Ole Olsen (1850–1927) was a Norwegian composer and bandmaster. He was born in Norway’s northernmost town of Hammerfest. His music occasionally incorporates elements of yoik, which is the traditional form of song among the ethnic Sámi who constitute the indigenous population of the northern region.
However, most of Ole Olsen’s compositions are light and often quite entertaining, although he also wrote four operas in the style of Richard Wagner, most of them never staged. He is also remembered for his convivial and friendly personality.
Even if he was trained as a classical composer at the Leipzig Conservatory in the years 1871–1874, when he composed his only symphony, Ole Olsen’s efforts throughout life were mainly invested in promoting military band music.
In 1884 he became bandmaster of the 2nd Brigade Army Band in Christiania (Oslo), presently The Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvarets stabsmusikkorps). For 21 years from 1899 until his retirement in 1920 he served as supervisor in charge of all Norwegian military bands.
Towards the end of his life, Ole Olsen attempted to create a new kind of military music by composing regimental marches based on tunes he received from various parts of Norway. For this effort he was heavily criticized for being much too oldfashioned and nationalistic, and the project was never finished.
Today, Ole Olsen is known mainly for his Sunset Song (Solefallssang) from the fairy tale comedy Svein Uræd (Svein the Brave), a popular work that was staged 70 times at the National Theatre in the 1890s.
Occasionally, his Petit Suite for Piano and Strings is being played. As far as his works for military band are concerned, they linger in archives mostly as manuscripts.
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Ole Olsen (1850–1927) was a Norwegian composer and bandmaster. He was born in Norway’s northernmost town of Hammerfest. His music occasionally incorporates elements of yoik, which is the traditional form of song among the ethnic Sámi who constitute the indigenous population of the northern region.
