Olof Åhlström (1756-1835)

(Kantater för kyrkoårets högtidsdagar) Andeliga Sånger. (5.) Jul-Dagen. [(Cantatas for the feast days of the liturgical year) Spiritual Songs. (5.) Christmas Day]. 'Ur nattens hvila väckt'

Print

Autograph (unnumbered):
[1.] [Solo; Soprano or Tenor]
[2.] [Solo] Soprano

*

Edition Gran Tonante:
1. Recitativo and Arioso (Soprano or Tenor)
(Recitativo; Soprano or Tenor)
2. Aria (Soprano)

  • Year of composition: Dating uncertain (Åhlström worked in S:t Jacobs kyrka [St James's Church, Stockholm] 1792-1835; two of the cantatas are dated [no. 1: 1801] and [no. 7: 1802]. According to an inscription on no. 10, that cantata was performed in Jacob's kyrka in 1799
  • Work category: Voice and piano
  • First performed: Probably in S:t Jacobs kyrka [St James's Church], Stockholm
  • Duration: Approx. 5-10 min
  • Detailed duration: Uncertain

Instrumentation

probably pno/Forte Piano (cf. Cantata no. 1)

Solo voices/choir

solo voice: 1 soprano (and possibly 1 tenor)

Examples of printed editions

11 Kantater för kyrkoårets högtider för Soli, Kör och Pianoforte. Urtext-Edition av Holger Schmitt-Hallenberg [11 Cantatas for the feast days of the liturgical year. Critical edition by Holger Schmitt-Hallenberg)]. Archive of Swedish Vocal Music, Vol. V, Edition Gran Tonante HB, 2010

Ur nattens vila väckt. Kantat på Juldagen ur Kantater för årets högtidsdagar. [Awakened from the night's rest. Cantata on Christmas Day from Cantatas for the feast days of the liturgical year.] The original text and musical notes have been adapted for present-day print by Rune Elmehed. SMB 2003/362

  • Location autograph: Musik- och teaterbiblioteket
  • Possible call no. and autograph comment: Z/Sv (bound together with the other cantatas for the feast days of the liturgical year)

Description of work

Autograph (unnumbered):
[1.] Andantino - Moderato - Andantino C major - B-flat major 4/4 (C)
[2.] Cantabile E-flat major 2/4

*

Edition Gran Tonante:
1. Andantino - Moderato - Andantino C major - B-flat major 4/4 (C)
2. Cantabile E-flat major 2/4

Work comment

According to an anonymous note inserted in the autograph, [Johann Christian Friedrich] Hæffner's name has been written on the cover, but for several reasons, these cantatas have never been attributed to him. (Among these reasons is the fact that they are in Åhström's hand, and moreover, he served as organist in Jacob's Church 1792-1835.)

According to Edition Gran Tonante these eleven cantatas were composed/first performed c. 1799-1802. These cantatas are:
1. Installationskantat för Lehnberg 1802 (Pingst): Sopran- och Tenorsoli och Chor (med Soli)
 [Cantata for the installation of Lehnberg in 1820 (Pentecoast): Soprano and Tenor solos and Chorus (with solos)]
2. Kantat på Juldagen: Tenorsolo och Chor (med Soli)
 [Cantata on Christmas Day: Tenor solo and Chorus (with solos)]
3. Kantat på Påskdagen: Sopransolo och Chor
 [Cantata on Easter Sunday: Soprano solo and Chorus]
4. Kantat på Påskdagen: Sopransolo
 [Cantata on Easter Sunday]
5. Kantat på Juldagen: Sopransolo
 [Cantata on Christmas Day: Soprano solo]
6. Kantat på Michaeli dag: Sopransolo
 [Cantata on Michaelmas: Soprano solo]
7. Kantat på Nyårsdagen 1801: Sopran el- Tenorsolo och Chor
 [Cantata on New Year's Day, 1801: Soprano or Tenor solo and Chorus]
8. Kantat på Juldagen: Sopransolo [Cantata on Christmas Day: Soprano solo]

9. Kantat på Pingstdagen: 2 Sopraner soli
 [Cantata on Whit Sunday: 2 Soprano solos]
10. Kantat (uppförd i Jacobs Kyrka 1799) Påsk-Dagen: Sopransolo
 [Cantata (performed in Jacob's Church, 1799) Easter Sunday: Soprano solo]
11. Aria (Kantat) för Påskdagen: Sopransolo med Chor [Aria (Cantata) for Easter Sunday: Soprano solo with Chorus]

Libretto/text

Autograph (unnumbered):

[1.] [Solo; Soprano or Tenor]: Ur nattens hvila väckt /.../ Hvad ljus ur mörkrets djup /.../ En nådens dag, O Gud! /.../ För Jordens spridda folk, han himlens nåd förkunnar

[2.] [Solo] Soprano: Känslor ömma, ljufva milda flöden

* 

Edition Gran Tonante:

1. Recitativo and Arioso (Soprano or Tenor): Ur nattens vila väckt /.../ Vad ljus ur mörkrets djup /.../ En nådens dag, O Gud!
(Recitativo; Soprano or Tenor): För jordens spridda folk, han himlens nåd förkunnar

2. Aria (Soprano): Känslor ömma, ljuva milda flöden