Serenata in vano
Encyclopedia
Carl Nielsen
's Serenata in vano, a quintet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, cello and double-bass, FS 68, was composed in 1914. It was apparently written at short notice, commissioned by Ludvig Hegner of the Royal Theatre
for a tour of the Danish
provinces.
had been engaged as conductor at the Royal Theatre
although Nielsen had been deputy conductor for six years. This led him to hand in his resignation at the end of the 1913-14 season. He apparently composed the little quintet Serenata in vano in May, before he embarked on his fourth symphony
. The probability that it was written for a tour is supported by a letter from Henrik Knudsen who reported: "Once when I went to see him a printed programme for a tour in the provinces lay there. On it was written: Carl Nielsen – Serenade. It was to be held in about a week. ‘What is that’, I said. ‘Serenade, I don’t know that one.’ ‘Nor do I,’ he said. But it was composed and fully rehearsed within a week."
and ended on 30 June in Skanderborg
. On 4 June, the Nykjøbing Dagblad reported: "Yesterday evening the Music Society held its fourth concert of the season. It was the Hegner tour, consisting of members of the Royal Orchestra and Messrs. Dietzmann and Espersen, who visited the society. The programme was Mozart ’s Divertissemento, a serenade by Carl Nielsen – it was performed yesterday
evening for the first time – and Beethoven’s Septet. On 8 June the concert was repeated in Horsens
. The programme shows that the serenade was played by the members of the Royal Orchestra: Carl Skjerne (clarinet), Peter Robertson (French horn), Ludvig Hegner (double-bass),
the bassoonist Carlos Espersen and the cellist Rudolf Dietzmann. Horsens Folkeblad commented that Nielsen could hardly live up to the other composers although: "his Serenato in vano is actually an amusing effort – in particular the instrumentation in the peculiar configuration clarinet, bassoon, French horn, cello and double-bass is adroit. But it cannot be denied that yesterday evening it gave a slightly heavy and strained impression." The other reviews of piece later in the tour were no more enthusiastic.
The serende was first performed in Copenhagen
on 13 April 1915 in the smaller hall of the Odd Fellows Mansion
. According to the programme, the musicians were N.P.S. Nørlund (clarinet), August Devald (bassoon), K.V. Sørensen (French horn), Dr. Carl Meyer (violoncello) and Anton Petersen (double-bass). The reviews of this concert concentrated on the performance of Nielsen's songs, the main item, while the quintet was only briefly mentioned despite Berlingske Tidendes assertion that "it was a success, and the final movement, which was the best, had to be repeated."
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 Serenata in vano, a quintet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, cello and double-bass, FS 68, was composed in 1914. It was apparently written at short notice, commissioned by Ludvig Hegner of the Royal Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
for a tour of the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
provinces.
Background
The year 1914 was not a pleasant one for Nielsen. Georg HøebergGeorg Høeberg
Georg Høeberg was a Danish composer and conductor. His 1933 performance of Carl Nielsen's Fifth Symphony is thought to be the earliest surviving recorded performance of any Nielsen symphony. His grandfather was the Danish composer and conductor at Tivoli Gardens, Hans Christian Lumbye.-External...
had been engaged as conductor at the Royal Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
although Nielsen had been deputy conductor for six years. This led him to hand in his resignation at the end of the 1913-14 season. He apparently composed the little quintet Serenata in vano in May, before he embarked on his fourth symphony
Symphony No. 4
Among the pieces of music with the title Symphony No. 4 are:*William Alwyn's Symphony No. 4*Malcolm Arnold's Symphony No. 4*Arnold Bax's Symphony No. 4*Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 4*Franz Berwald's Symphony No. 4, "Naïve"...
. The probability that it was written for a tour is supported by a letter from Henrik Knudsen who reported: "Once when I went to see him a printed programme for a tour in the provinces lay there. On it was written: Carl Nielsen – Serenade. It was to be held in about a week. ‘What is that’, I said. ‘Serenade, I don’t know that one.’ ‘Nor do I,’ he said. But it was composed and fully rehearsed within a week."
Reception
The tour began on 3 June 1914 in Nykøbing FalsterNykøbing Falster
Nykøbing Falster is a southern Danish city, seat of the Guldborgsund kommune. It belongs to Region Sjælland. The city lies on Falster, connected by the 295-meter-long Frederick IX Bridge over the Guldborgsund waterway to the island of Lolland. The town has a population of 16,464...
and ended on 30 June in Skanderborg
Skanderborg
Skanderborg, with a population of 18,253 , is a town in Denmark just southwest of Aarhus. It is more or less a suburb today, located in Skanderborg municipality, Jutland.Skanderborg municipality has a population of 57,303 ....
. On 4 June, the Nykjøbing Dagblad reported: "Yesterday evening the Music Society held its fourth concert of the season. It was the Hegner tour, consisting of members of the Royal Orchestra and Messrs. Dietzmann and Espersen, who visited the society. The programme was Mozart ’s Divertissemento, a serenade by Carl Nielsen – it was performed yesterday
evening for the first time – and Beethoven’s Septet. On 8 June the concert was repeated in Horsens
Horsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
. The programme shows that the serenade was played by the members of the Royal Orchestra: Carl Skjerne (clarinet), Peter Robertson (French horn), Ludvig Hegner (double-bass),
the bassoonist Carlos Espersen and the cellist Rudolf Dietzmann. Horsens Folkeblad commented that Nielsen could hardly live up to the other composers although: "his Serenato in vano is actually an amusing effort – in particular the instrumentation in the peculiar configuration clarinet, bassoon, French horn, cello and double-bass is adroit. But it cannot be denied that yesterday evening it gave a slightly heavy and strained impression." The other reviews of piece later in the tour were no more enthusiastic.
The serende was first performed 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 13 April 1915 in the smaller hall of the Odd Fellows Mansion
Odd Fellows Mansion, Copenhagen
The Odd Fellows Mansion is a Rococo town mansion in Copenhagen, Denmark, named after the local branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows which acquired the building in 1900...
. According to the programme, the musicians were N.P.S. Nørlund (clarinet), August Devald (bassoon), K.V. Sørensen (French horn), Dr. Carl Meyer (violoncello) and Anton Petersen (double-bass). The reviews of this concert concentrated on the performance of Nielsen's songs, the main item, while the quintet was only briefly mentioned despite Berlingske Tidendes assertion that "it was a success, and the final movement, which was the best, had to be repeated."