Erling Eriksen

Norwegian accordion player (born 1919 — died 1996) Erling Eriksen from Sander in Nord-Odal was one of Norway’s most remarkable accordionists. He received his first instrument at age five and later studied at the Oslo Conservatory of Music, where he developed his distinctive technique by transferring piano fingerings to the button accordion. He also studied under Ottar E. Akre, who regarded him as one of his finest students and even dedicated “Rhapsody á la Czardas” to him. Eriksen gained early recognition on NRK radio and appeared on the French demonstration TV broadcasts in the late 1940s. His trio and quartet became well known for their elegant and sophisticated arrangements. He performed widely in the Nordic countries and the United States, played with American jazz musicians, and collaborated closely with guitarist Robert Normann. He was also a frequent soloist with major orchestras and worked as bandleader at several of Oslo’s top restaurants. In 1947, Eriksen won the Nordic Accordion Championship in Helsinki, considered his greatest achievement. Though he recorded only a small number of releases, he composed around 150 technically demanding pieces, including “Rakett-polka,” “Valse Entré,” “Zerenita,” and “Odalsvalsen.” A modest perfectionist, Eriksen became less publicly active as NRK reduced its accordion programming, and he lived quietly in later years due to asthma. He passed away in 1996 at the age of 76.