Yesterday I got the sad news about the Norwegian composer and critic Arne Nordheim's death.
Born in 1931, he was a well-known character in the modernist era of music, after WW2, and probably the first in this country to perform and compose electronic music.
Not only did he compose, but he was also a leading figure in the political battles concerning the artists rights in the 60s. Rights that the Norwegian artists still benefits from today.
Some months ago I wrote Arne Nordheim a letter, where I was asking if he had a possibility to meet me for a tutorial and to have a conversation about the sound and compositions related to my projects. Sadly right after writing the letter, I discovered that Arne Nordheim was already quite ill in a nursing home. The chance for me to have a conversation with one of the leading composers of Norway had passed. I never sent that letter, but I will keep it as a reminder of how close I was.
