Danish Classical Music
Udgivelsesserien Danish Classical Music (DCM) har til formål at tilgængeliggøre dansk musikalsk kulturarv i pålidelige og gennemarbejdede praktisk-videnskabelige nodeeditioner for musikere og forskere i ind- og udland. Således er ambitionen at overtage stafeten fra Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse, som opererede som et forskningscenter under Det Kgl. Bibliotek, 2009-2019. Centeret udgav praktisk-videnskabelige editioner af høj filologisk kvalitet, og siden lukningen af centeret er denne opgave ikke blevet varetaget – men behovet er ikke blevet mindre.
Mens Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse fungerede som et center med ansatte medarbejdere er forholdene for det nye DCM anderledes: Her er tale om selvstændige og individuelt finansierede projekter under DCM-paraplyen. Derfor er der ikke blevet udarbejdet et nyt sæt redaktionelle retningslinjer – i stedet videreføres de retningslinjer, som blev formuleret af Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse. De eneste ændringer fra retningslinjerne er layoutmæssige, og så er der i DCM-udgivelserne tilføjet en kort biografisk introduktion til komponisten. De redaktionelle retningslinjer sikrer udgivelsernes høje og konsistente editionsfilologiske niveau og grundindstillingen til udgivelsesarbejdet kan sammenfattes i nogle få, centrale punkter.
Om “praktisk-videnskabelige editioner”
Med begrebet “praktisk-videnskabelige editioner” sigtes der til, at udgivelserne skal være praktisk anvendelige for musikere, uden at musikerne nødvendigvis skal forholde sig til redaktørens arbejde og filologiske overvejelser. Derfor er selve nodesiden “ren” og uden fodnoter eller lignende. Samtidig er udgivelserne videnskabelige, idet interesserede læsere kan finde den nødvendige information om det editionsfilologiske arbejde i tekstdele placeret før og efter nodedelen: Før nodedelen bringes en introduktion til værket, dets tilblivelses- og receptionshistorie samt generelle kommentarer til det filologiske arbejde (eksempelvis nogle særlige udfordringer eller valg); efter nodedelen følger en grundig kildebeskrivelse og en oversigt over redaktionelle ændringer, deres begrundelse i kilderne samt information om varianter.
Om redaktørens rolle
Som James Grier skriver i bogen The Critical Editing of Music fra 1996, så er al editionsfilologisk arbejde også et fortolkningsarbejde, ideelt set baseret på grundige, kritiske og historisk forankrede studier af kildematerialet. Idéen om at den videnskabelige edition videregiver den “eneste rigtige” version af værket er en fiktion: Ofte vil redaktører komme frem til varierende udlægninger af et værk, og ofte kan der argumenteres lige godt for den ene læsning som den anden. Det er derfor vigtigt at bevæggrunden for de enkelte valg er tydeliggjort i oversigten over redaktionelle rettelser.
Danish Classical Music
The publication series Danish Classical Music (DCM) aims to make Danish musical heritage accessible for musicians and researchers in Denmark and abroad by providing reliable and meticulous practical-scholarly music editions. The ambition is thus to take over the baton from the Danish Centre for Music Publication which operated as a research centre under the Royal Library from 2009 to 2019. The centre published practical-scholarly editions of high philological quality, and since the closure of the centre, this task has not been undertaken – but the need has not diminished.
While the Danish Centre for Music Publication functioned as a centre with dedicated employees, the conditions for the new DCM are different: it comprises of independent projects funded individually under the DCM framework. Therefore, a new set of editorial guidelines has not been developed – instead, the guidelines formulated by the Danish Centre for Music Publication are being sustained. The only changes to the guidelines relate to layout, and in DCM publications a brief biographical introduction of the composer is added.
The editorial guidelines ensure a high and consistent level of philological quality in the publications, and the fundamental editorial approach can be summarized in a few key points.
On “Practical-Scholarly Editions”
The term “practical-scholarly editions” refers to the aim of making the publications practically useful for musicians without requiring them to engage directly with the editor’s work and philological considerations. The sheet music is therefore “clean”, without footnotes or similar additions. At the same time, the publications are scholarly in nature, as interested readers can find the necessary information about the philological work in sections placed before and after the sheet music: Prior to the sheet music, there is an introduction to the work, its genesis and reception history, as well as general comments on the philological work (such as specific challenges or choices). After the sheet music, a thorough description of sources and an overview of editorial changes, their justification based on the sources, and information about variants are presented.
