CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses
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JRPMUSIC.DK arranger Jimmi Roger Pedersen I 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses • • 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses 1. edition 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses 1. edition, 1. printing – 2012 Copyright © J. R. Pedersens Forlag Author and layout: Jimmi Roger Pedersen Cover photo: Carl Nielsen 1908 - © Odense City Museums Cover photo reverse: Carl Nielsen's Childhood Home - © Odense City Museums ISBN 978-87-91618-46-8 Thanks for dialogue and inspiration to The Carl Nielsen Society, pianist Ole Kock Hansen, bassist Bo Stief and bassist Kristin Korb Special thanks to The Carl Nielsen Museum for text and photos Other publications Songs for Bass II Songs for Bass I The Technique of Bass Beyond The Technique of Bass Only Scandinavian Double Bass Technique - Left Hand III Scandinavian Double Bass Technique - Left Hand II Scandinavian Double Bass Technique - Left Hand I Scandinavian Double Bass Technique - Right Hand I jrpmusic.dk Knudsvej 2 C DK-4180 Sorø Tel.: +45 55 45 01 53 Mob.: +45 41 41 55 45 E-mail: [email protected] E-site: www.jrpmusic.dk PREFACEPREFACE Welcome, The arrangements in this booklet are dedicated to the European biennial bass convention BASS2012 COPENHAGEN and made to share the writings of one of Denmark's greatest composers, Carl Nielsen, who lived from 1865 to 1931. Even though Denmark is a small country, we have a vital musical tradition. Denmark is “a singing nation” with a musical heritage of songs that are embedded in a still relevant pedagogical movement since the middle of the 19th century: Grundtvig's Folk High School (Folkehøjskole). Twelve songs out of more than 300 Carl Nielsen's compositions have been chosen and arranged for two basses. The songs were composed about a hundred years ago, and set to poems written by well-known Danish authors. Carl Nielsen wrote melodies for poems and said about his music that the poems "are treated musically in such a way that elaborate composition goes hand in hand with the deepest possible popular stamp, and the noblest melody with a quite simple harmonisation, intelligible to all... One of the secrets behind these seductive and simple melodies is that they never claim a prominent role but constantly, as if with loving care, embellish the poems while subordinating themselves to them." • Each song is presented in tablature and music sheet - Bass 1 and 2. The tablature indicates a solution for left hand movements and fingerings and show which string to play. • Titles, tempos and time signatures are all original. Key signatures are chosen to fit two basses the best. • Melodies (Bass 1) are true to the originals. • Bass lines (Bass 2) are like a counter melody based on a tradition going way back to Bach. • Harmonies are a good balance between melody and bass line, a logical chorus for improvisation and a touch of today's music. The chords are written very basically - extensions, alterations and/or substitutions are welcome. • Forms can be opened up for repeating and improvising, switching Bass 1 and 2, making intros/outros, simplifying or stretching the form etc. - feel free in the spirit. • Articulations and expression are open for interpretation - arco or pizzicato. If you have basic skills in reading music, you should be able to play Bass 2. More experienced players will have fun playing Bass 1. Wishing you joy and all the best, Jimmi Roger Pedersen May 2012 TABLETABLE OFOF CONTENTSCONTENTS Carl Nielsen...........................................................................................................................................5 01. Irmelin Rose...............................................................................................................................6 02. Forunderligt at sige....................................................................................................................8 03. Min Jesus, lad mit Hjerte få.....................................................................................................10 04. Jeg bærer med Smil min Byrde................................................................................................12 05. Nu er Dagen fuld af Sang.........................................................................................................14 06. Der dukker af Disen min Fædrene jord....................................................................................16 07. Nu springer Våren fra sin Seng.................................................................................................18 08. Tit er jeg glad og vil dog gerne græde.....................................................................................20 09. Min Pige er så lys som Rav.......................................................................................................22 10. Grøn er Vårens Hæk.................................................................................................................24 11. Jeg ved en Lærkerede..............................................................................................................26 12. Jeg gik i Marken og vogtede Får...............................................................................................28 The Carl Nielsen Museum...................................................................................................................30 Chronological Table........................................................................................................................31 Selected Works..............................................................................................................................34 Explanation of Symbols......................................................................................................................37 Jimmi Roger Pedersen........................................................................................................................38 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses CARLCARL NIELSENNIELSEN Carl August Nielsen, (9 June 1865 – 3 October 1931), widely recognised as Denmark's greatest composer, was also a violinist, conductor, writer, and teacher. Brought up by poor but musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he demonstrated his musical abilities at an early age. While it was some time before his works were fully appreciated, even in his home country, Nielsen has now firmly entered the international repertoire. Especially in Europe and the United States, Nielsen's music is ever more frequently performed, with interest growing in other countries as well. Carl Nielsen is especially admired for his six symphonies, his Wind Quintet and his concertos for violin, flute and clarinet. In Denmark, his Carl Nielsen 1908 opera Masquerade (Maskarade) and a considerable number of his songs © Odense City Museums have become an integral part of the national heritage. While his early music was inspired by composers such as Brahms and Grieg, he soon started to develop his own style, first experimenting with progressive tonality and later diverging even more radically from the standards of composition still common at the time. Carl Nielsen had fabulous memories from his childhood, which he reproduced in his lively memoirs, Min Fynske Barndom (My Childhood). At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to a merchant, but, when his employer went bankrupt, young Carl and his parents had to reconsider his options. Fortunately, before long Carl Nielsen appeared a post became vacant in the military band in on the Danish 100 kroner banknote issued Odense. Carl competed for the post and won it, from 1999 to 2010 starting in his new position on 1 November 1879. Here he stayed until the end of 1883, when he went to Copenhagen to complete his musical education at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Carl Nielsen as military From then on, Copenhagen became Carl Nielsen's permanent base until musician with bugle his death in 1931, but the years in Odense had decisive significance for and alto trombone his musical development. It was here that he started on his formal c. 1897 musical schooling, partly through more systematic musical education and © Odense City Museums partly through encounters with other artists that left their mark on the young Carl. SONGS AND HYMNS Over the years, Nielsen wrote the music for around 300 songs and hymns, most of them for poems written by well-known Danish authors such as N.F.S. Grundtvig, B.S. Ingemann, Poul Martin Møller, Adam Oehlenschläger, and Jeppe Aakjær. In Denmark, many of them are still popular today, both with adults and children. Page 5 of 40 - www.jrpmusic.dk 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses 01. Irmelin Rose Irmelin Rose Bass 1+2 composer - Carl Nielsen 1891 arranger - Jimmi Roger Pedersen Page 6 of 40 - www.jrpmusic.dk 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses 01. Irmelin Rose Irmelin Rose Bass 1+2 composer - Carl Nielsen 1891 arranger - Jimmi Roger Pedersen Page 7 of 40 - www.jrpmusic.dk 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses 02. Forunderligt at sige How Wonderful to Ponder Bass 1+2 composer - Carl Nielsen 1914 arranger - Jimmi Roger Pedersen Page 8 of 40 - www.jrpmusic.dk 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses 02. Forunderligt at sige How Wonderful to Ponder Bass 1+2 composer - Carl Nielsen 1914 arranger - Jimmi Roger Pedersen Page 9 of 40 - www.jrpmusic.dk 12 Songs by CARL NIELSEN for Two Basses EXPLANATIONEXPLANATION OFOF SYMBOLSSYMBOLS Fingerings for left hand is Chord symbols always shown. The four lines indicate the Numbers in the tablature bass strings – on top G gives the position on the fingerboard 2 1 3 4 T HAND