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.
oversigten over redaktionelle retelser.
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 retelser 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 støtet af Augustinus Fonden, hvortil der retes en stor tak.
Thomas Husted Kirkegaard, ph.d.
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
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 (1875-1945). Hun modtog klaverundervisning af én af tidens mest anerkendte klaverlærere, Ove Christiansen (1856-1909), 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 tætere 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 strygekvarteter, 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 (1858-1940) Gösta Berlings Saga, men da Lägerlöf allerede havde givet italienske Riccardo Zandonai (1883-1944) tilladelse til at komponere en opera over denne historie, måte Dalberg opgive det – dog efterlod hun sig sangen Marianna Sinclairs Sang fra dete arbejde.
I 1929 afholdt Dalberg sin ferde 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
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 so-called 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
blev af samtidens anmeldere ofte kritiseret men kan også høres som en moderne kvalitet i Dalbergs musik.
Thomas Husted Kirkegaard and short, repetitive motifs. The later feature was often criticized by contemporary critics but can also be heard as a modern quality in Dalberg’s music.
Thomas Husted Kirkegaard
Forord
Nancy Dalbergs Fantasi for cello og klaver foreligger i komponistens manuskript med dateringen November 1911. Stykket hører til blandt Dalbergs tidlige værker, idet hun først var begyndt at komponere i 28-årsalderen omkring 1909. I november 1911 var hun formodentlig kort forinden begyndt som kompositionselev hos Carl Nielsen. 1 Kompositionen fik en pendant et par år senere i Andante serioso for cello og klaver, og begge stykker blev opført ved Nancy Dalbergs kompositionskoncert i Odd Fellow Palæets Mindre Sal den 8. november 1915, en koncert der markerede Dalbergs offentlige debut som komponist. 2
Stykkerne blev spillet af Louis Jensen, cello, og Henrik Knudsen, klaver. Ved koncerten medvirkede bl.a. også Carl Nielsen som dirigent i Dalbergs Scherzo for Strygeorkester (op. 6).
Det var ikke hverdagskost, at en 34-årig kvindelig komponist debuterede med et fuldt og ambitiøst koncertprogram. Flere københavnske kritikere tog i deres anmeldelser udgangspunkt i dete faktum, men ingen af dem var helt overbevist om, at en “dame” alene kunne løfte en hel aftens program. “Musikhistorien kan ikke opvise en kvindelig Komponist af Betydning. Men maaske vil ogsaa dete Forhold efterhaanden undergaa Forandringer”, noterede Social-Demokraten 3 Det blev ifølge Politikens Axel Kjerulf “en meget lang og ret anstrengende Koncert”. 4 Kjerulf mente, at Nancy Dalberg havde slået et for stort brød op, og at hun havde stået sig bedre ved at vælge et mere beskedent program: “Thi det, der var af godt og dygtigt, druknede i en fortvivlende Masse Ligegyldighed. Man kan vanskeligt en hel Aften sidde og beundre en Dames energiske Skrivefærdighed, og maa trætes unægtelig af disse mange Tilløb, som kun i faa Tilfælde fører til Maalet, endda dete Maal laa et Sted ude i det Blaa – ingen kunde rigtig finde hvor!”. Kjerulf var den absolut mest negative blandt de hele syv tilstedeværende københavnske dagbladsanmeldere. De fleste anslog en mere imødekommende, om end tidstypisk, tone: “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”, læste man i København 5 En af de få kvinder blandt tidens musikanmeldere, Hedevig Quiding, indledte sin anmeldelse i Folkets Avis således: “Det største Kompliment, man kan give den iaftes […] debuterende unge Nancy Dalberg er, at hun ikke er Spor af kvindagtig i sin Musik. I og for sig kunde ligesaa godt en Mand
1 Lisbeth Ahlgren Jensen, Hilda Sehested og Nancy Dalberg, Danske Komponister, bind 4 (København: Multivers, 2019), 110.
2 Dalberg skrev også et tredje stykke for cello og klaver, Stemning Det findes som nr. 8 med dateringen oktober 1909 i en nodebog med tidlige kompositioner (Det Kgl. Bibliotek, Nancy Dalbergs samling; MAms 6198).