On the Role of the Editor
As James Grier writes in his book The Critical Editing of Music from 1996, all philological work is also an act of interpretation, ideally based on thorough, critical, and historically grounded studies of the source material. The notion that the scholarly edition presents the “only correct” version of a work is a fiction: Editors often arrive at varying interpretations of a piece, and equally compelling arguments can often be made for different readings. Therefore, it is important to clarify the rationale behind each choice in the overview of editorial revisions.
I serien undgås såkaldte “eklektiske” editioner, en sammenblanding af forskellige kilder, der kan resultere i en version af værket, der aldrig har eksisteret fra komponistens hånd. Der bestemmes derfor altid en hovedkilde, som editionen er baseret på, mens varianter kan bruges som hjemmel ved rettelser af klare fejl.
Om denne udgivelse
Nærværende udgivelse er en del af et indledende projekt på DCM, som fokuserer særligt på danske kvindelige komponister – en gruppe af komponister, hvor behovet for kritisk-videnskabelige og praktisk anvendelige editioner er særlig mærkbart al den stund at meget af deres musik ikke blev udgivet i deres egen levetid og kun sjældent er blevet opført. Det er håbet, at udgivelsen kan være med til at udbrede et overset men vigtigt repertoire i dansk musikkulturarv – både blandt musikere, forskere og andre interesserede.
Udgivelsen er venligt støttet af Augustinus Fonden, hvortil der rettes en stor tak.
The series avoids so-called “eclectic” editions, which involve a mixture of different sources and may result in a version of the work that never existed in the composer’s hand. Therefore, a primary source is always determined as the basis for the edition, while variants can be used as evidence for correcting clear errors.
On this Publication
The present publication is part of an introductory project within DCM that specifically focuses on Danish women composers – a group of composers for whom the need for scholarly-critical and practically useful editions is particularly pronounced, given that much of their music was not published during their lifetime and has rarely been performed. The hope is that this publication can help disseminate an overlooked yet important repertoire in Danish musical heritage among musicians, researchers, and other interested parties.
The publication is generously supported by the Augustinus Foundation, to whom heartfelt thanks are directed.
Thomas Husted Kirkegaard, Ph.D
Thomas Husted Kirkegaard, ph.d.
Biografi
Nancy Dalberg (1881-1949) blev født Nancy Hansen i 1881 på godset Bødstrup i nærheden af Slagelse. Hendes far, Christian D.A. Hansen (1843-1916), var en særdeles succesfuld forretningsmand, der udviklede produkter til mejeribranchen, og Dalberg voksede derfor op i en familie, hvor der ikke manglede økonomiske ressourcer. I 1882 flytede familien ind på det nyerhvervede gods Mullerup på Sydfyn, hvor Dalberg voksede op.
I 1901, da hun var 17 år gammel, blev hun gift med ingeniørofficeren og portrætmaleren Erik Dalberg (18751945). Hun modtog klaverundervisning af én af tidens mest anerkendte klaverlærere, Ove Christiansen (18561909), og i 1909-11 studerede hun komposition hos den norske komponist Johan Svendsen (1840-1911). Hun var formentlig også elev af komponisten Fini Henriques (1867-1940) før hun i 1913 blev elev af tidens helt store musiknavn, Carl Nielsen (1865-1931). Igennem tiden udviklede Dalberg og Nielsen et tættere professionelt forhold, og Nielsen dirigerede eller medvirkede som violinist i opførelsen af adskillige af hendes værker. Han bad hende også hjælpe med at instrumentere sine værker Alladin og Fynsk Foraar
Dalberg fik opført en række sange i 1911, og hendes første strygekvartet blev opført i hendes hjem – med Carl Nielsen på violin – i 1914, men hendes egentlige offentlige debut som komponist kom i 1915, hvor hun holdt en såkaldt kompositionskoncert i Odd Fellow Palæet, kun med hendes værker på programmet. Hun holdt endnu en kompositionskoncert i 1918 og en tredje i 1922. Ved disse koncerter blev blandt andet hendes strygekvartetter, sange og flere orkesterværker – ikke mindst symfonien – opført. Generelt blev Dalbergs musik modtaget godt, men anmelderne undlod sjældent at kommentere på hendes køn, ofte fordi de var overraskede over, at en kvinde kunne komponere så godt.
