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Ottar E. Akre

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Ottar Edvardsen Akre(a.k.a.Ottar Agre,[1][2]May 19, 1896 – October 29, 1992) was aNorwegianaccordionist, composer, and educator, known for his many recordings and ensembles.[1]

Akre was the son of the tailor Edvard O. Olsen Akre (1844–1925) and Oline Haagensdatter (1855–1934). Akre was born inYtre Rendal.[3][4]He paid sixteenkronerfor his first accordion as an eight-year-old in 1904. In 1909 he was nearly killed when a load of timber collapsed, and he lay 6 months atOslo University Hospitalafter this. He moved away from home quickly, working as anavvyfor theDovre LineandRøros Line,and he also worked as a cinema operator inVoldaandTyssedalin 1918. He studied under Johan Elsmo atJømnain 1910, and inKristianiahe played a concert atGamle Logen,where the royal couple were also present. During this time, he was also involved with Circus Norbech as an electrician, but began studying as an electrical engineer, which he continued in the United States from 1922 to 1928.

In the United States, performed in an ensemble called Angre's Scandia Art Bell Ringers, in a lineup including Georg Holter, Edvard M. Roll, and Albert E. Agre.[5][6][7]Akre studied for some time at the Fargo College Conservatory of Music in North Dakota (in 1927). After returning to Norway in 1928, he was employed by the Carl M. Iversen company as a music salesman and instructor, where he taught some of Norway's future leading accordionists, such asToralf Tollefsen,Oddvar Nygaard,Rolf Syversen,Alf Blyverket,Arnt Haugen,andArnstein Johansen.Akre taught at theOslo Conservatory of Musicfrom 1940 to 1946.[8]

Akre led several ensembles, including the Aakre Trio withOscar Skauon guitar and Eugen Martinsen (later Amund Friestad) on violin in 1929; this lineup worked at Oslo nightclubs such asRøde Mølle,Grandkjelleren, and Original Pilsen. In ensembles such as the Tip Top Band (a quartet) and the Akre Quintet, he became generally known through broadcasting (Akre had his own weekly radio program for several years) and album releases with artists includingJens Book-Jenssen.The fifth instrument in the quintet was aglockenspiel.Acre was the first Norwegian performer to play an electric accordion (aSolovoxin 1946; later a Cordovox).[9][10]He also founded the Oslo Accordion Club (Oslo Trekkspillklubb) in 1945, which he led until 1977.[11]Akre died inOslo.[4]

Compositions

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Akre composed over one hundred songs, including:

  • "St. Hansvalsen" (St. John's Waltz)
  • "Brandbuvalsen" (Brandbu Waltz)
  • "Livet i Hemsedal" (Life in Hemsedal)
  • "Østerdalsmazurka" (Østerdal Mazurka)
  • "Fagerborg reinlender" (Fagerborg Schottische)
  • "Glåmdalsbrudens vals" (The Bride of Glåmdal's Walz)
  • "Jonsonvalsen" (Jonson Waltz)
  • "Revymars" (Review March)
  • "Sjonglørn" (The Juggler)

Akre wrote Norwegian lyrics to the song "When It's Springtime in the Rockies" (retitled "Det blir atter sol og sommer" 'It Will be Sun and Summer Again'). Anexhibition dedicated to Akrecan be found at Rendalstunet.[12]The Ottar Acre Honorary Award (Ottar Akres ærespris) has been awarded twice annually since 1992 to young promising musicians.[13]

Honors and awards

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References

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  1. ^ab"Ottar E. Akre (instrumentalist: accordion)".Discography of American Historical Recordings.University of California, Santa Barbara.RetrievedJanuary 7,2019.
  2. ^Spottswood, Richard Keith (1990).Ethnic Music on Records: A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893 to 1942.Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. p. 2647.
  3. ^"Ottar E. Akre".Discogs.RetrievedJanuary 7,2019.
  4. ^ab"Akre Ottar Edvardsen (1896–1992)".Accordeonworld.RetrievedJanuary 7,2019.
  5. ^"Bell Ringers to Play Here".The Brainerd Daily Dispatch.November 4, 1926. p. 3.RetrievedJanuary 9,2019– viaNewspapers.Open access icon
  6. ^"WCCO Program Notes: One hundred ten bells..."Star Tribune.November 28, 1926. p. 52.RetrievedJanuary 9,2019– viaNewspapers.Open access icon
  7. ^"Ottar E. Akre og hans musikere i Amerika ca. 1925–1926".DigitaltMuseum.Musea i Nord-Østerdalen.RetrievedJanuary 9,2019.
  8. ^"Akre, Ottar E."Rockipedia.RetrievedJanuary 9,2019.
  9. ^Østbye, Birger;Grundstad, Aage(November 6, 1992). "Ottar Akre".Aftenposten.
  10. ^"Erlendar harminukufréttir".Jazzblaðið.No. 3. December 1, 1950. p. 22.RetrievedJanuary 10,2019.
  11. ^"Oslo Trekkspillklubbs 70 års jubileum!".trekkspill.no.November 28, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 10,2019.
  12. ^"Ottar E. Akres samling".Rendalen bygdemuseum.January 4, 2011.RetrievedJanuary 11,2019.
  13. ^"Ottar Akres ærespris 1993".accordion777.1993.RetrievedJanuary 11,2019.
  14. ^"Tildelinger av ordener og medaljer".Det norske kongehus.RetrievedJanuary 12,2019.
  15. ^Danielsen, Arve (October 26, 2015)."Svendsrud får Vågåfatet".Fjuken.RetrievedJanuary 12,2019.
  16. ^"Tidligere vinnere av Rendalsprisen".Rendalen.Rendalen kommune.RetrievedJanuary 12,2019.

Further reading

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  • Birger Østbye & Aage Grundstad. 1990.Ottar E. Akre: biografi: musikeren, pedagogen, legenden.Bryn, Oslo:Noteservice.
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