Link to youtube
Commissioned by Dr. James D. Hicks, USA
Premiere performance: Stockholm Cathedral, May 26, 2019
Duration: 18′
The summery Danish folk song, sometimes referred to as ”Kærlighedsrosen” (the Rose of Love), is found in several variations. The text to the most common version origins from the area between Randers and Mariager in the mideast of Jutland (just where I live and work)
It describes a young girls longing for her boy friend. In other versions the song has a more religious content, where the rose symbolizes Jesus.
My variations takes the listener through a journey of several characteristic and colorful variations on this charming folk tune melody. From the simple presentation in the beginning, the tune is then presented in all voices (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass), in many different tonalities and meters, and even combined with two other (in Denmark) well known melodies for songs belonging to the summertime, “Du danske sommer jeg elsker dig” and “Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag” before a concluding fugue and toccata.
At the same time it has been my idea that the variations could open up for the many aural possibilities of a large symphonic organ.
