His two royal honour marches were re-orchestrated for full band and published in the 1950s by Bjarne Th. Larssen, conductor of the Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces. Other marches have received similar treatment, while a few exist only on old march cards. Some are still unpublished.
Norwegian Students March was composed in 1898. It was arranged for concert band from old parts archived by the Norwegian Navy Band.
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Oscar Borg (1851–1930) was a Norwegian composer and band conductor. After having received his music education in Stockholm, Sweden, he spent the rest of his professional life – more than 40 years – in the town of Halden in south-eastern Norway, conducting the local 1st Brigade Army Band.
