Johan Fredrik Berwald
Encyclopedia
Johan Fredrik Berwald was a Swedish violinist, conductor and composer. He was cousin of Franz Berwald
and August Berwald.
player at the Kungliga Hovkapellet
. During four years, starting in 1808, Johan Fredrik Berwald was a soloist at the Royal Chapel in Saint Petersburg
. He became a violinist at the Kungliga Hovkapellet in Stockholm
in 1814, and conductor of the Royal Orchestra 1823-1847. During this time he also led the concerts of the Harmonic Society.
Unlike his cousin Franz Berwald, Johan Fredrik was successful as a musician during his lifetime. The cousins were sometimes rivals, and Johan Fredrik made, as far as is known, no efforts to help Franz have his scenic and symphonic works performed. He was regarded as an average conductor and out of date as composer, but his introduction of Weber
's and Meyerbeer
's operas, for instance, was successful, partly because of Jenny Lind
's participation.
A couple of divertissement
s were composed directly for Jenny Lind, for example "En majdag i Värend" (1843) in a kind of nationally and popularly adapted style bearing the stamp of the period. In addition to that he composed orchestral and chamber music together with some vocal music. None of these can be said to be on the concert repertoire of today.
He was married to the royal concert singer
Mathilda Cohn
. Their daughter Julie Berwald
(1822-1877), was for a short time opera singer at the Kungliga Operan in Stockholm where she made her debut in 1847, was employed in 1848, and left in 1852 when she married the baron Knut Åkerhjelm.
Berwald was elected as fellow no 228 to the Swedish Royal Academy of Music on 2 December 1818.
Franz Berwald
Franz Adolf Berwald was a Swedish Romantic composer who was generally ignored during his lifetime. He made his living as an orthopedic surgeon and later as the manager of a saw mill and glass factory....
and August Berwald.
Biography
Berwald appeared as an infant prodigy on violin as early as age six touring abroad together with his father Georg Johann Abraham Berwald, a bassoonBassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
player at the Kungliga Hovkapellet
Kungliga Hovkapellet
Kungliga Hovkapellet , is a Swedish orchestra and was located at the Royal Court in Sweden's capital Stockholm. It was first recorded in 1526. Since 1773 it is part of the Royal Swedish Opera's company....
. During four years, starting in 1808, Johan Fredrik Berwald was a soloist at the Royal Chapel in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. He became a violinist at the Kungliga Hovkapellet in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in 1814, and conductor of the Royal Orchestra 1823-1847. During this time he also led the concerts of the Harmonic Society.
Unlike his cousin Franz Berwald, Johan Fredrik was successful as a musician during his lifetime. The cousins were sometimes rivals, and Johan Fredrik made, as far as is known, no efforts to help Franz have his scenic and symphonic works performed. He was regarded as an average conductor and out of date as composer, but his introduction of Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
's and Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
's operas, for instance, was successful, partly because of Jenny Lind
Jenny Lind
Johanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she is known for her performances in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and for an extraordinarily...
's participation.
A couple of divertissement
Divertissement
Divertissement is used, in a similar sense to the Italian 'divertimento', for a light piece of music for a small group of players, however the French term has additional meanings....
s were composed directly for Jenny Lind, for example "En majdag i Värend" (1843) in a kind of nationally and popularly adapted style bearing the stamp of the period. In addition to that he composed orchestral and chamber music together with some vocal music. None of these can be said to be on the concert repertoire of today.
He was married to the royal concert singer
Hovsångare
Hovsångare , literally Court Singer, is a title awarded by the Swedish monarch to a singer who, by their vocal art, has contributed to the international standing of Swedish singing. The formal title was introduced by King Gustav III of Sweden in 1773, with the first recipients being Elisabeth Olin...
Mathilda Cohn
Mathilda Berwald
Mathilda Charlotta Berwald, née Cohn Mathilda Charlotta Berwald, née Cohn Mathilda Charlotta Berwald, née Cohn (9 March 1798 in Helsinki in Finland - 3 May 1877 in Stockholm, was a Finnish and Swedish concert singer. She was later appointed official singer (Hovsångare) of the Swedish royal court....
. Their daughter Julie Berwald
Julie Berwald
Julie Mathilda Berwald was a Swedish concert and opera singer.Born to the concert singer Mathilda Berwald and the musician Johan Fredrik Berwald. She and her sisters Fredrique and Hedvig Eleonora was educated to singers by their mother and sang with her at their fathers concerts...
(1822-1877), was for a short time opera singer at the Kungliga Operan in Stockholm where she made her debut in 1847, was employed in 1848, and left in 1852 when she married the baron Knut Åkerhjelm.
Berwald was elected as fellow no 228 to the Swedish Royal Academy of Music on 2 December 1818.
Selected works
- L'héroine de l'amour filial Operetta - 1811 Saint Petersburg
- Nya garnisonen Vaudeville 1 act - 8 April 1831 Stockholm, Kungliga Teatern
- Felsheims hussar Vaudeville 3 acts - 10 February 1832 Stockholm, Kungliga Teatern
- Ett national-Divertissement 1 act Böttiger - 6 February 1843 Stockholm, Kungliga. Teatern
- En majdag i Wärend Sångspel 1 act Böttiger - 11 May 1843 Stockholm, Kungliga Teatern