Oslo mourns its oldest musician

The writer and music magazine editor Mona Levin has communicated the death of her mother Solveig on Christmas Eve. Solveig, who was alert to the last, was Oslo’s oldest citizen. She would have turned 109 this Friday, the day of her funeral.

Solveig, Oslo born, married the leading Norwegian pianist Robert Levin (1912-96) and fled with him and their daughter to Sweden when the Germans invaded. On their return in 1945, she remained in Oslo looking after the family while her husband toured locally and internationally. Robert was the go-to piano partner for every headline soloist and vocalist who visited Norway. Solveig was formidably intelligent, capable and loyal.

She will be missed by multitudes.