Subject: Hertzberg Guitar Book

From: "Monica Hall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2014 17:11:03 -0000

"Hertzbook Guitar Book"

I have a few queries about this manuscript which was mentioned some time ago 
when Are Hansen posted information about  it on-line at
http://folk.uio.no/henninho/Gitar.html
 It  is now in the National Library of Norway - Mus. Ms.a 5038
and the catalogue
entry includes a digital reproduction. I wondered if anyone had actually 
seen the manuscript
itself  - it appears to have a beautifully embroidered front cover.
Does anyone
know Are Hansen or have a contact e-mail for him.   Has he or anyone else
published anything about the ms.more recently?
The Library have attributed it to Nils Hertzberg
and dated it 1829-30 but I would imagine that it was copied earlier.   I
know some of the pieces are arrangements of pieces by Lully but has anyone
identified any of the other pieces...
Any information would be much appreciated.
Monica

http://folk.uio.no/henninho/Gitar.html

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2014 10:43:35 +0100

Here I am! :)

I have not seen the manuscript since I wrote the entry on Henning
"henninho" Holen's webpage. Henning and I have played a few of the pieces
from the book as guitar and continuo duets. The manuscript has many
correspondences with the Charlotte Amalie's guitar books in Copenhagen, so
there might have been a Danish-Norwegian standard guitar repertoire.
Henning is a lurker on this list and knows the book better than me, so he
should be able to tell you more.

(Da tar du over herfra, Henning.)

Are

> To get on or off this list see list information at
> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>

---

From: Rockford Mjos <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2014 23:39:56 -0600

Hans Olav Gorset, Vegard Lund, and Kristian Buhl-Mortensen are all people I think would have firsthand familiarity with the manuscript. The later has a web page about the Charlotte Amalie's guitar manuscripts.

Here are some comments which I also posted to the Early Guitar & Vihuela Ning group forum discussion on the manuscript.

Were you just guessing about the embroidery, Monica?

The Nordic Baroque quartet recorded several pieces from the manuscript.

Hans Olav Gorset wrote in his liner notes to “Northern Delights” (Simax Classics, 2004, PSC 1224) by the Nordic Baroque Quartet

“It is hard to discern the difference between Danish and Norwegian music in the 18th century. Denmark and Norway were one nation: the educated shared a common culture. Thus we may call the Hertberg manuscript, which contains over one hundred pieces of music notated in tablature for baroque guitar, both Danish and Norwegian. The manuscript is beautifully presented with a cover of dark red velvet embroidered with silver. It was brought to Norway by Johanne Christine Winding (1708-1801), a wealthy lady from Copenhagen who ended her days as a vicar’s wife in Hardanger. In a poem written by a member of the family in the 19th century it is suggested that the Lady not only embroidered the cover, she also played the music beautifully. We have put together a suite from this collection in keeping with the fashion of the time. It is not known who composed the music, though the final piece Passacaglia Persee is from Jean Baptiste Lully’s “Persée, a Tragédie en musique” from 1682.” 

The booklet incorrectly identifies the recorded tracks 14 and 17.
Track 12  Prelude -- solo guitar. In Am, “compiled” by Vegard Lund -- “a free interpretation of various 17th century harmonic devices.”
Track 13 Allemand de lully -- (f 15-16) solo guitar
Track 14  Gavotte en Boure -- actually Gigue (f. 6) solo guitar
Track 15 Rondeau -- (fol 9-10) guitar with a plucked bass on viol.
Track 16  Sarabande -- (f. 19) flute, guitar (continuo), bowed bass viol, guitar with plucked viol bass for a petit reprise.
Track 17  Gigue -- actually Gavotte en Boure (f. 4) guitar with plucked bass an A1 and B2, flute with guitar (continuo) and plucked bass for A2 and B1.
Track 18 -- Passacaglia Persee -- (fol 13-14) begins with guitar with plucked viol bass, adds flute, guitar (continuo) and bowed viol

Guitarist Vegard Lund (with a short commentary in the CD’s booklet) finds many similarities to contemporary guitar sources in the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen, several which belonged to pribcess Charlotte Amalie, sister of King Christian IV. The style and compositions may be by Lully, filtered through transcriptions, arrangements and personal preferences of performers.

On Jan 5, 2014, at 11:11 AM, Monica Hall wrote:

> "Hertzbook Guitar Book"
> 
> I have a few queries about this manuscript which was mentioned some time ago when Are Hansen posted information about  it on-line at
> entry includes a digital reproduction. I wondered if anyone had actually seen the manuscript

--

---

From: "Monica Hall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2014 08:50:17 -0000

Thank you Rocky.   That is very helpful.  It is fairly clear from the
   digital photo on the library website that the cover is embroidered but
   my knowledge of Norwegian - or is it Danish - doesn't extend to reading
   the poems but I thought the Lady in question may have done the
   embroidery.

   I suppose she may well have copied and played the music - it is rather
   sketchy.   Most of it is as you say - French but the arrangements of
   the chorale tunes perhap owe more to its Norwegian/Danish provenance.