3 Usigneret, Social-Demokraten 8.11.1915.
4 “Ax. K.” (Axel Kjerulf), Politiken 9.11.1915.
5 “S.A.” (Sophus Andersen), København 9.11.1915.
Preface
Nancy Dalberg’s Fantasy for cello and piano is available in the composer’s manuscript, dated November 1911. The piece is among Dalberg’s early works, as she had only begun composing around 1909 at the age of 28. She had probably commenced studies with Carl Nielsen as a composition student shortly before November 1911. 1 The composition received a counterpart a few years later in Andante serioso for cello and piano, and both pieces were performed at Nancy Dalberg’s composition concert in the Odd Fellow Palace’s Small Hall on November 8, 1915, a concert that marked Dalberg’s public debut as a composer. 2
The pieces were played by Louis Jensen, cello, and Henrik Knudsen, piano. Carl Nielsen also participated in the concert as conductor for Dalberg’s Scherzo for String Orchestra (op. 6).
It was not an common occurrence for a 34-year-old female composer to debut with a full and ambitious concert program. Several Copenhagen critics took this as a starting point for their reviews, but none of them were entirely convinced that a “lady” alone could carry off an entire evening’s program. “Music history cannot exhibit a female composer of significance. But perhaps this situation will also gradually undergo changes,” noted Social-Demokraten 3 According to Politiken’s Axel Kjerulf, it was “a very long and rather strenuous concert.” 4 Kjerulf believed that Nancy Dalberg had taken on too big a task, and that she would have done better by choosing a more modest program: “Because what was good and skilful was drowned in a discouraging mass of indifference. One can hardly sit for an entire evening admiring a lady’s energetic writing skills, and one must undeniably tire of these many attempts, which only in a few cases lead to the goal, and even this goal lay somewhere out in the blue – no one could really find where!”. Kjerulf was the most negative of the seven Copenhagen newspaper reviewers present. Most of them adopted a more welcoming, albeit typical, tone: “The good thing about Mrs. Dalberg is that she is not overly sentimental, not particularly feminine in her music. She writes freely with a pleasant freedom and often gets something quite original out of her compositions,” one read in København 5 One of the few women among the music reviewers of the time, Hedevig Quiding, began her review in Folkets Avis as follows: “The biggest compliment one can give to tonight’s […] debuting young Nancy Dalberg is that there is no trace of the feminine in her music. In and of itself, a man
1 Lisbeth Ahlgren Jensen, Hilda Sehested og Nancy Dalberg, Danske Komponister, vol. 4 (Copenhagen: Multivers, 2019), 110.
2 Dalberg also wrote a third piece for cello and piano, Stemning It is found as no. 8 with the date October 1909 in a book of sheet music with early compositions (The Royal Danish Library, Nancy Dalberg’s collection; MAms 6198).
3 Unsigned, Social-Demokraten 8.Nov.1915.
4 “Ax. K.” (Axel Kjerulf), Politiken 9.Nov.1915.
5 “S.A.” (Sophus Andersen), København 9.Nov.1915.
have skrevet disse Ting”. 6 De to cellostykker gjorde ikke noget særligt indtryk på anmelderne. Louis Jensens smukke udførelse fremhæves, og Axel Kjerulf (Politiken) noterer, at Fantasien var “helt godt gjort”. 7 I Nationaltidende hed det, at man ikke “fik rigtig fat paa, hvad Fru Dalberg egentlig havde tænkt sig ved de to Violoncelstykker”. 8 Senere offentlige opførelser i Nancy Dalbergs tid kendes ikke.
