Dear Debra:
Thanks for your correction about the Grieg songs being in Swedish.
To even suggest that is a major insulet to all Norwegians. Sweden
has had a strong connection to the Continent through its French
connection. Norway has not and their history is dependent on that
fact. Danish was the official language of Norway while the Danes
controlled the country. But upon their release from Danish rule the
Norwegians reverted back, as much as possible, to their more native
tongue. The result was a "New Norwegian" which came after Grieg's
time.
Although Grieg's early songs were written in German because he was
studying in Germany, all of the rest of his ouvre is in Norwegian
which is mostly different from the Danish.
Were one to sing the Grieg songs today in Norway with the words
pronounced as in Denmark the audience would want to know why you were
singing his songs in "Dansk".
--
Lloyd W. Hanson
|
