Martin Romberg (born 3 January 1978) is a Norwegian neo-romantic contemporary composer. He is one of the most active orchestral composers of his generation in Scandinavia.[1] He is mostly known for his fantasy literature and inspired orchestral and choral works, notably treating themes and texts by J.R.R Tolkien, H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, as well as pre-Christian, archaic and Celtic-Christian textual material.[2][3]
Romberg's music has been associated with the neo-romantic current of composers in his generation in Scandinavia equally found in the works by Ola Gjeilo, Marcus Paus, Kim André Arnesen and others. He has on several occasions collaborated with the Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum.[18][19] He believes that J.R.R. Tolkien's concept of mythopoeia can be transferred to western classical music to infuse it with new energy, and has used the term Fantasy Music to describe his own music.[20][21]
Collaborations
He has on several occasions collaborated with other artists, notably the Norwegian electronica band Ulver conducting their live orchestral shows on stage, among others the MG_INC Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.[22] In 2015 his one and a half hour long oratorio Homériade based on the mythic texts by the contemporary Greek poet Dimitris Dimitriadis, featuring Robin Renucci and the Orchestre régional Avignon-Provence, closed the 69th Avignon Festival. As a conductor he has worked with London Session Orchestra recording his own albums "Norse Mysteries" and "Scandi Drama" at Abbey Road Studios.[23]
Works
Orchestra
Necronomicon Ouverture (after the text by H.P.Lovecraft), symphonic poem (2023)
Symphony of Saints symphonic poem for soprano and orchestra (2019/2020)
The Wonderbird (after a tale from Kazakhstan) symphonic ballet in 18 movements (2006/2008)
Persian Nights symphonic poem (2005)
Concertos
Twilight Concerto (after a selection of poems by Robert E. Howard) concerto for cello and string orchestra (2021)
Flores Malum (after a selection of poems by Charles Baudelaire) concerto for clarinet and string orchestra (2019)
Poemata Minora (after the poems by H.P.Lovecraft) concerto for violin and string orchestra (2015)
Ramayan 3392 concerto for accordion and orchestra (2012/2013)
The Moon concerto for two violins and orchestra (2009/2010)
The Tale of Taliesin concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra (2007)
Choral works
Requiem of Runes (after text fragments from Varangian runestones found in Sweden) for mixed choir and accordion (2022-2023)
Varanigan Lied (2021)
Streghe (after ancient Etruscan hymns) for girls choir (2012)
Rúnatal (after stanza 138-146 from Hávamál ) for mixed choir (2012)
Aradia or the Gospel of the Witches (after Charles Godfrey Leland's collection of writings on pagan witchcraft from Tuscany) for mixed choir (2011/2012)
Eldarinwë Líri (after elven poems by J.R.R. Tolkien) for girls choir (2009/2010)
Chamber music
Werewolf Songs (after poems by Cornelius Jakhelln), (2023)
Elven Songs (after poems by Tolkien, Romberg, Louisa May Alcott, Jane Taylor), (2023)
Moriquendi, for string quartet/string quintet (2022)
The Enchanted Garden (2020-2022)
Tableaux Féeriques, les Charmeurs, 13 small pieces for cello and piano (2014)
The Tale of Slaine, for saxophone quartet (2010)
Tableaux Féeriques, les Chuchoteurs, 17 small pieces for alto saxophone and piano (2011)
Piano
Tableaux d'or after 2 paintings by Gustav Klimt (2022)
Fantasy Variations on a very famous theme by Ramin Djawadi (2021)
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