Sigma Alpha Iota

22 Spring 2026 • sai-national.org 22 Spring 2026 • sai-national.org A Wld of Music By Jayne I. Hanlin M any classical music lovers recognize melodies from the nine symphonies of Beethoven, Dvořák, Mahler, and Schubert. But I daresay few of these same individuals—except possibly some Norwegians—can hum a single tune from any of the nine symphonies of Harald Sigurd Johan Sæverud (1897–1992). Of particular note is Sæverud's eighth symphony, commissioned to celebrate the 1858 centennial of Minnesota's statehood. Under the baton of Antal Dorati, the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (renamed the Minnesota Symphony a decade later) performed this Minnesota Symphony in Northrop Memorial Auditorium in Minneapolis on October 18, 1958, for a capacity audience of 4,000—no doubt many of Norwegian ancestry living there. In addition to orchestral works, he composed three string quartets, two woodwind quintets, several concertos (oboe, piano, violin, and bassoon), and original piano pieces reminiscent of Norwegian folk songs. His most famous work for keyboard, Rondo amoroso (from Easy Pieces for Piano, Opus 14 No. 7), was prompted by a conversation with his young son. Also well-known is his incidental music to Peer Gynt (1946) and Ballad of Revolt, written after a troubling encounter with Nazis who had invaded his homeland. Completed in 1939, Siljustøl, Sæverud's 7,300-square-foot mansion built of stone and wood, is not far from Bergen, Norway. Inside is a museum that opened in 1997, the centennial of his birth. Harald's wife was the only child of a shipping magnate, and as a wedding gift, her mother gave the couple funds to construct the sixty-three-room house, which took three years to build. At the time, it was the sole dwelling in the area. Today, many homes dot the surrounding hilly landscape. Originally, for whatever reason, each door in the house made a different sound when it opened or closed. The grounds (about forty-five acres) of Siljustøl are accessible throughout the year, but the inside is only open on Sundays from May through August. Nonetheless, in order to acquaint PAN PIPES readers with this unique site, Curator Monica Jangaard kindly offered me a private tour in September while my cruise ship was docked. As she went to get the key to open the front door, Sveinung Sæverud, Harald's eldest son (1935–2025), serendipitously was heading to the garage. He lived in the private section of the house at the time and proudly taught piano and guitar. Harald's youngest son, Ketil, who took his mother's maiden name, is also a composer. Inside the entrance of Siljustøl is a reception area and small gift shop. Nearby is a QR code to scan for commentary and accompanying music at each of ten stops along a gravel path outdoors. Since there was no time for me to explore the route, I later downloaded the free Voice of Norway app and listened to the interesting audioguide with both Harald and his wife speaking in Norwegian before a smooth transition to English Siljustøl Siljustøl Composer Harald Sigurd Johan Composer Harald Sigurd Johan Sæverud's piano outlined in burnt Sæverud's piano outlined in burnt orange with his profile portrait behind orange with his profile portrait behind

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