I vinterhalvåret 1922-23 havde hun et ophold i Algeriet, fordi hun var plaget af helbredsproblemer, blandt andet gigtsmerter. Her blev hun inspireret af nomadefolkets musik og nedskrev melodier, der siden blev til værket Arabisk Musik fra Sahara. Efter hjemkomsten begyndte hun at komponere en opera over Selma Lägerlöfs (18581940) Gösta Berlings Saga, men da Lägerlöf allerede havde givet italienske Riccardo Zandonai (1883-1944) tilladelse til at komponere en opera over denne historie, måtte Dalberg opgive det – dog efterlod hun sig sangen Marianna Sinclairs Sang fra dette arbejde.
I 1929 afholdt Dalberg sin fjerde og i 1937 sin sidste kompositionskoncert. Stilmæssigt bevægede Dalberg sig fra det senromantiske og ind i det moderne. I hendes musik findes både svungne, romantiske melodier og korte, repetitive motiver. Sidstnævnte træk blev af samtidens anmeldere ofte kritiseret men kan også høres som en moderne kvalitet i Dalbergs musik.
Thomas Husted Kirkegaard
Biography
Nancy Dalberg (1881 – 1949) was born Nancy Hansen in 1881 at the estate of Bødstrup near Slagelse. Her father, Christian D.A. Hansen (1843 – 1916), was a highly successful businessman who developed products for the dairy industry, meaning that Dalberg grew up in a family with no lack of financial resources. In 1882, the family moved to the newly acquired estate of Mullerup in South Funen, where Dalberg grew up.
In 1901, at the age of 17, she married the engineering officer and portrait painter Erik Dalberg (1875 – 1945). She received piano lessons from one of the most renowned piano teachers of the time, Ove Christiansen (1856 – 1909), and from 1909 to 1911 studied composition with the Norwegian composer Johan Svendsen (1840 – 1911). She was presumably also a student of the composer Fini Henriques (1867 – 1940) before, in 1913, becoming a student of the most prominent Danish musician of the time, Carl Nielsen (1865 – 1931). Over time, Dalberg and Nielsen developed a closer professional relationship, and Nielsen conducted or participated as a violinist in the performance of several of her works. He also asked her to help orchestrate his works Aladdin and Springtime on Funen.
Dalberg had several of her songs performed in 1911, and her first string quartet was performed at her home –with Carl Nielsen on violin – in 1914, but her true public debut as a composer came in 1915 when she held a socalled composition concert at the Odd Fellow Palace in Copenhagen, with only her works on the programme. She held another composition concert in 1918 and a third in 1922. At these concerts, her string quartets, songs, and several orchestral works – most notably the symphony – were performed. Generally, Dalberg’s music was well received, but critics rarely failed to comment on her gender, often surprised that a woman was able to compose so well.
During the winter of 1922 – 23, she took up residence in Algeria due to health problems, amongst them arthritis. Here, she was inspired by the music of nomadic people and wrote down melodies, which later became the work Arabic Music from the Sahara. Upon her return, she began composing an opera based on Selma Lagerlöf’s (1858 – 1940) Gösta Berling’s Saga, but since Lagerlöf had already granted the Italian composer Riccardo Zandonai (1883 – 1944) permission to compose an opera on this story, Dalberg had to give it up – however the song Marianna Sinclair’s Song remains from this work.
In 1929, Dalberg held her fourth composition concert, and in 1937, her last. Stylistically, Dalberg moved from the late romantic and into the modern. In her music, one finds both sweeping, romantic melodies and short, repetitive motifs. The latter feature was often criticized by contemporary critics but can also be heard as a modern quality in Dalberg’s music.
Thomas Husted Kirkegaard
Forord
Andante serioso for cello og klaver blev præsenteret til Nancy Dalbergs første kompositionskoncert i Odd Fellow Palæet d. 8. november 1915, hvor også hendes strygekvartet nr. 1 i d-mol, Scherzo for Strygeorkester samt nogle sange var på programmet – det vil dermed sige et meget blandet program, både bestående af forholdsvis enkle stykker og mere komplicerede værker. 1 Kompositionskoncerten fandt sted blot nogle år efter Orla Rosenhoffs død og dermed Carl Nielsens overtagelse af Nancy Dalbergs kompositionstimer. Andanten fik fine anmeldelser. I Berlingske skrev man om denne:
Hr. Louis Jensen foredrog med sin smukke Tone to Violoncel-Stykker, af hvilke Andante serioso var det indholdsrigeste og fasteste i Formen. Hr. Henrik Knudsen, der akkompagnerede smagfuldt til sangene, var paa sine Steder lidt for dominerende til Violoncelstykkerne”. Skribenten bereter i øvrigt at tilhørerne var “yderst anerkendende og fremkaldte tilsidst Nancy Dalberg. 2
Hos dagbladet Social-Demokraten læste man Dalbergs kompositionskoncert i lyset af hendes køn:
En kvindelig Komponist, Fru Nancy Dalberg, gav i Aftes en Kompositions-Aften i Koncertpalæets mindre Sal. At Kvinder komponerer Musik, hører til Sjældenhederne – det er langt sjældnere, end at de digter og maler, skønt netop Musiken er et af de kunstneriske Omraader, som de i langt højere Grad end Mændene har haft Lejlighed til at dyrke i Tidernes Løb. Musikhistorien kan ikke opvise en kvindelig Komponist af Betydning. Men maaske vil ogsaa dete Forhold efterhaanden undergaa Forandringer.