   The amazing thing about this list is you can get all the information
   you need without leaving home!

   Monica

   ----- Original Message -----

   From: [1]Rockford Mjos

   To: [2]Monica Hall

   Cc: [3]Vihuelalist

   Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2014 5:39 AM

   Subject: Re: [VIHUELA] Hertzberg Guitar Book

     Hans Olav Gorset, Vegard Lund, and Kristian Buhl-Mortensen are all
     people I think would have firsthand familiarity with the manuscript.
     The later has a web page about the Charlotte Amalie's guitar
     manuscripts.

   Here are some comments which I also posted to the Early Guitar &
   Vihuela Ning group forum discussion on the manuscript.

   The Nordic Baroque quartet recorded several pieces from the manuscript.
   Hans Olav Gorset wrote in his liner notes to "Northern Delights" (Simax
   Classics, 2004, PSC 1224) by the Nordic Baroque Quartet
   "It is hard to discern the difference between Danish and Norwegian
   music in the 18th century. Denmark and Norway were one nation: the
   educated shared a common culture. Thus we may call the Hertberg
   manuscript, which contains over one hundred pieces of music notated in
   tablature for baroque guitar, both Danish and Norwegian. The manuscript
   is beautifully presented with a cover of dark red velvet embroidered
   with silver. It was brought to Norway by Johanne Christine Winding
   (1708-1801), a wealthy lady from Copenhagen who ended her days as a
   vicar's wife in Hardanger. In a poem written by a member of the family
   in the 19th century it is suggested that the Lady not only embroidered
   the cover, she also played the music beautifully. We have put together
   a suite from this collection in keeping with the fashion of the time.
   It is not known who composed the music, though the final piece
   Passacaglia Persee is from Jean Baptiste Lully's "Persee, a Tragedie en
   musique" from 1682."
   The booklet incorrectly identifies the recorded tracks 14 and 17.
   Track 12  Prelude -- solo guitar. In Am, "compiled" by Vegard Lund --
   "a free interpretation of various 17th century harmonic devices."
   Track 13 Allemand de lully -- (f 15-16) solo guitar
   Track 14  Gavotte en Boure -- actually Gigue (f. 6) solo guitar
   Track 15 Rondeau -- (fol 9-10) guitar with a plucked bass on viol.
   Track 16  Sarabande -- (f. 19) flute, guitar (continuo), bowed bass
   viol, guitar with plucked viol bass for a petit reprise.
   Track 17  Gigue -- actually Gavotte en Boure (f. 4) guitar with plucked
   bass an A1 and B2, flute with guitar (continuo) and plucked bass for A2
   and B1.
   Track 18 -- Passacaglia Persee -- (fol 13-14) begins with guitar with
   plucked viol bass, adds flute, guitar (continuo) and bowed viol
   Guitarist Vegard Lund (with a short commentary in the CD's booklet)
   finds many similarities to contemporary guitar sources in the Royal
   Danish Library in Copenhagen, several which belonged to pribcess
   Charlotte Amalie, sister of King Christian IV. The style and
   compositions may be by Lully, filtered through transcriptions,
   arrangements and personal preferences of performers.
   On Jan 5, 2014, at 11:11 AM, Monica Hall wrote:

   "Hertzbook Guitar Book"
   I have a few queries about this manuscript which was mentioned some
   time ago when Are Hansen posted information about  it on-line at
   [4]http://folk.uio.no/henninho/Gitar.html
   It  is now in the National Library of Norway - Mus. Ms.a 5038
   and the catalogue
   entry includes a digital reproduction. I wondered if anyone had
   actually seen the manuscript
   itself  - it appears to have a beautifully embroidered front cover.
   Does anyone
   know Are Hansen or have a contact e-mail for him.   Has he or anyone
   else
   published anything about the ms.more recently?
   The Library have attributed it to Nils Hertzberg
   and dated it 1829-30 but I would imagine that it was copied earlier.
   I
   know some of the pieces are arrangements of pieces by Lully but has
   anyone
   identified any of the other pieces...
   Any information would be much appreciated.
   Monica
   http://folk.uio.no/henninho/Gitar.html
   To get on or off this list see list information at
   http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

   --

References

   1. mailto:[email-masked]
   2. mailto:[email-masked]
   3. mailto:[email-masked]
   4. http://folk.uio.no/henninho/Gitar.html

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2014 17:14:54 +0100

Hei,

Kristian Buhl-Mortensen told me that the Hertzberg book and the danish
guitar manuscripts are written by the same person. You can read about the
danish manuscripts here:

http://buhl-mortensen.dk/fibiger.html

Henning

---

From: "Monica Hall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2014 20:47:08 -0000

It is interesting that he thinks that the Hertzberg ms. was copied by the 
same person as the Danish mss.  If that is the case the Hertzberg ms. can't 
have been copied by Johanne Christine.   Has anyone any examples from the 
Danish Mss.?

Monica