Ernst Glaser

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Ernst Glaser (1904-1979) was born in Hamburg but came to Norway in 1928 to take up the post as concert master of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra after Max Rostal. The two had studied together under Carl Flesch, and when Rostal was offered a position as a professor in Berlin, he suggested Glaser as his successor. In Oslo, Glaser worked as an orchestra musician, a soloist and a teacher. He also had solo engagements in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Israel. He gave first performances to several violin concertos, including those of Olav Kielland, Klaus Egge and Bjarne Brustad.

Because of his Jewish background, there was some controversy around Glaser during World War II, and in 1942, he had to flee to Sweden. Glaser stayed in the position as concert master of the Oslo Philharmonic until 1969, only interrupted by 3 years of living in exile.

Ernst Glaser performed frequently with his wife, the pianist Kari Aarvoll Glaser, and together they also made recordings. Some of these have recently put Ernst Glaser in the focus again, with the publication of the first volume of a series of historic recordings, “Great Norwegian Performers 1945-2000” (Simax PSC1830, 2006).

Ernst Glaser is the father of the pianist Liv Glaser and the cellist Ernst Simon Glaser, both famous Norwegian classical musicians.