Fru Nancy Dalberg skyer i hvert Fald den altfor slagne Landevej. Der var en ikke ringe Friskhed i den Strygekvartet, hvormed Koncerten begyndte – spillet af d’Hrr. Peder Møller, Brødrene Soph. og Will. Andersen og Louis Jensen – og et vist Humør i den Scherzo for Strygeorkester, som Hr. Carl Nielsen dirigerede. Ogsaa et Par Violocel-Stykker [sic] klang smukt i Hr Louis Jensens Udførelse. Svagest var utvivlsomt Sangene, som blev foredragne af d’Hrr. Alb. Høeberg og Anders Brems. Komponistinden blev her for søgt i sin Stræben efter Originalitet. Men det var en ganske interessant Musikaften. 3
En lignende modtagelse fik Dalberg hos dagbladet København:
Det lader til, at Folk her hjemme trænger til at vise, at
1 Lisbeth Ahlgren Jensen, Hilda Sehested og Nancy Dalberg, Danske komponister, bind 4 (København: Multivers, 2019), 114
2 “A. T.”, Den til Forsendelse med de Kongelige Brevposter priviligerede Berlingske Politiske og Avertissementstidende 9.11.1915.
3 Usign., Social-Demokraten 10.11.1915.
Preface
Andante serioso for cello and piano was presented at Nancy Dalberg’s first composition concert in the Odd Fellow Palace on 8 November 1915, where her String Quartet No. 1 in D-minor, Scherzo for String Orchestra and some songs were also on the programme – that is to say a very mixed programme, consisting of both relatively simple pieces and more complicated works. 1 The composition concert took place just a few years after Orla Rosenhoff’s death and thus Carl Nielsen took over Nancy Dalberg’s composition lessons. The Andante received fine reviews. Berlingske wrote about it:
Mr. Louis Jensen presented two cello pieces with his beautiful tone, of which Andante serioso was the most substantial and solid in form. Mr. Henrik Knudsen, who accompanied the songs tastefully, was in places a litle too dominant for the cello pieces”. The writer also reports that the audience was “extremely appreciative and eventually called Nancy Dalberg forward. 2
The daily Social-Demokraten read Dalberg’s composition concert in the light of her gender:
A female composer, Mrs. Nancy Dalberg, gave a composition evening last night in the smaller hall of the Concert Palace. It is a rarity for women to compose music – it is far rarer than for them to write poetry and paint, although music is one of the artistic fields that they have had the opportunity to cultivate to a much greater extent than men throughout history. The history of music cannot show a female composer of importance. But perhaps this situation will also gradually undergo changes.
Mrs. Nancy Dalberg in any case avoids the overly beaten track. There was no lack of freshness in the string quartet with which the concert began – played by Mr. Peder Møller, the brothers Soph. and Will. Andersen and Louis Jensen – and a certain mood in the Scherzo for String Orchestra, which Mr. Carl Nielsen conducted. Also a pair of violoncello pieces sounded beautiful in Mr. Louis Jensen’s performance. The weakest were undoubtedly the songs, which were presented by Mr. Alb. Høeberg and Anders Brems The composer was here challenged in her pursuit of originality. But it was quite an interesting evening of music. 3
Dalberg received a similar reception in København:
It seems that people here at home need to show that “I am a composer too”. Last week a new name appeared with an evening full of compositions, next
1 Lisbeth Ahlgren Jensen, Hilda Sehested og Nancy Dalberg, Danish Composers, volume 4 (Copenhagen: Multivers, 2019), 114
2 “A. T.”, Den til Forsendelse med de Kongelige Brevposter priviligerede Berlingske Politiske og Avertissementstidende 9 Nov. 1915.