Bendt Viinholt Nielsen
could just as well have written these things.” 6
The two cello pieces did not make a special impression on the reviewers. Louis Jensen’s beautiful performance was highlighted, and Axel Kjerulf (Politiken) notes that the Fantasy was “completely well done.” 7 In Nationaltidende it was stated that they “didn’t really get to grips with what Mrs. Dalberg had actually intended with the two cello pieces.” 8 Later public performances uring Nancy Dalberg’s time are not known.
Bendt Viinholt Nielsen
6 “Hedevig Quiding”, Folkets Avis (København) 10.11.1915.
7 “Ax. K.” (Axel Kjerulf), Politiken 9.11.1915.
8 “–st–ts–.” (Gustav Hetsch), Nationaltidende 9.11.1915.
6 “Hedevig Quiding”, Folkets Avis (Copenhagen) 10.Nov.1915.
7 “Ax. K.” (Axel Kjerulf), Politiken 9.Nov.1915.
8 “–st–ts–.” (Gustav Hetsch), Nationaltidende 9.Nov.1915.
Faksimile
Critical commentary
Description of sources
A Score in autograph
DK–Kk, Royal Danish Library (Music Collection). Nancy Dalbergs samling (MAms 6191; mu 0108.2000).
Heading on top of the first page: “Fantasi”
Signed and dated at the end: “Nancy Dalberg. / November 1911.”
34.5 × 26 cm. 2 leaves with 4 unnumbered pages of writing.
Fair copy in ink with a few corrections in pencil.
Paper type: 12 staves (without manufacturer’s name).
B Cello part in autograph
DK–Kk, Royal Danish Library (Music Collection). Nancy Dalbergs samling (MAms 6191; mu 0108.2000).
Heading: “Fantasi”.
Undated.
34.5×26 cm. 1 leaf with 1 unnumbered page of writing (back page blank).
Autograph fair copy with a few added slurs in pencil.
Paper type: 12 staves (without manufacturer’s name).
Commentary on the edition
The edition has the autograph score (A) as its primary source. In the autograph cello part (B), however, the composer included a number of details, which are not found in the score and which must be considered part of the composition. These details are included in the edition as it is documented in the notes below. In B, bb. 32 – 33 and 36 – 38, slurs have been added in pencil, and these too are considered to originate from the composer.
Editorial emendations and alternative readings
Bar Part
Comment
6 pf. vcl. repetition sign added as in B
6–7 vcl. slur added as in B
8 vcl. m legato added as in B
9, 10 vcl. note 1: q emended to q r as in B
10 vcl. note 3: # before f1 added by analogy with pf.
11 pf.1 harmony 3: # before f1 added by analogy with vcl.
12 vcl. c added as in B
14 vcl. note 1: marc. added as in B
15 vcl. agitato added as in B
15-18 vcl. slurs added as in B
17 vcl. B: no p
21 vcl. B: c is placed between notes 1 and 2
22 vcl. B: crescendo placed in the beginning of the bar
23 pf.2
last note: # before c1 added by analogy with pf.1 chord 1
24 vcl. f added as in B (in A, the f is in b. 25 at note 1)
25 vcl. c added as in B
26 vcl. c added as in B
28 vcl. B: note 1: no marc.
30 vcl. marcato added as in B
32 vcl. B: c is at the beginning of the bar
2 slurs added as in B
33 vcl. notes 2–3: slur added as in B
34 vcl. B: last note: crescendo which continues with c through note 2
35 vcl. d added as in B
36 vcl. 2 slurs added as in B
37 pf.1 lower part, note 2: # before g1 added by analogy with vcl. vcl. 2 slurs added as in B vcl. note 4: # before f added as the chord should be B7 and note 5 (# e) is not a repetition of note 4 pf.2 note 4: # before f added as the chord should be B7 (cf. vcl.)
38 vcl. 2 slurs added as in B
39 pf.1 last chord, top note: # before f2 added by analogy with #f in pf.2
43 pf.1 last chord, lowest note: n before f1 added (anticipation of b. 44 chord 1: G7)
46 vcl. B: c placed between notes 1 and 2
47 vcl. B: f (instead of sf)
