Kolbein Falkeid
Encyclopedia
Kolbein Falkeid is one of the most widely read contemporary Norwegian poets. He is known for a lyrical poet's voice that is at once philosophical and approachable.
, Norway
at Den Nationale Scene, as well as in Japan
, New York
, and Tel Aviv
. Falkeid is now retired from a longstanding position teaching Norwegian language and literature at a public school in his hometown of Haugesund on the West Coast of Norway
. Earlier he taught Norwegian literature at the University of Münster
(Westfälische Wilhelms University) in Münster
, Germany
from 1963 to 1966. Falkeid served on the Research Council of Norway in 1974 and on the Literary Council of the Norwegian Authors' Union from 1978 to 1984. He has served on the Norwegian Language Council since 1978 and on the advisory board of the Norwegian Directorate of Public Libraries since 1984.
Falkeid has in recent years reached a large Norwegian audience both through his own poetry collections and through his collaboration with the Norwegian band Vamp
, who have used a number of his texts for their songs' lyrics. Kolbein Falkeid has published Norwegian language translations of poems by a wide, international array of poets such as Pablo Neruda
, Octavio Paz
, Leopold Senghor, Nicanor Parra
, D.H. Lawrence and Lawrence Ferlinghetti
. Falkeid is represented by Norwegian publisher J.W. Cappelens Forlag
.
, 1993; the Stavanger Aftenblad Cultural Award, 1994; the Prøysen Award
, 1996; the title of Bergen International Festival
Poet of the Year, 1998; the Herman Wildenvey
Poetry Award, 2001; and the Norwegian Brage Prize
, 2011.
Biography
Since 1962, Kolbein Falkeid has published over thirty titles, including his play The Terrorists (1980), which has been performed in BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
at Den Nationale Scene, as well as in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. Falkeid is now retired from a longstanding position teaching Norwegian language and literature at a public school in his hometown of Haugesund on the West Coast of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Earlier he taught Norwegian literature at the University of Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
(Westfälische Wilhelms University) in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from 1963 to 1966. Falkeid served on the Research Council of Norway in 1974 and on the Literary Council of the Norwegian Authors' Union from 1978 to 1984. He has served on the Norwegian Language Council since 1978 and on the advisory board of the Norwegian Directorate of Public Libraries since 1984.
Falkeid has in recent years reached a large Norwegian audience both through his own poetry collections and through his collaboration with the Norwegian band Vamp
Vamp (band)
Vamp is a band from Haugesund, Norway which was started in 1991. The band’s musical profile is a mix of Norwegian folk music, Celtic music and rock.- Members :* Torbjørn Økland...
, who have used a number of his texts for their songs' lyrics. Kolbein Falkeid has published Norwegian language translations of poems by a wide, international array of poets such as Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
, Octavio Paz
Octavio Paz
Octavio Paz Lozano was a Mexican writer, poet, and diplomat, and the winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature.-Early life and writings:...
, Leopold Senghor, Nicanor Parra
Nicanor Parra
Nicanor Parra Sandoval is a mathematician and poet born in San Fabián de Alico, Chile, who has been considered to be a popular poet in Chile with enormous influence and popularity in Latin America, and also considered one of the most important poets of the Spanish language literature...
, D.H. Lawrence and Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti is an American poet, painter, liberal activist, and the co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers...
. Falkeid is represented by Norwegian publisher J.W. Cappelens Forlag
J.W. Cappelens Forlag
J.W. Cappelens Forlag, usually referred to as Cappelen, was one of the oldest publishing houses of Norway. J.W. Cappelens Forlag was founded in 1829 by Jørgen Wright Cappelen, of the distinguished Cappelen family. Torger Baardseth was the director of Cappelen between 1904 and 1943. JW Cappelens...
.
Awards
Honors include Norway’s foremost artistic grant, Statens Store Arbeidsstipendium, since 1978; the Cappelen Award, 1985; the Swedish Academy’s Dobloug PrizeDobloug Prize
The Dobloug Prize is a literature prize awarded for Swedish and Norwegian fiction. The prize is named after Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Birger Dobloug pursuant to his bequest. The prize sum is . The Dobloug Prize is awarded annually by the Swedish Academy.-Prize winners:...
, 1993; the Stavanger Aftenblad Cultural Award, 1994; the Prøysen Award
Alf Prøysen
Alf Prøysen , was a writer and musician from Norway. He was born at Rudshøgda in Ringsaker. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the twentieth century, and he made significant contributions to literature, music, TV and radio.His childhood was...
, 1996; the title of Bergen International Festival
Bergen International Festival
Bergen International Festival is an annual international music and cultural festival in Bergen, Norway. The festival is the largest in the Nordic countries in its genre and has a large number of activities in music, dance, literature, visual arts, folklore etc...
Poet of the Year, 1998; the Herman Wildenvey
Herman Wildenvey
Herman Wildenvey , born Herman Theodor Portaas, was one of the most prominent Norwegian poets of the twentieth century. During his lifetime he published 44 books of his own poetry, in addition to translations of William Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, and Heinrich Heine.- Biography :Wildenvey was...
Poetry Award, 2001; and the Norwegian Brage Prize
Brage Prize
The Brage Prize is a Norwegian literature prize that is awarded annually by the Norwegian Book Prize foundation...
, 2011.
Selected works
- Gjennom et glass-skår (1962)
- Vi (1966)
- Dissonans (1968)
- Reisenotater (1973)
- Afrika, mitt Afrika (1974)
- Horisontene (1975)
- Léopold Sédar Senghor: Senghors sanger (1976)
- Opp- og utbrudd (1978)
- Vagabondering (1979)
- Noen skritt unna (1980)
- Terroristene (1980)
- Redningsforsøk (1983)
- De andre (1983)
- Nå (1983)
- Trekket vestover : utvalgte dikt forord av Paal-Helge Haugen (1984)
- Gledepunkter (1985)
- Kaffekjelens vinger (1988)
- En annen sol (1989)
- Bølgelengder : dikt i utvalg ved Paal-Helge Haugen (Bokklubbens lyrikkvenner, 1991)
- Cappelen (1993)
- Gjest (1995)
- Utrøstelig bøddel (1997)
- De store strendenes samtale : dikt i utvalg ved Paal-Helge Haugen (1998)
- Torv : slit og trivsel på Haugalandet (Lokalhistorisk stiftelse, 1998)
- Haugalandet : ferd i folk og natur (Wigestrand forlag, 1999)
- Enslige utsikter (2000)
- Utestengt (2001)
- Vind, eple (2003)
- Samlede dikt (2003)
- Utvalgte dikt, ved Paal-Helge Haugen (2005)
External links
- Kolbein Falkeid: page about Falkeid from the website of publisher J.W. Cappelens ForlagJ.W. Cappelens ForlagJ.W. Cappelens Forlag, usually referred to as Cappelen, was one of the oldest publishing houses of Norway. J.W. Cappelens Forlag was founded in 1829 by Jørgen Wright Cappelen, of the distinguished Cappelen family. Torger Baardseth was the director of Cappelen between 1904 and 1943. JW Cappelens...
- Kolbein Falkeid: page about Falkeid from the index of Norwegian authors on the website of the newspaper AftenpostenAftenpostenAftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...