1:1

From the summer of 1885 until 1887, Carl Nielsen lived in a rented room belonging to the property of the customs controller, Waldemar Sempiil Bauditz and his wife, Anna Augusta, on the third floor of Frederiksborggade 48. He paid 19 kroner a month for the room, including food and laundry, in exchange for teaching their daughter, Agnes, 10 years his junior, piano and violin, as she explains in her memoirs. There, we also hear the…

1:2

Alfrede Larsen's son, Kai Larsen Rohweder, has noted on this letter that, during the 1880s, Carl Nielsen was a frequent visitor to his childhood home at Havnegade 9 in Copenhagen and played with his mother. The letter probably originates from the early summer of 1887 immediately after Carl Nielsen moved from Frederiksborggade to Slagelsegade, and it is easy to link the 'many anxieties' and the 'conflicting…

1:3

In her memoirs of Carl Nielsen, Emilie Laurenze Demant Hatt (née Hansen) explains how they got to know each other in Emilie's childhood home at Selde on the Limfjord in the summer of 1887. Cf. EDH. Carl Nielsen came there with Emilie's aunt, Marie Cecilie Demant Nielsen, immediately after moving to Slagelsesgade 18 in Copenhagen with her husband, the wealthy former merchant from Odense, Jens Georg Nielsen. He was one of the…

1:4

Selde 27 July 1887.

Dear Son.

{…}

In other news, a young man has come to the Hansens [Hans Frederik Christian Hansen] for a visit. A foster son of Mrs Hansen's sister [Marie Cecilie Demant Nielsen] – and he is supposed to play the violin excellently. He has studied at the conservatory and very…

1:5

The Andante tranquillo e Scherzo for string orchestra [CNW 31] was performed in Tivoli's concert hall on Saturday 17 September 1887. In the registration begun by EDH of Carl Nielsen's works, he has written in his own hand next to this work: 'Debut as composer' (EDH p. 90), while in January 1913, when he marked his 25th anniversary as a composer, he dated his…

1:6

Beat in the Street no. 18, Piano nobile, Slagelsegade 18.Nielsen’s pseudo-archaic tone is complemented by an untranslatable pun on his Copenhagen address.

anno 1887

 My heart's intended!

 I received this week thy sweet missive into my hands; for the which I thank thee…

1:7

Petersborg nr. Aarslev St. 24 December 1887

My own beloved Emilie!

 I did after all receive your dear letter before I left Copenhagen. It arrived at 8 o'clock and I left at 8.30; but I didn't read it before I got home, and I even put it off until I was lying in my bed, with a lit candle beside me. Oh, how wonderful it is to…

1:8

Copenhagen 1 March 88

Mr A. Hansen, farmer!

I have now spoken with Borup and he is prepared to take the trip to Ferritslev with me. But we cannot say for certain when it will be since that is the time when the concerts take place here in the city. However, I presume that it would be best for us at the beginning of April, but I…

1:9

Copenhagen 13 March 88

Dear A. Hansen!

If it is possible to hold the celebration we spoke about on 8 April (the king's birthday), then that would suit Borup and me extremely well. That is the only day we can fix upon with certainty since later in the spring, as we get closer to the ExhibitionThe Nordic Exhibition for…

1:10

21 April 88

Dear Carl Nielsen!

I received the enclosed postcardThe enclosed postcard has not been preserved. at the theatre and, as it concerns you, I send it to you as a pleasant notification.

Does it makes good sense for you to leave Copenhagen now that your…

1:11

(Extra my girl)

Regards from everyone here to you.

Copenhagen 3 May 88 (Evening 10.30)

My dear little darling girl! 

Thanks for your last letter and for writing me an extra one this week, which, by the way, I shall be expecting already tomorrow (Friday); but you may not have had time, dear…

1:12

This application was not granted, but Carl Nielsen applied the following year with greater success (see 1:29).

Slagelsesgade 18 Copenhagen

20 December 1888

To the Ministry of Kultus

Musician Carl Nielsen applies to the Honourable Ministry for the Ancker Grant…

1:13

My own dearest Nik!

