Svendsen, Johan

Prélude

Prélude

([da]: Fest-Præludium ved det Kgl. Theaters 150 Aars Jubilæum)

JSV 95

Johan Svendsen’s Prélude, JSV 95, never appeared in print, and the lack of published musical material has prevented the work from being performed in the concert hall. Svendsen signed the manuscript ‘Copenhagen 10 December 1898’ and titled the work Fest-Præludium (Festival Prelude). The premiere was given eight days later, on 18 December 1898, at a gala concert celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Royal Danish Theatre. Most of the critics felt that the piece was out of character with the occasion.

As far as we know, Prélude is the last work Svendsen completed. This is why Benestad and Schjelderup-Ebbe F. in their book Johan Svendsen, mennesket og kunstneren, Aschehoug, Oslo, 1990 refer to it as a ‘postlude’, regarding its fate as an all but forgotten work to be undeserved: ‘In our opinion, Prélude is the best composition Svendsen produced during his years in Copenhagen. It is sad that this, his beautiful swan song, has been so sorely neglected.’

In a copy score located at The National Library in Oslo the title is altered from Fest-Præludium to Prélude. It is not possible to determine who altered it. There is also a set of parts by a copyist. The title is not changed there. These parts have been used, for example in 1912. Interestingly some quite old sketches (probably from 1876) contains material later used in the Prélude.

Composition: 10 Dec. 1898.

Copenhagen

Andante

Key: E major

Extent: ca. 6 min.

Sources

S: Sketches

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

A small, taupe-chequered book, hardbound with a brown back

The book contains nine pages of sketches for this work

Written in pencil (Johan Svendsen).

DK-Kk (National Library of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark) MA ms 5276 mu 9705.2800. Musical notebook 4.

A: Score, autograph

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

19 pages; 35,5x27 cm.

Title page: Fest-Præludium

Soft cover
Hand ruled music paper, 16 staves, marked B. H. Nr. 3.C.
Pagination: 1–19
At the end of the score: Kjöbenhavn 10 December 1898. / JSvendsen.

Written in ink (Johan Svendsen). Additions in pencil (Johan Svendsen).

N-Oum (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms. 7873a. Facsimile

A^PTS: Parts, copy

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

34,6x26 cm.

Title page: Fest-Præludium (In one of the Vln. I parts this has been
changed in pencil to ‘Prélude’)

Written by two different copyists
One copyist wrote the following parts, numbering each string part:
Flauto 1mo, Flauto 2do, Flauto 3die, Oboi 1mo, Oboi 2do, Clarinetti 2do in A, Fagotti 1mo, Fagotti 2do, Corno 1 2do in E, Corno 3die in E, Corno 4de in E, Tromba 1mo in E, Tromb 2do in E, Tromba 3 i E, Tromboni 1mo, Tromboni 2do, Tromboni 3die, Tuba, Timpani, Violino 1mo (4x), Violino 2do (4x), Viola (2x), Violoncello e Basso (4x)
The other copyist wrote the following additional string parts (not numbered):
Violino 1mo (2x), Violino 2do (2x), Viola (2x), Violoncello e Basso (2x)
The Clarinet I and Corno I parts are no longer extant

Written in ink (Copyist). Additions in blue crayon and pencil.

N-Onm (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms. 7873 b. Facsimile

B: Score, copy

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

19 pages; 35x26 cm.

Title page: Joh. Svendsen: / Fest-Præludium / Ved det kgl. Theater’s 150 Aars Jubilæum
The number 150 has been added in pencil
The title Fest-Præludium is crossed out in pencil. The word Fest is more heavily crossed out than the rest. Prélude (‘Se ovenstaanede’) is added in pencil. In the upper left corner, three dates are inserted in ink: 4/12 11, 18/12 11, 23/12. Also in the upper left corner, the following comment is inserted in pencil: er indpri[k]et / til udskrivning. / G.C.B. In the upper right corner, an illegible name in pencil.

Hand ruled music paper, 16 staves
Pagination: 1–19
At the end of the score: Kjøbenhavn 10de December 1898 / JSvendsen

Written in ink (copyist). Additions in pencil.

Cue notes added in pencil by Georg Carl Bohlmann (1838–1920)

N-Oum (National Library of Norway, Oslo, Norway) Mus.ms.a 2894. Facsimile

Provenance: In the protocol of the library: Kjøp Gurvins dødsbo, 22.12.78.ØG [Purchase Gurvin’s estate, 22.12.78.ØG].

Arrangement: Piano

[Classification: notated music, print, score]

Arranger: Eyvind Alnæs.

Wilhelm Hansen, København & Leipzig 1911.

Title page: PRÉLUDE. / (Oeuvre posthume) / POUR PIANO / PAR / JOHAN SVENDSEN / EDITION PAR EYVIND ALNÆS

Pl. no. 15056.

Above the score: Prélude. / (Oeuvre posthume.)

Arrangement: Piano (Svendsen-album)

[Classification: notated music, print, score]

Arranger: Eyvind Alnæs.

Wilhelm Hansen, København & Leipzig 1911.

Pl. no. 15058.

Arrangement: Salon Orchestra (Score and parts)

[Classification: notated music, print, score]

Nikolaj Hansen (Arranger).

Wilhelm Hansen, København & Leipzig 1913.

Pl. no. 15472 .

Heimdal, Nordische Salon-Orchester-Sammlung nr. 8, Prélude