Asbjørn Myksvoll (1951)
was born in Bergen where he completed his education at the
Music Conservatory. He finished his organ education in 1974
and completed his higher church musician exam in 1976. After
his debut concert in Bergen Cathedral on Feb. 26. 1976, he
stared as an organist in Nygård Church, outside Bergen.
In the autumn 1979 he was hired by St. John's church council
and replaced the former cantor, Thorleif Aamodt, in February
1980.
In St. John's church Mr. Myksvoll has, among many other things,
forwarded the tradition with the annual International Orgenrecitals
as Aamodt started in 1967. He has directed church choirs and
children choirs, and has been responsible for the comprehensive
concerto activity. He has been, and still is active in the
Organist Federative, Church Song Federative and the Board
of Church Musicality in Norway. He also contributed to start
the annual organ seminars during The Bergen International
Festival where he also has been an active performing artist.
Mr. Myksvoll has given a range of organ concerts in Norway
as well as in Sweden, Denmark, England, Germany and Estonia.
He has been associated with many tours, some of which include
Bergen Opera.. These tours have lead him to visit many countries
around the world, such as Czechoslovakia, Austria, England,
Egypt and Eritrea. As head of the credentials committee in
charge of the organ restoration, he has contributed as the
leader for the project.
Thorleif Aamodt 1948-1980
Thorleif Aamodt (born June 12th,
1909) is it's own chapter in the 105-year-old history of St.
John's Church. His work as an organist in the congregation St.
John, dured for 32 years. A slogger of dimensions and constantly
active and creative. His strong interest for English music is
probably in context with his studies in London, witch was not
a usual thing to do in that period of time. Although his studies
in Sweden and Denmark, besides Bergen and Oslo, made the basis
for his wide musical perspective. As a composer, organist, conductor
and writer, he stands as one of our country's leading church
musician in the last century!
John Thorkildsen 1923-1947
John Thorkildsen (1883-1947)
was born in Tønsberg outside Oslo and got his education
at the conservatory in Oslo. Later on, he studied the theory
of music in Berlin, where he also for some years worked as
an organist. As a composer and music theoretic he has made
explicit traces. Many big and smaller composed work carries
his signature, an his well known textbook in counterpoint
- it first of it's kind in Norway - received laudatory speak
of..
Even if St. John's organ stool was his real rostrum in 24
years, did many listen to him also under many other rostrums
when he held his lectures regarding musical topics.
Leif Bergh 1918-1922
Leif Bergh (1891-1931) only
had one organist employment in his relatively short life.
The cause for knowing so little about him is because his some
solituded life and his sensible personality. He had his education
in Dresden and in Bergen, and vas a clever organist that presented
many big works in St. John's Church. He worked here in about
four years and died of tuberculosis in 1939 at the age of
39.
Einar Melling 1914-1918
Einar Melling (1880-1949)
was born in Bergen. He was blind all his life, but an outstanding
gifted person. Four years of studies in Leipzig made the basis
for his further development both as a pianist and organist.
He performed Schumann's a-minor as a 20 year old and continued
as a pianist almost his whole life. Those four years at St.
John's became therefore a small break for him. When Einar
Melling died at de age of almost 70 years, he was still a
nestor among Oslo's active organists.
Gabriel Hetting Tischendorf 1894-1914
Gabriel Hetting Tischendorf (1842-1932)
was the first organist that ever played in St. John's Church.
Born in Kristiania (Oslo) where Halfdan Kierulf, Ferdinand Vogel
and Gottfred Conradi educated him. He also studied in Leipzig
and Copenhagen. Tischendorfs practical contribution in Bergen's
overall music life was important, is it still thru his composissions
his name will survive.