Hymnus amoris
Encyclopedia
Hymnus amoris for soloists, choir and orchestra, Opus 12, is Carl Nielsen
's earliest choral work. It was first performed at the Music Society
(Musikforeningen) in Copenhagen
on 27 April 1897 under the baton of the composer.
were both impressed by Titian
's painting The Miracle of a Jealous Husband in Padua
. After he had completed the score, his wife provided a drawing for the title page. On one of the copies, Nielsen wrote: "To my own Marie! These tones in praise of love are nothing compared to the real thing; but if you continue to show your affection for me, I will strive to achieve a higher expression of the world's strongest force, and then the two of us together will rise higher and higher towards the goal, as we constantly aspire for love in life and in art."
In February 1897, in a letter to the Swedish composer Bror Beckman, Nielsen explained: "I really worked with this idea for a year or two, but it was only in the summer that I managed to begin writing the music. On 27 December the piece was finished and on 23 and 25 March it will be performed at the Music Society (Musikforeningen), probably conducted by myself."
The text for Hymnus amoris, initially wrriten in Danish by literary historian Axel Olrik
on the basis of Carl Nielsen’s own draft, was later translated into Latin by Johan Ludvig Heiberg
. Nielsen justified his choice of Latin in a note on the score itself: "I think I can defend my choice of Latin by saying that this language is monumental and elevates one above over-lyrical or personal feelings which would be out of place where the object is to use a large polyphonic
choir to describe such a universally human feeling as love. In addition, this language is more singable than Danish or German, and finally — as the most important reason — the textual repetitions are more tolerable in Latin."
Viggo Bielefeldt
. The programme presents the work with its Danish title Hymne til Kjærligheden (Hymn to Love), the Latin stanzas appearing alongside the Danish version in the programme.
The reviews were generally good. Writing in Dannebrog, Nanna Liebmann
commented: "The young, talented composer, who yesterday evening also showed himself to be an energetic and assured conductor, has with this work indisputably risen many degrees in the judgment of the public. To a Latin text which depicts in short lines the stages of love in childhood, youth, manhood and old age, and finally ends as a hymn of praise in Heaven, Mr. Nielsen has written beautiful, natural and poetic music, which in its performance last evening could only have a directly appealing effect on the audience."
Berlingske Tidende’s H.W. Schytte commented specifically on the Latin: "The odd idea that a Danish poem should be translated into Latin to inspire our young Danish composer and our Music Society choir of young ladies and gentlemen at a time when Latin is close to being abolished in the learned schools, was something to which we at first had difficulty reconciling ourselves. But we hastened to drive away these reflections and found the idea in the text acquired by the composer attractive and well suited to a sufficiently gifted composer. We did not quite grasp the little instrumental beginning. It seemed to us that there was nothing to grasp, but with the first chorus our attention was immediately captured, and gradually we let Latin be Latin and listened only to the music, which maintained an interest that during the 25 minutes the piece lasted rather grew than diminished, despite the fact that the Brahms section had already given us much to think about."
Angul Hammerich writing in Nationaltidende was more effusive: "In his new choral work... (Nielsen) has become considerably more assured, more positive, more aware of his goals. He has therefore created a piece which as a work of art must be placed much higher than its predecessors." Charles Kjerulf in Politiken" was highly critical of the Latin, asking why Nielsen: "wanted his thoughts and visions appareled in the shroud of a dead language." He continued: "Why on earth must this little true-born Dane Carl Nielsen, who just a few years ago appeared in an army band on Odense market-place, blowing the cornet or striking the triangle in military parades — why on earth does he need to have his feelings put into Latin to set a love-hymn to music? That is really not something he owes his fine, indisputable talent."
Carl Nielsen
Carl August Nielsen , , widely recognised as Denmark's greatest composer, was also a conductor and a violinist. Brought up by poor but musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he demonstrated his musical abilities at an early age...
's earliest choral work. It was first performed at the Music Society
Musikforeningen
Musikforeningen in Copenhagen was Denmark's most important concert venue in the 19th century. It operated from 1838 to 1931 but it was especially under the leadership of Niels Gade that it became a meeting place for the city's music life with its own symphony orchestra and choir. Carl Nielsen was...
(Musikforeningen) in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on 27 April 1897 under the baton of the composer.
Background
Carl Nielsen was inspired to write Hymnus amoris in 1891 while on his honeymoon in Italy. He and his wife Anne MarieAnne Marie Carl-Nielsen
Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen was a Danish sculptor. Her preferred themes were domestic animals and people, with an intense, naturalistic portrayal of movements and sentiments. She also depicted themes from Nordic mythology...
were both impressed by Titian
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
's painting The Miracle of a Jealous Husband in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
. After he had completed the score, his wife provided a drawing for the title page. On one of the copies, Nielsen wrote: "To my own Marie! These tones in praise of love are nothing compared to the real thing; but if you continue to show your affection for me, I will strive to achieve a higher expression of the world's strongest force, and then the two of us together will rise higher and higher towards the goal, as we constantly aspire for love in life and in art."
