Urd/1907/Pianist Sigvart Høgh-Nilsen

Pianist Sigvart Hogh-Nilsen

Our country's skilled and most technically advanced pianists raise Høgh-Nilsen to a special position. It has struck me several times, where he fundamentally searches out of the gray ordinariness of art, where he longs to find something new, something that is not constantly being told, but that points away from the lines that were once established. After all, this could look like affectation or contrived ideas of originality. But to Høgh-Nilsen, this sentence does not apply. His music is as real as anyone's. It is through the power of talent's instinct and natural peculiarity that the young pianist finds expressions and forms for his soul, which are not common or even given. Sigvart Høgh-Nilsen was born in |Ålesund in 1880, but came immediately after entering this world to Bergen, where he stayed until his seventeenth year. His father is the former leader of the "Vesteraalen", Captain Sigvart Nilsen, who has won a lot of sympathy and respect for his amiable nature and noble personality. Alongside the piano, Høgh-Nilsen has also cultivated the art of painting, and there was a time when he thought of educating himself in that direction. But the love of keyboards finally prevailed, and after finishing his high school education he went, aged seventeen, to Berlin, where he began his studies under the excellent teacher and highly regarded Professor Oscar Raif, whose guidance has certainly been of profound importance to the young artist. Raif had a particular degree of concern and sensitivity for the softness of the touch and the beauty of sound, and if you read the reviews of Høgh-Nilsen's performances, they coincide where it is necessary to highlight the mentioned technical characteristics of his playing. After two years of study under Raif, Høgh-Nilsen there was on tour in Bergen, where he played for Edvard Grieg. The old Master took a great interest in the energetic, serious young man and gave him a very flattering recommendation. Then the road took him back to Berlin, where the eminent Professor Ernest Jedliztca directed his continuing education. He sought his guidance for over three years and then, well equipped both musically and technically, returned home to Norway, where he gave his debut concert. This took place in Kristiania in the autumn of 1902. He attracted a lot of attention as a pianist who both wanted something and knew something. In February of 1904 he again gave his own concert in Kristiania, and finally he appeared as a soloist at the National Theater in February of 1905 with Beethoven's C-Minor Concerto, after which success he achieved unusually flattering and appreciative reviews in the press. All agreed to highlight Anslaget's excellence, the game's distinctive character and his considerable technical skill. In addition, they attached themselves especially to the art of production and maturity, which expressed itself repeatedly in the game. Since then, Høgh-Nilsen, together with the very promising young singer, Ms. Anna Jensen, made a 3-month tour from our northernmost cities and the coast down to and including Stavanger. Here in Bergen - and we, the residents of Bergen, were particularly excited to hear him, as we count him as one of our own, and Høgh-Nilsen himself wants to be from Bergen, his debut attracted a lot of attention. All the magazines described his concert as a decisive victory and predicted much joy for him in the future. As a composer, Høgh-Nilsen has also won understanding. Both his piano sagas and romances tell of an unusual talent, which goes its own way and has its own goals. Høgh-Nilsen has personal characteristics, which come in handy in the artistic struggle. He owns a fund of strength of character, which certainly has its great significance for the artists, who want something there. Furthermore, he is a modest and nice person, who wins friends wherever he goes. We wish the young, already significant and unique pianist all the best on the way forward towards the goals, we know, he has set himself. Bergen, June 1907.