Per Nørgård, Danish composer, teacher, and music critic, studied with his countryman Vagn Holmboe at the Royal Danish Conservatory and the legendary Nadia Boulanger in Paris. His early work reflects a neo-Romantic style (Jean Sibelius and Dmitri Shostakovich), while his later works draw upon serialism (use of predetermined tone rows) and pointillism.

Sinfonia austera, written in 1955 and premiered in 1958, is fairly conservative in its approach to tonality and instrumentation. As it certainly must be with many Nordic composers, the specter of Sibelius is present throughout: direct musical quotes of Sibelius; expansive, spacious quality; dark emotional drama; and large orchestra. This is powerfully driven music that rarely lets up. Present is an economical use of thematic material spun into very expressive melodic phrases. The first of three movements, Tempo moderato, contains a militant intensity of feeling. Dominated by a tentative, furtive quality, the Calmo, molto affetuoso reminds one of the slow movements in Shostakovich symphonies. Finally, the Allegro impetuoso is a relentless building of emotion. Fans of the music of Sibelius and Shostakovich should find much to enjoy in this symphony.

© Mona DeQuis, All Music Guide