 You’re going to be mighty astonished when you see this letter, and probably horrified at having to read it through; but if you get tired halfway I advise you to put it aside until you don’t have anything else to read. Above I’ve drawn for you, to the best of my ability, a dog, which I hope will remind you of your old…

1:14

This Christmas greeting was written on a visiting card. The 'golden heart', a necklace, along with other objects, original letters and the manuscript for her memoirs of Carl Nielsen, Spring Torrents (Foraarsbølger) were, in accordance with Emilie Demant Hatt's own wishes, bequeathed to The Royal Library after her death in 1958.

My own dear Emilie!

1:15

Copenhagen 1 January 1889

My own dearest little Nik!

Happy New Year!!!! May all your innermost wishes be fulfilled, my own dearest Nik. It pains me that you’ve been waiting for a letter these last few days and were disappointed. I’ve been so extremely busy just now, partly with rehearsals at ‘G Major’ [1:13] and partly at The Royal…

1:16

 Copenhagen Thursday 17 January 89

My own dearest Nik!

Thank you so much for your dear letter, my own little darling; it was a really sweet letter, so you should have a really good kiss from your sweetheart. But I can’t bear your being so modest in your expression, my own little girl. You write that if I think of you ‘a little’ once…

1:17

The performance of Carl Nielsen's quintet [CNW 59] mentioned in this undated letter took place at The Chamber Music Society on Wednesday 13 February 1889.  and the letter must, therefore, have been written between 4 and 9 February. Cf. Kai Christensen Kammermusikforeningen i 125 år, Copenhagen 1994.

Slagelsegade 18^I

…

1:18

On 13 February 1889, Anton Svendsen and Carl Nielsen (violin), Christian Petersen and Kristian Sandby (viola) and Frederik Hansen (cello) performed Carl Nielsen's String Quintet in G major [CNW 59] at The Chamber Music Society. This letter is written the following day.

Slagelsegade 18^I Thursday

1:19

Undated but written on the reverse of an invitation to a social gathering at B. Hirschsprung and his wife on Friday, 22 March at 8 o'clock.

 My own dear, sweet Nik!

 Fortunately, my busyness will soon be over. Monday sees the start of a more peaceful time, and then you will get the letter from me that I am…

1:20

My own beloved Nik!

Just think, sweetheart, you are getting an extra letter from me. But you'd better prepare yourself, for it will be very short. No! It's no good you settling down in peace and quiet to savour your love-letttter for it is, as I said, just a taster. – You sent me into the deepest despair with your last letter, my own darling…

1:21

Copenhagen 15 April 89 Monday evening

My own dearest Nik!

I have to go and talk to you again, my own little sweetheart. I don't know why I am thinking about you so much these days. If I was superstitious, I would take it that something unpleasant was awaiting us, either that you would leave me or that I would fall ill and die; but that I am…

1:22

Monday

Mr Svendsen of The Royal Danish Orchestra!

I am afraid I have not managed to practise for tomorrow, and so would ask you to forgive me for not coming to the lesson. On Friday I am leaving for Odense for a few days so I cannot come…

1:23

Skive. Waiting room

Farewell again, my own sweet little darling. Was it you waving to me from the carriage when you left the station? Did you see me waving with my handkerchief? That was a final greeting, my own love. If only you knew how I miss you, my dearest…

1:24

On Saturday 24 August 1889, Carl Nielsen took part, alongside 13 other violinists and six viola players, in a competition for two vacant violin places and one vacant viola place in The Royal Danish Orchestra. On this occasion, Carl Nielsen played Henrik Wieniawski's Polonaise in A major. The judges were Kapellmeister Johan Svendsen, the…

1:25

Copenhagen 23 October 89

(Wednesday evening)

My own little girl!

I have to talk to you a little, not because of anything in particular, but only because now I simply must – I can’t help it. I long for you, my own treasure, and I’m in a strange mood at this moment. If only you were here, I would always be calm…