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From:  "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
"Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
Date:  Fri Nov 10, 2000  1:40 am
Subject:  RE: [vocalist-temporary] Pronunciation??/Original Language?


Dear Mark and Vocalisters;

The original text for Solveig's Sang was written by Henrik Ibsen,
Norways great dramatist (The Doll House, Hedda Gabbler, etc) He
wrote in a form of Norwegian which was called "Riksmal" (language of
the kingsom) also called "Bolmal" (language of books). Riksmal had
been the official written Norwegian during Danish rule but by the
middle of the 19th century it had begun to incorporate more and more
typically Norwegian words and re-spelled many other words to denote
their Norwegian pronunciation. Riksmal is one of the two official
Norwegian languages and Ibsen and Bjornson were the two most famous
writers to use riksmal. (from Ellingboe)

The second offical Norwegian language is called "Landsmal"(language
of the land) or "Nynorsk" (new norwegian). It was introduced by Ivar
Aasen, a self taught linguist. It was a compilation and
standardization of the many Norwegian dialects which had descended
from Old Norse among the country people. It soon become the second
official language of Norway and represents the countries attempt to
rid itself of its Danish and Swedish influences. Ibsen and Bjornsen
were well traveled men and linguistically conservative. They
ridiculed the landsmal movement and were more in favor of revising
the earlier Riksmal Norwegian because it would relate more easily to
the rest of the European languages.

Norwegian and Swedish are very similar in pronunciation but, to a
certain extent, spelling and grammar differ between the two.
Conversely, Norwegian and Danish are very similar on paper, but the
sounds of these languages are further removed. (from Ellingboe)

So, the answer is not as clear as I first thought. But to say Ibsen
wrote in Swedish or Danish would not be received well by many
Norwegians.

As a member of the St. Olaf Choir on a tour of Norway in 1955, we had
the strange experience of singing Grieg (in Riksmal) and being asked
why we were singing in Dansk (Danish). They expected us to change it
to Landsmal.



> > Can anyone tell me the original language? I have it in English and German.
> > I would assume neither of them is the original. If you know the original,
>> could you put a copy of the words here?
>
>I believe the original language is Swedish, though set by a Norwegian
>composer (Grieg in his Peer Gynt Suite). Norwegians often used Swedish in
>literature because historically it was considered more suited for the
>sound element so necessary in poetry. Someone correct me if I have my
>facts backwards; I'm recalling this from memory.
>
>Mark Montgomery
>
>
>

--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011

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