y separately published work icon Uller the Bowman single work   lyric/song  
First known date: 1909 Issue Details: First known date: 1909... 1909 Uller the Bowman
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Cantata.

'Uller the Bowman" enshrines an episode in tho life of Uller the sturdy God of Winter, predestined to fall in lovo with the maiden Skadi whilst hunting. Their meeting in the forest, hor pitiful story of loneliness, their mutual love, the ensuing festivities, and a description of a Norwegian sunset, aro all included in tho well-planned poetic scheme of the librettist, W. J. Curtis ('Royal Sydney Liedertafel.' The Sydney Morning Herald 10 July 1913, p. 12).

The Sydney Morning Herald review records:

Mr Curtis has written an uncommonly good poem, in which the old Norse battleground of the gods and the giants is deftly and gracefully exploited… [while] Mr Orchard's music… has music vigour and picturesqueness where the descriptive passages are called for, while the love episodes of Scardi is handled with much feeling ('Music and Drama.' Sydney Morning Herald 1 February 1913, p.6).

A synopsis of the cantata is published in the Evening Post, Wellington (New Zealand):

Based upon Norse mythology, wherein the eternal conflict between good and evil is represented by the constant struggle for supremacy between the gods and the giants. The gods dwelt peacefully in Asgard, each in a golden palace, rejoicing in their power, while the Walkyries, clad in shining armour and mounted on white chargers, kept watch. Oller, the sturdy god of winter, who, heedless of winds and storms, made long journeys on his wondrous snowshoes over seas and lakes, lived in Ydalir, or "'Yew-dale," where grew the pliant yaw-tree, from which were made his deadly bows and arrows. The present episode tells how Uller, while hunting in the forest, meets and falls in love with Skadi, the beautiful daughter of the storm giant, Thiassi, whom the gods had relentlessly destroyed. It is considered that the atmosphere thus created fittingly lends itself to musical treatment for baritone solo and male chorus, in complete contrast with the music of the lone huntress (soprano), of whom the gods decreed that she should meet her lover a-hunting in the forest. After a brief prologue, in which the voice of the present invokes the spirit of the past, and bids the god live once more, the main part of the work begins with an indication of an approaching storm. This soon leads to Uller's arrival on silvery, snow tipped shoes, attended by the elements, of which he was lord and master. He then narrates his prowess in the forest, his protective care for the flowers and plants during winter, and his disregard of the raging storm. Ultimately his followers attend him, at the hunt. On they go to the chase, when suddenly the beautiful vision of Skadi appears. Her pitiful narrative (soprano solo) transforms the sympathy of Uller into fervent love. A description of a Norwegian sunset (male chorus) precedes the awakening of the storms and winds, who dance in honour of the marriage of their sovereign lord. The dance music begins with a dainty measure interspersed with subdued rumbling of the storm and weird murmuring of the wind, intermingled with the voices of the air. Later comes a movement of greater intensity and wilder in character, which is soon abruptly terminated by the imperious Uller, and immediately leads into the testive banqueting scene, with which the work concludes ('Mimes and Music' 2 Aug. 1913, p.11).

Notes

  • Although the Royal Victorian Liedertafel announced in early 1913 its intention to present the cantata during its first concert for the year (see for example The Sun, Sydney, 17 February 1913, p.10), no Melbourne performance has yet been identified.
  • In his or her review of the b1913 performance, the Sydney Morning Herald music and drama critic commented on the lack of due recognition paid to 'the Australian worker in musical art.' In comparing the Curtis/Orchard work to those produced overseas the writer notes that 'it is worth a good many of the customary 'tuneful' cantatas which so frequently have acceptance, and for no reason other than they come from England' ("Music and Drama." Sydney Morning Herald 1 February 1913, p.6).

Production Details

  • 1909: Sydney Town Hall; 8 September

    • Producer Sydney Liedertafel; Conductor W. Arundel Orchard
    • Performers: Roslna Buckmann, Miss Emma Sussmilch, Orme Darvall, Harry Nell, Percy Bates.

    1913: Sydney Town Hall; 9 July

    • Producer Sydney Liedertafel; Music Director/Conductor W. Arundell Orchard.
    • Cast incl. David Bispham (Uller), Rita Lyons (Skadi),

    1913: Centennial Hall, Brisbane; 25 November

    • Producer Brisbane Liedertafel; Conductor Leonard Francis

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1912

Works about this Work

Royal Sydney Liedertafel 1913 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 10 July 1913; (p. 12)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

Review of the 1913 Sydney Liedertafel production (Sydney Town Hall, 9 July).

'Mimes and Music' 'Orpheus' , 1913 single work column
— Appears in: Evening Post , 2 August 1913; (p. 11)

Evening Post columnist 'Orpheus' provides a synopsis of the W. J. Curtis text for Uller the Bowman. The cantata had been revived in Sydney the previous month.

Music and Drama 1913 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 5 July 1913; (p. 4)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

A preview of the forthcoming Sydney Liedertafel concert, featuring Uller the Bowman (Sydney Town Hall, 9 July 1909).

Sydney Liedertafel 1909 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 9 September 1909; (p. 8)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

Review of the 1909 Sydney Liedertafel concert (Sydney Town Hall; 8 September)

A Festival of Song : 150th Liedertafel Concert - 'Uller the Bowman' 1909 single work review
— Appears in: The Star , 9 September no. 156 1909; (p. 2)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

A review of the 1909 Sydney Liedertafel concert (Sydney Town hall; 8 September).

Music and Drama 1913 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 5 July 1913; (p. 4)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

A preview of the forthcoming Sydney Liedertafel concert, featuring Uller the Bowman (Sydney Town Hall, 9 July 1909).

Royal Sydney Liedertafel 1913 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 10 July 1913; (p. 12)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

Review of the 1913 Sydney Liedertafel production (Sydney Town Hall, 9 July).

A Festival of Song : 150th Liedertafel Concert - 'Uller the Bowman' 1909 single work review
— Appears in: The Star , 9 September no. 156 1909; (p. 2)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

A review of the 1909 Sydney Liedertafel concert (Sydney Town hall; 8 September).

Sydney Liedertafel 1909 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 9 September 1909; (p. 8)

— Review of Uller the Bowman W. J. Curtis , 1909 single work lyric/song

Review of the 1909 Sydney Liedertafel concert (Sydney Town Hall; 8 September)

Society Doings in Sydney 'Pippa' , 1909 single work column
— Appears in: Australasian , 18 September 1909; (p. 47)

Review of the Sydney Liedertafel concert, Sydney Town Hall 8 September 1909.

'Mimes and Music' 'Orpheus' , 1913 single work column
— Appears in: Evening Post , 2 August 1913; (p. 11)

Evening Post columnist 'Orpheus' provides a synopsis of the W. J. Curtis text for Uller the Bowman. The cantata had been revived in Sydney the previous month.

Last amended 10 Aug 2016 09:26:41
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