Svendsen, Johan

Norsk kunstnerkarneval, op. 14

Norwegian Artists' Carnival, Op. 14

([de]: Norwegischer Künstler-Karneval)

JSV 57

Johan Svendsen (1840–1911) composed his Norwegian Artists’ Carnival, Op. 14, for a carnival celebration at the Old Masonic Lodge in Christiania (Oslo) on 17 March 1874. Since 1863, such carnivals had been a yearly event organized by Kunstnerforeningen, Christiania’s artist association, and always had a specific setting and a unique motto. One of the inspirations for the festivities in 1874 was Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt under the motto ‘Prince Carnival’s marriage to the Mountain King’s daughter’, symbolizing the alliance between the cold North and the warm South. Toward the end of Norwegian Artists’ Carnival, beginning in bar 187, Svendsen combines the melody of ‘Te voglio bene assaje’, originally in 6/8 time, with his own springar motif in 3/4 and thereby conveys the carnival’s theme. In direct reference to the motto, Svendsen had originally titled the work ‘Wedding at Dovre’, written two years before Ibsen’s Peer Gynt was premiered at Christiania Theatre with Edvard Grieg’s incidental music. Thus, it could be said that ‘Wedding at Dovre’ was the first Peer Gynt music in history. The original score and parts, signed ‘March 1874’ and titled ‘Wedding at Dovre’, are preserved and include a trio section that was later removed. Here, Svendsen used the melody of Sæterreisen (‘Os har gjort kva gjeras skulle’) from Ludvig Lindeman’s collection of Norwegian folk tunes.

Composition: Christiania 1874-03.

Tempo di polacca

Key: A major

Extent: ca. 8 min.

Sources

S: Sketches

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, short score, sketch]

Placed on the last leaf verso of the autograph score of the first version of this work titled Bryllup paa Dovre. The two first bars of opening motive as an imitation in treble and bass register. This corresponds with the imitation in the first two bars of the final score. In the original autograph score, the first version the motive is scored in unison/octave doubling – not in imitation. It is likely that Svendsen made this sketch after he had written the first autograph score.

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen).

DK-Km (Danish Music Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark) Nodemanuskripter Ms. 176.

A: Score, autograph

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

37 pages; 27x36 cm.

Title page: Bryllup paa Dovre / for / Orchester / (Componeret til Kunstnerforeningens Carneval / i Christiania 17de marts 1874). / Christiania i Marts 1874 / JSvendsen.

Hand ruled music paper, 20 staves
Pagination: 1–37
On the cover: Partitur / Bryllup paa Dovre / af / Joh. Svendsen
At the end of the score: Christiania i Marts 1874 / JSvendsen

Grey hardbound cover
This version of the work is longer than the printed version. It has an additional trio-part. Very likely a different manuscript, now lost, became the printing source.

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen).

DK-Km (Danish Music Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark) Nodemanuskripter Ms. 176.

A^PTS: Parts, autograph

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

35x27,5 cm.

Black hardbound folder
Title on folder: Orchester stemmer / (Bryllup paa Dovre) / J:Svendsen
Flauto 1mo, Flauto 2do, Picolo, Oboi 1mo, Oboi 2do, Clarinet 1mo, Clarinet 2do, Fagotti 1mo, Fagotti 2do, Tromba 1mo, Tromba 2do, Tromba 3die, Corno 1mo, Corno 2do, Corno 3die, Corno 4de, Trombone 1mo, Trombone 2do, Trombone 3ie, Tuba, Gran Cassa, Piatti, Triangelo, Tambouro, Timpani, Violin 1ste (4x), Violin 2de (4x), Viola (3x), Cello (3x), Basso (2x)

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen) and ink (Unknown copyist).

One of each string part is in Svendsen’s handwriting while the rest of the string parts are written by an unknown copyist.

N-Onm (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms. 1896b. Facsimile

Provenance: In the protocol of the Library: Gave til Svendsen jubileet 1940. 20/1-41. [Gift for the Svendsen Centennial 1940.]. Har tidligere vært registrert under ”Bryllupet på Dovre”. 18.3.77.ØG [Has previously been registered under the title ‘Bryllupet på Dovre’]..

B: Printed score, first edition

[Classification: notated music, print, score, first edition]

C.F. Peters, Leipzig 1881.

Title page: Norwegischer / Künstler-Karneval / für / Orchester / komponiert / von / JOHAN S. SVENDSEN. / Op. 14. / Eigentum des Verlegers / Entd. Stat: Hall. / 6472. / LEIPZIG / C. F. PETERS.

Pl. no. 6472, EP 3167.

The C.F. Peters catalogues for 1888 and 1900 list this edition without a publishing number, while the catalogue for 1917 has EP.-No. 3167.
The plate number (6472) suggests a printing date around 1881.

B^PTS: Printed parts, first edition

[Classification: notated music, print, parts, first edition]

C.F. Peters, Leipzig 1881.

Title page: Norwegischer Künstlercarneval.

Pl. no. 6479.

Arrangement: Piano four hands

[Classification: notated music, print, score]

Arranger: August Horn.

C.F. Peters, Leipzig 1881.

20 pages; 30,3x23,2 cm.

Title page: Norwegischer Künstler-Karneval / für Orchester komponiert / von / JOHAN S. SVENDSEN / Op. 14. / Für Pianoforte zu vier Händen arrangiert / von / AUGUST HORN / Eigentum des Verlegers. Entd Stat. Hall. / 6469 / LEIPZIG / C. F. PETERS / Fr. Baumgarten, del. / Lith.Anst.v.C.G.Röder G.m.b.H., Leipzig

Pl. no. 6469, EP 2076.

Arrangement: Wind Orchestra (Score and parts) (Godfrey)

[Classification: notated music, print, score and parts]

Arranger: Dan Godfrey.

Chappell & Co Ltd., London 1917-10.

Title page: Norwegian Carnival.

Pl. no. Chapell's Army Journal No. 354.

By permission of the publisher C. Peters, Leipzig.

Arrangement: Wind Orchestra (Score and parts) (Larsen)

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

Arranger: Christian Larsen.

1917-10.

Norsk kunstnerkarneval

Livgardens Musikkorps Nodearkiv, Copenhagen, Denmark 44.