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The Norwegian Language Revival as Artistic Inspiration for Edvard Grieg

International Grieg Conference in Bergen May 30 2015 Arne Torp Retired professor of Nordic languages Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies University of Oslo arne.torp@iln.uio.no. The Norwegian Language Revival as Artistic Inspiration for Edvard Grieg

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The Norwegian Language Revival as Artistic Inspiration for Edvard Grieg

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  1. International Grieg Conference in Bergen May 30 2015 Arne TorpRetired professor of Nordic languages Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian StudiesUniversity of Osloarne.torp@iln.uio.no The Norwegian Language Revival as Artistic Inspiration for Edvard Grieg Language revival – when was the Norwegian language alive – and what happened afterwards? How did Edvard Grieg participate in the Norwegian nation building project?

  2. The outline of my speech Some crucial historical background facts about Nordic countries and Nordic languages The Nordic countries with traditional languages Nordic languages ↔ Scandinavian languages Norwegian history in a nutshell Specimens of modern Nordic languages The relationship between the Scandinavian languages Edvard Grieg in a nation building perspective Music as element in nation building in other countries Edvard Grieg’s position in the Norwegian language planning projects

  3. Norden = Nordic countries Scandinavia

  4. Languages of the Nordic countries – language families Indo-EuropeanUralic Eskimo- Aleutic Germanic Finno-Ugric Nordic (= North Germ.) Saami Baltic Finnic Sw. Da. No. Far. Icel. (North FinnishGreenlandic Saami, Ume Saami, South Saami…)

  5. Nordic Insular NordicScandinavian North Scandinavian South Scand. Icelandic Faroese Norw. Swed. Danish Classification of modern Nordic languages on the basis of oral similarity

  6. Norwegian political facts/events 870-1389: Norway an independent kingdom From 1389: The Kalmar union, comprising all the Scandinavian countries (DK, NO, SE) 1523: Sweden leaves the Kalmar Union, Denmark/Norway stay together as a ”twin monarchy” to 1814 (with Denmark as the “mother country” 1814 -1905: Union between Norway and Sweden (one king, but otherwise rather independent status for each nation) After 1905: Norway independent kingdom (German occupation 1940-1945) The written language in Norway 870-1389: Based on Norwegian speech (Old Norse) From 1389: Gradual linguistic influence from the neighboring countries After ca. 1500: The official language in Norway becomes Danish (gradual transition from about 1450). In the 18th century the Norwegian upper class adopts Danish (with Norw. pronunciation) as spoken vernacular. 1814 -1905: Nation building culturally and linguistically (literature, painting, music) After 1905: Language planning continues until after World War II Norwegian political and linguistic history in a nutshell

  7. Specimens ofmodern Nordic languages

  8. Why Bokmål and Nynorsk? The reason why there are two written varieties of Norwegian, whereas one variety of both Danish and Swedish is sufficient, is both historical and political. Bokmål is historically seen a “norwegianized” version of the Danish written language which was used in Norway since the time when the country was in political union with Denmark (from about 1450 to 1814). Translated from Nordens språk med røtter og føtter, p. 44

  9. Danish Hvorfor bokmål og nynorsk? Grunden til at man har to norske målformer i Norge, mens man klarer sig med én form af både dansk og svensk, er både historisk og politisk. Bokmål er historisk set en »fornorsket« udgave af det danske skriftsprog der har været i brug i Norge siden landet var i politisk union med Danmark (fra ca. 1400 til 1814). From Nordens sprog med rødder og fødder p. 44

  10. Norwegian - Bokmål Hvorfor bokmål og nynorsk? Grunnen til at man har to norske målformer i Norge, mens man klarer seg med én form av både dansk og svensk, er både historisk og politisk. Bokmål er historisk sett en »fornorsket« utgave av det danske skriftspråketsom har vært i bruk i Norge siden landet var i politisk union med Danmark (fra ca. 1400 til 1814). From Nordens språk med røtter og føtter p. 44

  11. Why Bokmål and Nynorsk? Nynorsk is on the other hand a new written language that was established around 1850 on the basis of the Norwegian rural dialects, as a “national” alternative to Danish. Bokmål is therefore very similar to Danish – in writing, not in pronunciation! – whereas Nynorsk has certain features in common with Faroese and Icelandic. Translated from Nordens språk med røtter og føtter, p. 44

  12. Norwegian - Nynorsk Kvifor bokmål og nynorsk? Nynorsk er derimot eit nytt skriftspråk som vart etablert ca. 1850 på grunnlag av dei norske bygdemåla som eit ”nasjonalt” alternativ til dansk. Bokmål er derfor svært likt dansk – i skrift, men ikkje i uttalen! – medan nynorsken har visse drag sams med færøysk og islandsk. Translated from Nordens språk med røtter og føtter p. 44