3 Usign., Social-Demokraten 10 Nov. 1915.
“ogsaa jeg er Komponist”. Forrige Uge dukkede et nyt Navn op med en Aften fuld af Kompositioner, i næste Uge vil en anden Mand lægge Beslag paa en Aften – i Gaar var det en kvindelig Komponist, Fru Nancy Dalberg, der udfyldte hele Programmet i Palæets mindre Sal med sine Kompositioner.
Der er det gode ved Fru Dalberg, at hun er lidet sentimental, lidet kvindagtig i sin Musik. Hun skriver løs med en behagelig Frejdighed og faar ofte noget ret originalt ud af sine Kompositioner. Fruen er alsidig og interesserer sig ikke blot for Sangmusik eller lignende Smaatterier, men præsenterede i Aftes tillige en veritabel Strygekvartet, to Arbejder for Violoncel og Klaver og til Slutning endda en Scherzo for Strygeorkester. Navnlig de instrumentale Ting, der kun skæmmedes af en altfor ulidelig Bredde, udmærkede sig ved deres Humør, deres Dygtighed, og deres Sky for de slagne Landeveje. 4
Mest kritisk var nok Nationaltidende, der mente, at der generelt fandtes for mange “kompositionskoncerter”, hvor komponister skulle vise deres værd – og at Dalbergs koncert ikke helt opnåede at “overbevise om en saadan Opvisnings Nødvendighed”. 5 Anmelderen kritiserer strygekvartetten for at begynde godt, men slutte skidt, mens scherzoen for strygeorkester får mere rosende ord med på vejen. Om de to cellostykker, hvoriblandt altså Andante serioso var, skrev anmelderen:
Hvad der laa mellem disse Yderpunkter [strygekvarteten og scherzoen, red.], var mindre betydeligt; man fik ikke rigtig fat paa, hvad Fru Dalberg egentlig havde tænkt sig med de to Violoncelstykker, som Hr. Louis Jensen gengav med sin skønne store Tone – forsaavidt som den ikke druknede i Hr. Henrik Knudsens lovlig haandfaste Klaverspil. 6
Andanten blev ikke udgivet i Dalbergs samtid men findes i to håndskrevne eksemplarer: ét i Dalbergs egen hånd og et andet i ukendt hånd. I Dalbergs eksemplar kan man desuden se, at hun har skitseret en orkestrering af stykket. Det ser dog ikke ud til, at komponisten færdiggjorde dette projekt.
Asmus Mehul Mejdal Larsen
week another man will occupy an evening – yesterday it was a female composer, Mrs. Nancy Dalberg, who filled the entire program in the Palace’s smaller hall with her compositions.
The good thing about Mrs. Dalberg is that she is not very sentimental, not very feminine in her music. She writes away with a pleasant freedom and often gets something quite original out of her compositions. The lady is versatile and is not only interested in vocal music or similar trifles, but last night also presented a veritable string quartet, two works for cello and piano and finally even a scherzo for string orchestra. The instrumental pieces in particular, which were only marred by an excessively unbearable breadth, were distinguished by their humor, their skill, and their fear of the beaten track. 4
The most critical was probably Nationaltidende, which believed that there were generally too many “composition concerts” where composers had to show their worth – and that Dalberg’s concert did not quite succeed in “convincing us of the necessity of such a performance”. 5 The reviewer criticises the string quartet for starting well but ending badly, while the scherzo for string orchestra receives more praise along the way. About the two cello pieces, among which was the Andante serioso, the reviewer wrote:
What lay between these extremes [the string quartet and the scherzo, ed.] was less significant; one could not really grasp what Mrs. Dalberg had actually intended with the two cello pieces, which Mr. Louis Jensen rendered with his beautiful, grand tone – insofar as it was not drowned out by Mr. Henrik Knudsen’s overtly firm piano playing. 6
The Andante was not published in Dalberg’s time but exists in two handwritten copies: one in Dalberg’s own hand and the other in an unknown hand. In Dalberg’s copy, one can see without a doubt that she had sketched out an orchestration of the piece. However, it does not appear that the composer completed this project.
Asmus Mehul Mejdal Larsen
4 “S. A.”, København 9.11.1915.
5 “–st–ts–.”, Nationaltidende 9.11.1915.
6 Ibid.
4 “S. A.”, København 9 Nov. 1915.
5 “–st–ts–.”, Nationaltidende 9 Nov. 1915
6 Ibid.
