It is not entirely sure where the melody originates that forms the basis for "Norwegian Overture". Most sources point in the direction of a certain J.H. Nebelong in about 1881. It is also possible that he was the first to note down this traditional melody and put his name to it.The lyrics are by a certain A.H. Brorson and were set to the music at a later date. The original title is "store hvide flok", which means "the big white herd". Several composers have used this theme, including Edvard Grieg and the Danish Carl Nielsen.