In February 1897, in a letter to the Swedish composer Bror Beckman, Nielsen explained: "I really worked with this idea for a year or two, but it was only in the summer that I managed to begin writing the music. On 27 December the piece was finished and on 23 and 25 March it will be performed at the Music Society (Musikforeningen), probably conducted by myself."
The text for Hymnus amoris, initially wrriten in Danish by literary historian Axel Olrik
Axel Olrik
Axel Olrik was a Danish folklorist, and a pioneer in the methodical study of oral narrative.His Principles for Oral Narrative Research, recently translated by K. Wolf and J. Jensen, Bloomington, Ind., 1992, was first published in 1921, after Olrik's early death...
on the basis of Carl Nielsen’s own draft, was later translated into Latin by Johan Ludvig Heiberg
Johan Ludvig Heiberg (historian)
Johan Ludvig Heiberg was a Danish philologist and historian. He is best known for his discovery of previously unknown texts in the Archimedes Palimpsest, and for his edition of Euclid's Elements that T. L. Heath translated into English...
. Nielsen justified his choice of Latin in a note on the score itself: "I think I can defend my choice of Latin by saying that this language is monumental and elevates one above over-lyrical or personal feelings which would be out of place where the object is to use a large polyphonic
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
choir to describe such a universally human feeling as love. In addition, this language is more singable than Danish or German, and finally — as the most important reason — the textual repetitions are more tolerable in Latin."
Reception
At the first performance of Hymnus amoris at the Music Society in Copenhagen on 27 April 1897 under the baton of the composer, the soloists were Tia Krëtma, Katie Adler andViggo Bielefeldt
Viggo Bielefeldt
Viggo Bielefeldt was a Danish composer.-References:*This article was initially translated from the Danish Wikipedia.daughter: Johanne Margrethe...
. The programme presents the work with its Danish title Hymne til Kjærligheden (Hymn to Love), the Latin stanzas appearing alongside the Danish version in the programme.
The reviews were generally good. Writing in Dannebrog, Nanna Liebmann
Nanna Liebmann
Nanna Magdalene Liebmann was a Danish , music educator, music critic, concert promoter and composer. She studied at The Royal Danish Academy of Music with Victor Bendix, Johann Christian Gebauer, J.P.E. Hartmann, Niels W. Gade, August Winding and Carl Helsted. At the conservatory she met composer...
commented: "The young, talented composer, who yesterday evening also showed himself to be an energetic and assured conductor, has with this work indisputably risen many degrees in the judgment of the public. To a Latin text which depicts in short lines the stages of love in childhood, youth, manhood and old age, and finally ends as a hymn of praise in Heaven, Mr. Nielsen has written beautiful, natural and poetic music, which in its performance last evening could only have a directly appealing effect on the audience."
Berlingske Tidende’s H.W. Schytte commented specifically on the Latin: "The odd idea that a Danish poem should be translated into Latin to inspire our young Danish composer and our Music Society choir of young ladies and gentlemen at a time when Latin is close to being abolished in the learned schools, was something to which we at first had difficulty reconciling ourselves. But we hastened to drive away these reflections and found the idea in the text acquired by the composer attractive and well suited to a sufficiently gifted composer. We did not quite grasp the little instrumental beginning. It seemed to us that there was nothing to grasp, but with the first chorus our attention was immediately captured, and gradually we let Latin be Latin and listened only to the music, which maintained an interest that during the 25 minutes the piece lasted rather grew than diminished, despite the fact that the Brahms section had already given us much to think about."
Angul Hammerich writing in Nationaltidende was more effusive: "In his new choral work... (Nielsen) has become considerably more assured, more positive, more aware of his goals. He has therefore created a piece which as a work of art must be placed much higher than its predecessors." Charles Kjerulf in Politiken" was highly critical of the Latin, asking why Nielsen: "wanted his thoughts and visions appareled in the shroud of a dead language." He continued: "Why on earth must this little true-born Dane Carl Nielsen, who just a few years ago appeared in an army band on Odense market-place, blowing the cornet or striking the triangle in military parades — why on earth does he need to have his feelings put into Latin to set a love-hymn to music? That is really not something he owes his fine, indisputable talent."
Music
The 25-minute piece is divided into four sections:- Barndom (Childhood): Childrens choir; Mothers
- Ungdom (Youth): Tenor, soprano and choir
- Mandom (Manhood): Male choir; Soprano (an unhappy woman); Choir
- Alerdom (Old Age): Solo voices, tenor, baritone and bass (very old people); Choir (angels); Choir with soprano and tenor solo; Choir (all).