The first public presentation of one of Mortensen's compositions was the Trio for Strings, Op. 3, which was played at the Young Nordic Music Festival in Oslo in 1950. In April 1954 he had his debut as a composer, along with Øistein Sommerfeldt. He was the leader of the group Ny Musikk, a Norwegian advocacy group for contemporary music, between 1961 and 1964, and between 1966 and 1967. From 1963-73, he was a music critic in Dagbladet, and he was also for many years correspondent for the major German magazine Melos. When the Norwegian Concert Institute was established in 1968, he became the institution's first director. From 1970 onward, he taught at the Oslo Conservatory of Music, becoming Norway's first professor of composition in 1973.[4]
Until about 1953, Mortensen's music was mostly influenced by neoclassicism and expressionism. It later assimilated twelve-tone and aleatoric influences, creating what Mortensen termed a "neo-serial" style. From a point of departure in neo-classicism he became deeply involved with serial techniques. In Norway, Mortensen's works are still regularly performed by leading orchestras. In the rest of the world, however, he is less well-known.[5]
Production
Selected works
Orchestral works
Symfoni, op. 5 (1953)
Pezzo orchestrale (1957)
Evolution (1961)
Klangfarger (1962)
Hedda (1974–75)
Klaverkonsert (1963)
Fantasi for klaver og orkester (1965–66)
Fantasi for fiolin og orkester (1977)
Chamber music
Blåsekvintett (1951)
Sonata for flute solo op. 6 (1953)
Klaverkvartett (1960)
Constellations for accordeon, gitar og slagverk (1971)
Nyserialisme I, II og III for varierende besetning (1971–73)
Adagio og fuge for 16 horn (uten år)
Suite for 5 blokkfløyter og strykekvintett (1978–79)
Piano works
Sonatine (1943–48)
Sonatine (1949–52)
2 sonater (1956, 1977)
Fantasi og fuge (1957–58)
Sonate for 2 klaver (1964)
Impressions (1971)
Discography
Egil Hovland, Bjørn Fongaard, Finn Mortensen, Knut Nystedt/Fartein Valen – Contemporary Music From Norway (1967)
Klaus Egge, Finn Mortensen, Egil Hovland, Symphony No. 4 Op. 30/Fantasy For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 27/Lamenti For Orchestra, Op. 43 (1971)
Göteborgs Blåsarkvintett, Mortensen/Holmboe/Carlstedt/Salmenhaara – Blåsekvintet Op. 4/Notturno Op. 19/Sinfonietta För Fem Blåsare/Kvintetto Puhaltimille (1975)
Egil Hovland, Finn Mortensen, Arne Nordheim, Contemporary Music From Norway (1975)
Antonio Bibalo, Finn Mortensen Sonata For Piano/Sonatina No. 1, Op. 1/Sonatina No. 2, Op. 2 (1979)
Einar Henning Smebye, Beethoven, Liszt, Schönberg, Mortensen – Expressionism Anticipated And Fulfilled (1987)
Symphony No. 1/Wind Quintet/Suite For Wind (1988)
Paul Hindemith, Arnold Schönberg, Finn Mortensen, Frantisek Veselka, Kirsten Landmark Mæland, Milena Dratvová, Sonata In E (1935)/Fantasy For Violin With Piano Accompaniment, Op. 47/Duo Per Soprano E Violino (1958)/Sonata For Violin And Piano, Op. 17/Three Pieces For Violin And Piano, Op. 21 (1990)
Fantasy For Piano And Orchestra/Per Orchestra/Fantasy And Fugue For Piano/Concerto For Piano And Orchestra/From Five Studies For Solo (2000)