Niels W. Gade's teacher and mentor, A.P. Berggreen, made it part of his aesthetic program to incorporate the ballad style into art music, which was crucial for Gade's own compositions.
Compositional Technique
The Elf-King's Daughter is structured with a Prologue and Epilogue, both based on the ballad The Elf-Hill and using the same musical material, giving the work a structure reminiscent of classical Greek tragedy.
Recording & Production
This recording is the world premiere on CD of the 1864 version of Erlkönigs Tochter and Fünf Gesänge, as they appear in the new revised Gade Edition.
Composition History
Hans Christian Andersen likely provided a first draft for the text of The Elf-King's Daughter, which Niels W. Gade rejected, leading to philologist Chr. K.F. Molbech creating most of the final text.
Historical Context
The first half of the 19th century in Denmark was characterized by National Romanticism, with intense preoccupation with Norse mythology and old Danish popular ballads in literature, art, and music.
Notable Performances
The Elf-King's Daughter was premiered on March 30, 1854, at a concert in Musikforeningen in Copenhagen, receiving a splendid reception.
Cultural Impact
The Elf-King's Daughter became very popular in Denmark, achieving national heritage status, and was included in the national 'Culture Canon' of the Ministry of Culture in 2006.
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