- Year of composition: Composition sketch dated Musicum 5 December 1938
- Work category: Mixed choir a cappella
- Text author: Jens Peter Jacobsen
- Duration: 2 min
Solo voices/choir
S.A.T.B.
Examples of printed editions
Carl Gehrmans Musikförlag, Stockholm 1939, CG 3035 (Gehrmans körbibliotek 112)
- Location autograph: Uppsala Universitetsbibliotek
- Possible call no. and autograph comment: Composition sketch and autograph at 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 A-flat major 4/4
Links
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 til 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