9i RUDOLF BRUUN ANDERSON (Known as RUDOLF
KVELVE), b. January 1, 1892, at Spring Grove, Minn. He was educated
at the MacPhail School of Music, Minneapolis, where he graduated
with a Mus. B. degree. Subsequently he studied violin under
Theodore Spiering in New York City and composition under Rossetter
Cole at Chicago. Before and during concert tours of the Midwest,
under management of the University of Minnesota General Extension
division, he was on the faculties of the MacPhail School of Music and
Minnehaha Academy (1913-1916). With the U. S. entry into World
War I, in 1917, he joined the armed forces as a private in the 35th
Infantry division and participated in two major offensives and two
minor engagements. After the armistice he joined the A.E.F. entertainment
service and toured France with his violin until the middle
of the summer of 1919. Returning to America, he opened a studio
at La Crosse, Wis., and joined the faculty of Gale College, then located
at nearby Galesville, Wis. Aside from teaching violin, harmony, and
counterpoint, he was music critic for the La Crosse Tribune six years.
Turning his attention to composition, he found inspiration in the
moods of nature and in the musical idioms of the Wisconsin Indian
tribes. He has done extensive field research, particularly among the
Winnebagos making notations and recordings of their music and
basing some of his compositions on those Amerindian themes and
rhythms. More than 60 of his compositions have been published, as
has his pedagogical work, The Kvelve Violin Method. Representative
compositions might be mentioned as: "Norland Caprice," "Mystic
Stars," and "Tales of Sleepy Hollow," for piano; "Liten Ekorn" (dedicated
to Rasmus Anderson), "Sea Poem," and "Three Medicine Songs,"
for violin and piano; "Invocation," for cello and piano; the "Sea Nocturne,"
for violin, cello, and piano. Among compositions still in manuscript
form are "Norse Romance" and "Winnebago Suite," for strings
and woodwind, which were given premiere performance by the La
Crosse Symphony orchestra in 1948 and in 1949. From 1949 to 1952
Kvelve was vice president of the Wisconsin Composers league
and he continues to give lecture-recitals on Wisconsin Indian
music. Biographies appear in the centennial edition of Wisconsin
Composers and in the mid-century edition of Who Is Who in Music.
Musical works are published by: Edward Schuberth, Inc., New York;
Schroeder & Gunther, New York; Bach Music company, Boston; Co-
operative Music company, Philadelphia; Volkwein Brothers, Pittsburgh;
Willis Music company, Cincinnati; Clayton F. Summy, Chicago; and
Remick Music Corporation, New York. A nearly complete list of
published compositions is printed in the brochure of the Music Loan
Library, University Extension division, Madison, Wis. Many of the
numbers have been favorably reviewed in music periodicals and have
been played in artist recitals and over national radio networks. Aside
from his musical activities, Rudolf has traveled extensively in this
country and abroad. He says that his most memorable tour was one
taking him from Norway through most of the European countries into
Egypt, Palestine, and Turkey. His avocation is art. In his younger days
he studied drawing and painting under Robert Koehler at the Minneapolis
School of Art, but he discontinued, after two and a half years, in
favor of more intensive application to music. However, he took time
to paint occasionally and when, in the thirties, he came under the influence
of his friend, the noted marine painter Leon Lundmark, he
went to work seriously, winning many prizes for his efforts. In the spacious
studio at 300 Main street, La Crosse, may be seen a large collection
of portraits, still life studies and coulee region landscapes.
COMPLETE LIST OF KVELVE MUSICAL WORKS
COMPOSITIONS FOR PIANO;
Four Winnebago Indian melodies,
Slumber Song, Welcome Song, Love Song, and Journey Song. Three
Chinese melodies, From the Temple of Confucius, Love's Complaint,
and Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers. Two Nocturnal sketches,
Mystic Stars, and Romantique. Tales of Sleepy Hollow, The Haunted
Glen and The Headless Horseman, Norland Caprice, Chant de la Fontaine.
Souvenir Venitienne, Drifting Clouds, ley Crags, Song of the
Redwinged Blackbird, The Cold Spring Rain, June Nocturne, Valse
Miniature, and four children's pieces, Tick Tock, Birds in Springtime,
Boy Scouts March, and Norwegian Lullaby.
VIOLIN AND PIANO; Three medicine songs from the Winnebagos,
Processional, Ceremonial, and Morning Song. Winnebago Suite, Swan
Dance, Flute Serenade, A Lover's Lament, and Courtship Dance. Two
Parisian Episodes, Poeme d'Amour, and Scene de Ballet. Three Chinese
melodies, Prelude, The Ten Sighs, and Night Watches. Norse Romance,
Elegy, Invocation, Sea Poem, Souvenir Espagnole, Morning Serenade,
Mammy's Lulldby, Liten Ekorn (paraphrase), and Russian Gypsy
Fantasy.
TWO VIOLINS AND PIANO; Tick Tock, Birds in Springtime, Fitter
Patter, Boy Scouts March, and Norwegian Lullaby.
CELLO AND PIANO; Invocation.
TRIO FOR VIOLIN, CELLO AND PIANO; Sea Nocturne.
VIOLIN METHOD; The Kvelve Violin Method.
TRANSCRIPTIONS FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO; Song of VermUmd
(Swedish), Londonderry Ak (Irish), Bridal Party in Hardanger (Kjerulf),
Poeme (Fibich), On Wings of Song (Mendelssohn), Mignon's
Lament (Tschaikowsky), Reverie (Debussy), Andantino (Lemare),
Hungarian Dances Nos. 2, 4, 5, 8, and 20 (Brahms).
ORCHESTRA; Norse Romance and Winnebago Suite.
