Svendsen, Johan

To svenske folkemelodier

Two Swedish Folk Melodies

([de]: Zwei schwedische Volksmelodien für Streichorchester bearbeitet)

JSV 67

The two folk tunes Svendsen chose for Two Swedish Folk Melodies are not only well known, but also widely used in other musical arrangements and renditions. The premiere took place on 14 October 1876 in the large hall of Logen, Christiania, with Svendsen conducting an orchestra assembled for the occasion. The work was probably composed shortly before the premiere.

The first of the two folk melodies, ‘Allt under himmelens fäste’ (All beneath the firmament), was recorded in the 1840s in Sanda on the island of Gotland, and later achieved worldwide popularity thanks to famous singers such as Jenny Lind (1820–1887) and Jussi Björling (1911–1960).

The other melody is today known as the de facto national anthem of Sweden, opening with the words ‘Du gamla, du fria …’ (Thou ancient, thou free …). The lyrics were written by Richard Dybeck (1811–1877) in 1844, but the status of the melody as a national anthem only developed gradually, without official recognition or legislation by the Swedish government. The melody is originally a folktune from Västmanland with the text: ”Så rider jag mig öfver tolvmilan skog”. Svendsen probably found the melody in the collection by A. P. Berggreen: "Svenske folke-sange og melodier", published by C.A. Reitzels Förlag, Copenhagen 1861. In this collection the melody is titled "Den sörjande", and it is printed with the text "Så rider jag mig öfver tolfmilan skog". Svendsen first used the title ”Den sörjande”, but later changed it to ”Du gamla, du friska, du fjellhöga nord”. In Benestad, F. & Schjelderup-Ebbe D.: Johan Svendsen, mennesket og kunstneren, Aschehoug, Oslo, 1990, Den sörjande is erroneously listed as a lost work, VERK 307. (See also the details about the work Den sörjande).

Composition: 1876.

Christiania.
Composed before the 14th of October 1876

Sources

S: Sketches

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

Cover: Chequered brown, back: Brown
Hand-ruled music paper, 12 staves
Among many other sketches there are eight pages of sketches for To svenske folkemelodier

Written in pencil (Johan Svendsen).

DK-Kk (National Library of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark) MA ms 5276 mu 9705.2800.

A^PTS: Parts, autograph

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

Above the first melody: Den sörjande, (Så rider jag mig öfver tolvmilan skog)
Above the second melody: Allt under Himmelens fäste
Violino 1mo (x3), Violino 2do (x2), Viola (x2), Violoncello (x3, Basso (x1)

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen).

Det Kongelige Teaters Musikarkiv, Copenhagen, Denmark nr. 15.

B: Score, autograph

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, score, printer's copy]

6 pages; 34x27 cm.

Title page: An Herrn Dr M. Levett / Zwei schwedische Volksmelodien / für / Streichorchester / bearbeitet / von / Johan S. Svendsen / Rom marts 1878 / JSvendsen
[Norwegian titles are crossed out].

Hand ruled music paper, 24 staves
Pagination: 1–6
Above the first melody: I. Allt under himmelens fäste
Above the second melody: II. Du gamla, du friska, du fjellhöga Nord
After each melody: Rom marts 1878 / JSvendsen

The score is in the same format and has similar datings as scores in autograph for Sæterjentens søndag, JSV 54 and I Fjol gjætt'e Gjeitinn, JSV 59. All these works were composed before Svendsen's stay in Rome in 1878. These scores were made as printing copies for the publisher.

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen). Additions in pencil and blue crayon.

N-Onm (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms. 7869. Facsimile

C: Printed score, first edition

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

Carl Warmuth, Christiania 1878.

Title page: AN HERRN DR M. LEVETT. / Zwei / schwedishe Volksmelodien / für / Streichorchester / bearbeitet / von / JOHAN S. SVENDSEN.

Pl. no. 334.

In the protocol of the publisher: Solgt til Wilhem Hansen (Sold to Wilhelm Hansen)

 

Reprint:

Reprinted 1898.

C^PTS: Printed parts, first edition

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

Carl Warmuth, Christiania 1878.

Title page: AN HERRN DR M. LEVETT. / Zwei / schwedishe Volksmelodien / für / Streichorchester / bearbeitet / von / JOHAN S. SVENDSEN.

Pl. no. 334.

In the protocol of the publisher: Solgt til Wilhelm Hansen (Sold to Wilhelm Hansen)

 

Reprint:

Reprints 1892, 1895, 1898, 1899.

D: Printed score, Hansen edition

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

Wilhelm Hansen, København & Leipzig 1899.

Cover page: WILHELM HANSEN / EDITION / No 621. / SVENDSEN / Zwei schwedische Volksmelodien / für / Streichinstrumente. / PARTITUR.

Title page: AN HERRN DR M. LEVETT. / Zwei / schwedishe Volksmelodien / für / Streichorchester / bearbeitet / von / JOHAN S. SVENDSEN.

Pl. no. 12611, Ed. nr. 621.

The score was reprinted using Warmuth’s original plates (Source C)

D^PTS: Printed parts, Hansen edition

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

Wilhelm Hansen, København & Leipzig 1899.

Title page: AN HERRN DR M. LEVETT. / Zwei / schwedishe Volksmelodien / für / Streichorchester / bearbeitet / von / JOHAN S. SVENDSEN.

Pl. no. 12611.

The parts were reprinted using Warmuth’s original plates (Source C^PTS)

D^STUDY: Printed study score, Hansen edition

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

Wilhelm Hansen, København & Leipzig 1899.

Cover page: WILHELM HANSEN / EDITION / NR. 621b / SVENDSEN / Zwei schwedische Volksmelodien / Taschen-Partitur

Title page: Wilhelm Hansen Edition / Zwei schwedische Volksmelodien / für Streichorchester / Bearbeitet / Johan S. Svendsen

Pl. no. 12611b.

The score was reprinted using Warmuth’s original plates (Source C)

Arrangement: Piano Trio

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

Wilhelm Hansen, København & Leipzig.

Pl. no. 3260 Ed. 14171a.

For Violin, Cello and Piano