Jakob Adolf Hägg (1850−1928)

Kleine Nordische Lieder ohne Worte und Präludien, Heft II

Print

1 [probably no. 9 in numbering, see below]. Andante
2 [10]. Andante tranquillo
3 [11]. Andante
4 [12]. Andantino quasi Allegretto
5 [13]. Andante grazioso
6 [14]. Romance: Innig
7 [15]. Wiegenlied: Allegretto

  • Year of composition: One of the pieces is dated 1897, year/-s of composition for remaining pieces unknown
  • Work category: Piano
  • Dedication: 1 [9]. An Frau Axellina Sundell geb. Hägg
    2 [10]. An Fräulein Maria Hägg
    3 [11]. An Karin Westberg
    4 [12]. An Anna Hederstedt
    5 [13]. An Gerda von Klint
    6 [14]. Saknar dedikation
    7 [15]. An Mauritz Westberg
  • Duration: Approx. 10-15 min

Examples of printed editions

• Det Nordiske Forlag, Köpenhamn [Copenhagen] n. d. [1898]
• Elkan & Schildknecht, Stockholm n. d. [ca 1898], same edition as above

No. 12 and 15 also in Hägg, Album, 16 leichtere Clavierstücke
Det Nordiske Forlag / Hofmeister, Köpenhamn [Copenhagen] / Leipzig [1900]

  • Location autograph: Musik- och teaterbiblioteket
  • Possible call no. and autograph comment: The pieces are spread over several manuscripts in the Hägg collection [Hägg-samlingen]. No. 6 [14] is missing.

Description of work

1 [probably no. 9 in consecutive numbering, see below]. Andante C minor 6/8 23 bars (/:8:/15), Più lento 1 bar, in total 24 bars
2 [10]. Andante tranquillo A major 2/4 24 bars (/:8:/16:/)
3 [11]. Andante G major 4/4 (C) 30 bars (/:10:/20)
4 [12]. Andantino quasi Allegretto A-flat major 16 bars, Crotchet = 84 E-flat mauor 20 bars (/:8:/:12:/), Da capo al fine [bars 1-16], in total 36 bars
5 [13]. Andante grazioso F major 6/8 27 bars
6 [14]. Romance: Innig G minor 2/4 20 bars, Fröhlich D-dur 12 bars, [Tempo I] 8 bars, in total 40 bars
7 [15]. Wiegenlied: Allegretto E major 2/4 24 bars

Links

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Work comment

It seems as though when preparing the five books Kleine nordische Lieder und Präludien, Hägg made a selection from his previously composed pieces, which might explain why no. 3 [11] is dated Skån 8 August 1897, no. 5 [13] Stockholm 4 December 1868, and no. 7 [15] 17 September 1897. The remaining pieces lack information as to their composition dates and may as well be from the 1860s or 1870s as from the years immediately before the publication.

There is conflicting information as to whether this book is no. 1 or no. 2. The numbering of the pieces is of no assistance as both books begin with no. 1. (Book 3, however, begins with no. 16, whereafter it continues number by number until no. 37). The cover pages of both books state Heft I, II, which may indicate that either the publisher or the music dealer was to mark the intended number.

There are four facts that would indicated that this is book no. 2:
1) In my possession I have 2 copies of the printed music, where the cover pages have been marked in this way
2) To me, it seems feasible that the number of the printing plate would be aligned with the respective book. Thus, N.F. 3680 would refer to book 1 and N.F. 3681 to book 2. (The printing plates of the following three books are N.F. 3682, 3683, and 3684, respectively.)
3) In addition, it would seem most natural to begin the first book with a prelude.
4) In Hofmeister's list of published music (www.hofmeister.rhul.ac.uk) the books are presented in this order.

Unfortunately, however, others have come to the opposite conclusion, and at the Musik- och teaterbiblioteket, this book is marked as no. 1.

Finn Rosengren