Scan 62
Groves Dictionary Of Music And Musicians,vol.3, 1907
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115, 1815; d. Grefsen, near Christiania, Aug. 11, 1868), became known as a composer in Norway and the surrounding countries during the time of Norway's struggle for freedom, and the consequent renascence of her intellectual and artistic spirit.1
3In 1834 he was a graduate of the Christiania University, and he had as a matter of course devoted himself to the study of jurisprudence, for his father's high post under Government would have ensured for him a good start in official life. On the death of his father in 1840, a decided step was at last taken by Halfdan Kjerulf, and he began his professional career at the age of 25. He settled down as a teacher of music, and published some simple songs even before he had been introduced to the theory of music by some resident foreigner. In 1850 or thereabouts Kjerulf had begun to attract public attention; the Government awarded to him a grant by which he was enabled to study for a year at Leipzig under Richter. On his return to Christiania he did his best to establish classical subscription concerts in that city, but with no lasting success. In 1860 he was in active co-operation with Björnson, who wrote for him many poems; and it was during these years—1860–65—that Kjerulf did his best work, resigned to a contemplative and lonely existence, and content to exercise a quiet influence upon those who sought him out. Grieg, amongst others, was very glad of the older master's moral support.
5The portraits of Kjerulf represent him with a mild and pensive face, with traces of pain in the expression. He had indeed suffered for long from extreme delicacy in the chest, and death overtook him when he had withdrawn to a retreat at Grefsen, near Christiania. A wave of deep emotion and sympathy, the fervour of which would have astonished the composer himself, passed over the country he had loved and served so well.
7The value of Kjerulf's stirring quartets and choruses for men's voices, as reflecting the national sentiment in the way most acceptable to his countrymen, has already been commented on. As absolute music they are of slight interest, but by their vigour and their straightforward simplicity they may be said to possess all the virtue which belongs to complete appropriateness to the subject. His few piano-forte pieces fully maintain the highly artistic standard to which Kjerulf was always faithful.
9Consideration of the purely musical side of Kjerulf's songs shows the perfect genuineness of their inspiration, and also the limits of that inspiration in intellectual depth and power. Among the Northern ballads and lyrics are to be found some really characteristic and quaintly
111 For a full account of Kjerulf as the representative of his country, and for extracts from his letters and details of his private life, the reader may be referred to the articles Halfdan Kjerulf, by Henrik Sundt, in the Musical World of Oct. 1, 8 and 15, 1887.
13fascinating ditties. Such are Björnson's 'Synnöve's Song,' 'Ingrid's Song,' 'Young Venevil,' 'Evening Song' and the Scotch 'Taylor's Song,' Munch's 'Night on the Fjord,' Theodor Kjerulf's 'Longing.' Several songs that spring from Kjerulf's sojourn at Leipzig recall the influence of Schumann, while his treatment of some English poems is almost startling. The polished verses of Moore are made the vehicle of outpourings in which the gentle Kjerulf is seen in his most impassioned mood—for instance, 'Love thee, dearest, love thee.' 'My heart and lute,' on the other hand, has inspired the composer with an intensity of dreamy melancholy. Unfortunately a certain amount of licence has been taken in the settings, and where the poem as a whole gains by the suggestiveness of the music, the lines and words now and then suffer from false accentuation. This is especially the case with some familiar verses by the late Lord Houghton. It would be impossible to enumerate all that is worthy of note in the collection of more than one hundred songs by Kjerulf; but notice must be taken of the successful colouring of some Spanish subjects, and of the pleasing settings of Victor Hugo's Romances. Many of the songs are familiar to English amateurs through the compilation by T. Marzials, published by Messrs. Stanley Lucas, Weber & Co. Further testimony to the value of the Norwegian composer's work can be read in the Musikalisches Wochenblatt of Jan. 24, 1879, in an article from the pen of Edward Grieg.
15KLAFSKY, KATHARINA (b. Szt. Janos, Wieselburg, Hungary, Sept. 19, 1855; d. Sept. 22, 1896), famous Wagnerian singer, was the daughter of a poor shoemaker. In 1870 her mother died, and she left home for Oedenburg, where she had to beg her daily bread. Later she went to Vienna and entered service there as a nurserymaid. Her singing attracted the attention of her employers, who introduced her to Neuwirth, the organist of the Elizabeth Kirche, who gave her instruction. She was engaged in 1874 as a chorus-singer at the Komische Oper. There her voice attracted the attention of the conductor, the younger Hellmesberger, who induced Mme. Marchesi to teach her gratuitously. She was engaged in 1875 at Salzburg as a chorus-singer. In 1876 she married a merchant of Leipzig, and for a very brief space of time retired from the stage, but circumstances compelled her to accept an offer of Angelo Neumann to play small parts at the Leipzig theatre. From 1876–82 she gradually won recognition as Vonus in 'Tannhäuser,' and especially, Jan. 2, 1882, as Brangäne, on the production of 'Tristan' at Leipzig. In this last part she made a great success, after a fortnight's study only under the tuition of Paul Geisler, then chorus-master at Leipzig. In the same year she accompanied Neumann
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