  13. Icelandic Hvers vegna bókmál og nýnorska? Nýnorska er aftur á móti nýtt ritmál sem var komið á um 1850 á grundvelli norskra mállýskna sem «þjóðernislegur» valkostur á móti dönskunni. Bókmál er þess vegna afar líkt dönsku – í ritmáli en ekki í framburði! En nýnorskan á ýmislegt sameiginlegt með færeysku og íslensku. From Norðurlandamálin með rótum og fótum p. 44

  14. The Norwegian-American linguist Einar Haugen about the relationship between Danish, Norwegian and Swedish When Norwegians and Swedes communicate orally, they can tell what word is being spoken, though they may be uncertain of its meaning [affär – affære]. When Norwegians and Danes communicate, they have to listen hard to be sure what word the other is using, but once they get that, they usually know what it means [meget – meget]. Or as one wit has put it: Norwegian is Danish spoken in Swedish. Haugen: ”Danish, Norwegian and Swedish” (1990)

  15. Nation building in Norway in the 19th century with emphasis on language 1830-ies: discussion about the language situation in Norway starts Revise (“norwegianize”) the Danish language ↔ create a new written standard 1840-ies: collection of Norwegian folk culture (fairy tales, ballads, dialect research (Asbjørnsen & Moe, Landstad, Aasen) A large dugnad1) also comprising painting and music (i.e. Grieg) 1853:Ivar Aasen launches a new Norwegian standard language (Landsmål – Nynorsk) based on rural Norwegian dialects 1885: Landsmål is recognized as an official language on an equal footing with Danish (Dano-Norwegian) 1907:Dano-Norwegian undergoes a reform which puts a final end to the language union between Denmark and Norway – thereby giving birth to Norwegian Riksmål – Bokmål) 1) “collective work on a project” = creating a Norwegian national identity

  16. Linguistic nation building in Norway after 1907 1917 and 1938:language reforms aiming at a future amalgamation of the two varieties of Norwegian (Samnorsk – Common Norwegian) 1944: the number of school children learning Nynorsk as their primary language reaches its all time high: 34 % (today: 13 %) Reforms after World War II: slowing down and partial reversal of the Samnorsk policy 2003: official abolition of the Samnorsk policy by Stortinget (the Norwegian parliament)

  17. Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843-1907) in a socio-cultural and historical context Family background • Great-grandfather on father’s side Alexander Greig (1739–1803) emigrated from Scotland to Bergen 1770, became a prosperous merchant, Norwegian citizen 1779, changed his family name to Grieg. • Several Danish ancestors both on paternal and maternal side (cf. Hagerup) Some biographical facts about the composer • 1843-58: Childhood and youth in a merchant’s home in Bergen: His spoken vernacular was consequently Dano-Norwegian (with Bergen accent) • 1858-62: Music studies at the Leipzig Conservatoryin Germany • 1863-65: Studies of Scandinavian music in Copenhagen • 1867: Married his cousin the lyric soprano Nina Hagerup (1845-1935). • From 1866 residence mostly in Christiania (Oslo), but also extensive traveling on concert tours all over Europe • 1884: Troldhaugen becomes their more or less permanent residence

  18. Grieg’s contacts with other Norwegian nation builders and with Norwegian folk culture Inspirators: Ole Bull (1810-80), Richard Nordraak (1842-66) Cooperation with authors writing in Dano-Norwegian): Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910) • 2 poems from Arnljot Gelline (op. 20; 1871) • 4 poems from Fiskerjenten («The Fisher Girl» op. 21; 1870-72) • Sigurd Jorsalfar (scene music; op. 22; 1872) • Landkjenning (“Land sighting”) (op. 31; 1872) • Scenes from Olav Trygvason (op. 50; 1873, revision 1889) Henrik Ibsen (1828-1907) • Peer Gynt Suite (scene music; op. 23; 1874-75 + later revisions)

  19. Two examples of other European creators of national identity in music • 1. Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) was baptized Friedrich Smetana. His generation of Czechs was educated in German, and he had difficulty expressing himself in what was supposedly his native tongue. […] By 1864 he was proficient enough in the Czech language to be appointed as music critic to the main Czech language newspaper Národní listy. • Today he is “widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music.” (Má vlast (”My native country”, 1874–79).

