Hugo Alfvén (1872-1960)

Stemning

Rudén no. 156

Print
  • Year of composition: December 1938
  • Work category: Male choir a cappella
  • Text author: Jens Peter Jacobsen
  • First performed: Uppsala 6 May 1941, Orphei Drängar, cond. Alfvén
  • Duration: 2 min

Solo voices/choir

T.T.B.B..

Examples of printed editions

Gehrmans Musikförlag, Stockholm 1939, CG 3037 (Gehrmans kvartettbibliotek 177)

  • Location autograph: Uppsala Universitetsbibliotek
  • Possible call no. and autograph comment: Autograph in UUB VMhs 184:37

Literature

Rudén, Jan Olof: Peterson-Bergers, Stenhammars och Alfvéns tolkning av J P Jacobsens Stemning, Alfvéniana 1, 2010, pp. 3−11.

Description of work

Adagio E-flat major 4/4

Links

Alfvéniana 1/10


Work comment

This composition was written in 1938 and as usual is in two versions: for men´s choir and for mixed choir. He must have been satisfied with his work since he immediately made a version for string orchestra with choir ad libitum. The fact is that the pregnant Danish text had already in the 1890s inspired Alfvén´s antagonist Wilhelm Peterson-Berger to write a song for mixed choir. It is not known whether Alfvén knew about this.


Libretto/text

Alle de voksende Skygger
har vævet sig sammen tiI en,
ensom paa Himmelen lyser
en Stjerne saa straalende ren,
Skyerne have saa tunge Drømme,
Blomsternes Øjne i Duggraad svømme
underligt Aftenvinden suser i Linden.

In English:
Shadows, expanding and growing,
are merging, and slowly entwine.
Desolate up in the heavens shines
a star so eternally bright.
Heavy clouds fill with tormented dreams,
flow'rs overflow with the tears of dew,
Faintly the evening breeze murmurs, whispers,
rustles the Linden.

Translation: Annika Vallgren