Svendsen, Johan

Kamp fører til Seier. Marsj

(March for Orchester)

Struggle leads to Victory. March

([da]: Bryllupsmarsche)

JSV 28

The title of this march, Struggle leads to Victory, may have been politically motivated. The march shares the same key and other musical traits with the march The 9th of November, whose context is clearly political. The title may also allude to the idea of proceeding ‘from struggle to victory’, a concept not least associated with Beethoven, but may also refer to Svendsen’s own personal struggle in the summer of 1863, when he wrote the march. At the time, Svendsen lacked the funds to start studying at the Leipzig Conservatory, and fought to secure financial support from the Norwegian government throughout the summer and autumn 1863.

45 years later, in 1908, Svendsen had agreed to collaborate with his student Joachim Bruun de Neergaard (1877–1920) on composing music for Charlotte Marie von Scholten’s (1855–1931) historical drama Attila. Svendsen probably did not compose any original music, but planned to use his Polonaise, Op. 28, assigning it a new title: Dans paa Attilas Kongeborg in 2den Akt (Dance at Attila’s Royal Castle in the 2nd Act). He also considered including Struggle Leads to Victory under the new title Bryllups ­marsche (Wedding March).

Composition: 13 July 1863.

Lübeck

Key: E major

Extent: ca. 7 min.

Sources

A: Score, autograph

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, score, fair copy]

14 pages; 25,6x34 cm.

Title page: No title

Hand ruled music paper, 16 staves
Pagination: 1–14

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen).

N-Onm (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms. 7878. Facsimile

B: Score, autograph

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, score, fair copy]

14 pages; 25,5x34 cm.

Title page: March / for / Orchester / af / Johan S. Svendsen / Lübeck i juli / 1863
In the upper right hand corner: Motto: / Kamp fører / til Seier

Hand ruled music paper, 16 staves
Pagination: 1–14
There are two versions of the final page (bb. 142–149)
Above the score: March
At the end of the score: Lübeck den 13de Juli 1863 / JSvendsen

Grey soft bound cover

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen).

N-Onm (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms. 1897. Facsimile

Provenance: In the protocol of the Library: Gave fra fru Svendsen [gift from Mrs. Svendsen].

A^PTSN & A^PTSD: Parts, autograph

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, parts, fair copy]

• Parts in Norway

  34x27,5 cm..

  Written in ink (Johan Svendsen).

  Parts for Fl., Ob. I/II and Cornet I/II, all of them containing multiple works. This march is only present in the flute and cornet parts
  The flute part includes two very similar versions of bb. 1–50
  The remaining parts of this set are kept at the Danish Music Museum, Copenhagen
  Title on the first page of the cornet part: No.9 Marsch af Johan Svendsen
  Title on the first page of the flute part: No. 9 Marsch af Johan Svendsen

  N-Onm (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms. 5160. NBdigital

• Parts in Denmark

  34x27,5 cm..

  Written in ink (Johan Svendsen).

  Picc., Cl. I, Cl. II, Fg. I/II, Cor. I/II, Tbn alto, Tbn./Tuba, Timp., Gran Cassa/Tamb. mil., Gran Cassa/Triangolo, Vln. I (‘Anfører’), Vln. I, Vln. I (fragment), Vc./Cb., Vc./Cb. (fragment). The remaining parts of this set are kept at the National Library of Norway, Oslo

  DK-Kk (Danish Music Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark) Nodemanuskripter .

C^PTS: Parts, copyist

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, doubtful autograph, parts, fair copy]

35,5x26,5 cm.

Title page: Bryllupsmarsche.

Vln. I (5x), Vln. II (4x), Vle. (3x), Vc. (2x), Cb. (2x). Wind parts missing.

Written in ink (Copyist).

N-Onm< (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway). Mus.ms.a 2891. Facsimile

Provenance: Enclosed note: Denne bryllupsmarsj av / Johan Svendsen / er ukjent. / Stemmene kjøpte jeg hos / Dan Fog 1962, men / han visste ikke hvor komposisjonen stammet / fra. Den hører ikke til i / ‘Kroningsmarsj’ op. 13. / Ble oppført av Phil. Orkester / Kbhn (6)-7. desember 1920. / O.G. (This wedding march by Johan Svendsen is unknown. I bought the parts from Dan Fog [in] 1962, but he did not know where the composition stemmed from. It is not part of the ‘Coronation March’, Op. 13. It was performed by the Phil. Orchestra, Copenhagen (6)-7. December 1920. O.G.) . In the protocol of the Library: Kjøp Gurvins dødsbo 22.12.78. ØG (Purchase [from] Gurvin’s estate 22.12.78. ØG).