  20. Two examples of other European creators of national identity in music • 2. Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) (originally Johan Christian Julius Sibelius). • The rapid rise of Romantic Nationalism in Europe had a profound effect on educational systems in Europe. The gradual demise of Latin was accompanied by opportunities to study more native languages. In Finland, which at this time was a grand duchy within the Russian empire, this meant either Finnish or Swedish. Young Janne (= Jean) Sibelius went to the Finnish-speaking Hämeenlinna Normal-Lycee, but his first language was Swedish. Romantic Nationalism was to become a crucial element in Sibelius' artistic output and his political leanings. • Finlandia, op. 26 is a symphonic poem by Sibelius. The piece was composed for the Press Celebrations of 1899, a covert protest against increasing censorship from the Russian Empire, and was the last of seven pieces performed as an accompaniment to a tableau depicting episodes from Finnish history.

  21. Similarities and differences between Smetana, Sibelius and Grieg in the linguistic nation building projects • All of them belonged to a social class which was different from the majority of the people in the country both culturally and linguistically. • However, Smetana and Sibelius spoke a vernacular which was entirely different from the majority language; therefore Smetana and Sibelius had to learn the “national” language. • Grieg on the other hand just happened to speak a different “dialect” of Scandinavian. • Grieg’s Dano-Norwegian was also the only option for practically all Norwegians in writing in the 19th century. • Grieg’s language was also understandable both in speech and writing to all Norwegians as well as to other Scandinavians.

  22. The urban upper class composer Edvard Grieg is inspired by poetry in Landsmål, the language based on rural Norwegian peasant spoken vernacular Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1808-1870), poet and journalist; one of the pioneers of Landsmål from 1858. • In his periodical Dølen (“The Dalesman”, 1858-1870), which i.a. included his Ferdaminne fraa Sumaren 1860 (“Travel Memories from the Summer 1860”) he published several poems, some of which were used by Grieg in his opus 33 “12 melodies to poems by A.O. Vinje” (composed 1873-80; published 1881). • Grieg’s title: “12 Melodier til Digte af A. O. Vinje. Af Edvard Grieg op. 33 (med norsk og dansk Tekst)”. The most popular of these songs even today are Vaaren (”The Spring”) and Ved Rundarne (”At Rondane”) Vinje as inspiration for Grieg in a severe personal crisis 1878-80): ”Du på ruinene må stå av livet ditt, fyrst riktig då du rett kan sjå ikring deg vidt.” (stanza by Vinje; quoted in articles about Edvard Grieg)

  23. Grieg’s new encounter with Landsmål/Nynorsk: Garborg’s language in Haugtussa (1895) Arne Garborg (1851-1924), poet and intellectual publicist like Vinje; both had their cultural origin in the rural peasant class. Garborg became the leading figure within the Landsmål movement from the 1870-ies Politically radical: Founded and co-edited Fedraheimen (“The Ancestral Home”, 1877-1891), a Landsmål paper with increasing anarchistic ideology, continued in a more moderate vein as Den 17de Mai (1894-1935), continuing after 1935 as Norsk tidend (“Norwegian Magazine”) Also active in Nynorsk language planning: Launched 1901 as member of a committee preparing a new norm for Landsmål called Midlandsnormalen (“the Midland norm”), agreeing on important points with the dialect of Telemark, the home region of A.O. Vinje.

  24. Some of Grieg’s enthusiastic statements about Landsmål/Nynorsk in the 1890-ies (my unauthorized translations (AT)) • “In the last days I have been occupied with a very strange kind of poetry: It is a recently published book in Landsmål by Arne Garborg, Haugtussa. It is a really brilliant book, where the music somehow is already composed: You just have to write it down.” (letter to Julius Röntgen June 12th 1895). • “I could have wished that I had been born some generations later, just to be able to participate and speak the Norwegian language, which I love with the power of instinct.” (letter to Hulda Garborg August 18th 1898)

  25. Some last statements from Grieg about language in a letter to Garborg November 1898 (more unauthorized translations by AT) “What are we poor people to do, being born of Danish-speaking mother and father and only capable of loving the language, but incapable of writing or speaking it? Should we therefore be regarded by the fanatics on the Landsmål side as enemies? This is unfair and unwise. I regard neither townsmen nor peasants as having the key to the true freedom of spirit and heart…[…]”

  26. However: “Our Danish language has been forced upon us through school and church. Justice requires now that what today is just peasant language should obtain the same right. It must for some generations (or just for one) be enforced. The peasant culture does not worry me. It will supply us with material and be integrated in a higher unity with the urban culture. From this union will the future language emanate which I believe in.”

  27. The final suggestion of my speech on Grieg and the Norwegian language will therefore be to regard him as an early advocate of the Samnorsk or common Norwegian policy which was the official language policy of the Norwegian state up to World War II. However, I do not dare to prophesize what would have been Grieg’s position in the Norwegian language conflicts if he had lived to see what happened in the 20th and the first decades of the 21st centuries. THANK YOU!

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