Bergen - Norway - page 280

Siljustøl Although most visitors flock to Edvard Grieg's former home
at Troldhaugen, Bergen has an important Norwegian composer of its own: Har-
ald Saeverud. Born in Bergen in 1897, the young composer studied first in his
hometown before going on to Berlin where he met some of the greatest of the
20th-century German composers. Upon returning to Bergen in 1934, he mar-
ried wealthy Marie Hvoslef.
The money for constructing his home, Siljustøl, was a wedding gift to the
composer and his new bride. The imposing place—set on 70 beautiful hectares
(176 acres)—is like a piece of west Norway in miniature. Upon completion in
1939, Siljustøl was the largest private home in Norway with 63 rooms. The house
is made of wood and natural stone, and has six toilets, although the composer
preferred the more old-fashioned plumbing of Norway—a hole in the floor.
During the Nazi occupation, Saeverud wrote a trio of “war-symphonies” and
one called “Ballad of Revolt” in honor of the Norwegian resistance to the Nazis.
Today that latter composition stands as a symbol for the struggle against dicta-
torship and occupation. After the war he composed music for Henrik Ibsen's
dramatic poem, Peer Gynt. Twelve concert pieces extracted from this work are
among the most frequently played orchestral works today.
In 1986 Saeverud became the official composer for the Bergen International
Music Festival. He lived in Bergen until his death in 1992 at the age of 95. After
being given a state funeral, he was buried at Siljustøl, where his grave site is a
pilgrimage destination for fans.
Rådal (near Rte. 582 to the airport), 12km (7 1 ⁄ 2 miles) from the center. & 55-92-29-92. Admission 50NOK
($7.10) adults, free for children. May-Sept daily 9am-6pm; Oct to mid-Dec and Feb-Apr Mon-Fri 10am-2pm.
Bus: 20 from Bergen Bus Station. Closed mid-Dec to Jan.
Theta Museum on Bryggen This little cell was the seat of clandes-
tine Bergen resistance during the darkest days of the Nazi takeover of the city in
World War II. It is also Norway's tiniest museum. The one room operated until
1942 when it was discovered by the Germans who destroyed it. The present
room is a reconstruction. The freedom fighters called themselves the “Theta
Group,” and their aim was to establish contact and communication with the
Norwegian government in exile in England. The museum is also the hardest to
find in Bergen. Look for a carved depiction of a unicorn placed prominently on
the facade of an old building directly fronting the quay of Bryggen. Then walk
“inland” from the quay, down a narrow alleyway that runs perpendicular to the
waterfront until you see a sign directing you to the museum on the third floor.
The building stands at the entrance to Enhjørningsgarden.
Enhjørningsgarden. & 55-55-20-80. Admission 20NOK ($2.85) adults, 5NOK (70¢) children. Mid-May to
mid-Sept Tues and Sat-Sun 2-4pm. Bus: 1, 5, or 9.
Troldhaugen (Trolls' Hill) This Victorian house, in beautiful rural sur-
roundings, was the summer villa of composer Edvard Grieg and the site where he
composed many of his famous works. The house still contains his furniture, paint-
ings, and other mementos. His Steinway grand piano is frequently used at concerts
given in the house during the annual Bergen festival, and at Troldhaugen's sum-
mer concerts. Grieg and his wife, Nina, are buried in a cliff grotto on the estate.
Troldhaugveien 65, Hop. & 55-91-17-91. Admission 50NOK ($7.10) adults, free for children. Mid-Jan to Apr
Mon-Fri 10am-2pm; May-Sept daily 9am-6pm; Oct-Nov Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, Sat-Sun noon-4pm. Closed
Dec to mid-Jan. Bus: To Hop from the Bergen bus station (Platforms 18-20); exit, turn right, walk about 180m
(600 ft.), turn left at Hopsvegen, and follow signs (15-min. walk). Hop is about 5km (3 miles) from Bergen.

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