Poul  Schierbeck

Poul Schierbeck

(1888-1949)

Poul Schierbeck © Det Kgl. Biblioteks billedsamling

Poul Schierbeck was an organist and composer. His works include opera, music for film, radio drama and marionette theatre, symphonic and chamber music, piano pieces, choral works and songs.

Poul Schierbeck was born in an academic home filled with music. After graduating from high school, he began law school but soon abandoned this in favour of private music lessons with amongst others Carl Nielsen and Thomas Laub. He held the position as organist at Skovshoved Church from 1916 until his death in 1949.

In the years following World War I Schierbeck made his mark as a composer, and in 1919 he received Det Anckerske Legat. Also in 1919 he married the opera singer Sylvia Larsen who became the obvious choice as the interpreter of the many songs in his oeuvre. Together the couple made a study tour to Italy through England, France, Switzerland and Germany where Poul Schierbeck finished his symphony op. 15, which he had begun before the war. The symphony was premiered in Gothenburg in 1922 with Carl Nielsen as the conductor and was repeated later that year in Copenhagen. The following year Poul Schierbeck conducted the symphony himself at a concert in Finland. The symphony was well received everywhere and praised for its instrumentation.

This gave Poul Schierbeck the courage to embark on his next big project: The opera Fête galante, based on a play by the writer Max Lobedanz who encouraged Schierbeck to compose the stage music. Schierbeck convinced Max Lobedanz to convert the play into a libretto, and in 1923 he started composing. The process of composing the opera took until 1927 because in the mean time Schierbeck was much sought after for other work. In 1921 he composed a cantata for the University enrolment party. It was a great success and many cantatas followed: A series of cantatas was composed in the 1920’s, and after the death of Carl Nielsen in 1931 Schierbeck was the leading Danish composer of cantatas. In 1945 the opening of the new Radio Concert Hall was celebrated with a cantata written by Schierbeck. 

In 1931 Fête galante was performed at the Royal Danish Theatre and that same year Poul Schierbeck started teaching composition and instrumentation at the Royal Danish Academy of Music.

© Jens Brincker / Danish Composers’ Society

Available Works

All categories Solo 2-6 Instruments 7+ Instruments Choir Orchestra Music Drama and Stage Music

  1. Ryttervise

    1942 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    2:30 minutes

    Male choir

  2. Nordisk nytårshilsen

    1942 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    2 minutes

    Mixed choir

  3. Piano

    1937 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    3 minutes

    Recitation and voice (soprano), flute, clarinet, celesta and string orchestra

  4. Ma petite fille est si blonde

    1935 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    3 minutes

    1.1.2.1/1.0.0.0/archi & soprano solo

  5. Symfoni, op. 15

    1921 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    45 minutes

    3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/4perc/clst/mand/arp/archi

  6. Sig nærmer tiden

    DR Pigekoret 

    1939 • Poul Schierbeck, St. St. Blicher, Phillip Faber

    Choir

    Girls’ Choir (difficulty 3)

  7. Vor folkesaga

    1941 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    3:30 minutes

    Mixed choir and orchestra (0.0.0.0/4.2.3.1/timp/gl/archi)

  8. Schnedler

    1938 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    10 minutes

    3.2.2.2/4.3.3.1/timp/perc/hrp/archi

  9. Kantate ved Aarhus bys 500-års jubilæum og indvielse af det nye rådhus

    1941 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    30 minutes

    2.2.2.2/2.2.3.1/timp/perc/clst/archi + S & b.Bar solo, recitator, boys choir & male choir

  10. Poco andante

    1916 • Poul Schierbeck

    Solo

    4:30 minutes

    Piano solo

  11. Vi må skønne på det store

    1941 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    4:20 minutes

    Male choir and orchestra (0.0.0.0/4.2.3.1/timp/archi)

  12. Randers march, Våbenskjold og Havet

    1942 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Children’s choir (SSA), mixed choir (SATB), string orchestra and piano

  13. Mazurka

    1915 • Poul Schierbeck

    Solo

    5:30 minutes

    Piano solo

  14. Intermezzo

    1915 • Poul Schierbeck

    Solo

    6:30 minutes

    Piano solo

  15. Grundlovskantate

    1941 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    40 minutes

    0.0.0.0/4.2.3.1/timp/perc/archi + soprano and bass baritone soloists, male and female narrators, mixed choir, children’s choir & male choir

  16. Solidum petit in profundis

    1940 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Male vocal quartet

  17. Vårbud

    1918 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Voice and piano

  18. Marselis-sangen

    1941 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Mixed choir

  19. Den skønne, gyldne sol

    1924 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Solo voice and female choir (SSAA)

  20. Om strømmen mod dig bruser

    1941 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Male choir

  21. Jylland

    1947 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    14 minutes

    Cantata for piano and male choir

  22. Hilsen til flaget

    1920 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Male choir

  23. En dæmpet strofe

    1948 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Voice and piano

  24. Mærk derpå!

    1913 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    3 minutes

    Canon for 4-part male choir

  25. Chant de Viking (orchestra version)

    1930 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    20 minutes

    3.2.2.2/4.3.3.1/timp/perc/archi + tenor solo

  26. Aarhus-sangen (orchestra version)

    1944 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    2.2.2.2/4.2.3.1/perc/archi + mixed choir

  27. Til musikken (orchestra version)

    1939 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    20 minutes

    2.2.2.2/4.2.3.1/timp/perc/archi + narrator & mixed choir

  28. Chant de Viking (for tenor)

    1925 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Tenor and piano

  29. Morsingboens sang

    • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Mixed choir

  30. Se, hvor blåner sommerhimlen

    1941 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Children's choir (SSA)

  31. Nocturne

    1920 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Voice and organ or piano

  32. Nævner min tanke

    • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Voice and piano

  33. Legende fra Volga

    • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

  34. Armeniernes sang

    • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Male choir

  35. Af havet

    1940 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    4 minutes

    Voice and piano

  36. Anima / Hymnus

    1922 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Soprano & baritone soli, male choir with soloist quartet, and piano 4-hands

  37. Majalil

    1920 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Voice and piano

  38. Aarhus-sangen

    1944 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Voice and piano

  39. Morendo

    1924 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    4 minutes

    Female choir (SSAA)

  40. I veninder, lyt!

    • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Voice and piano

  41. Til musikken

    1939 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Mixed choir

  42. Hans skib var ladet med glæde (TTBB)

    1938 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    Male choir

  43. Hans skib var ladet med glæde (for baryton)

    1938 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    Baritone and piano

  44. Måneny og morgenstjerne

    1940 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    1 minutes

    Male vocal quartet

  45. Jeg drømte

    1920 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    2 minutes

    Voice and piano

  46. Forviklinger

    1918 • Poul Schierbeck

    Choir

    3 minutes

    2x2 part canon for mixed choir or mixed vocal quartet

  47. Radio-rapsodi

    1939 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    16 minutes

    2.2.2.2/4.2.3.1/timp/perc/pno/archi

  48. Ouverture Fête Galante

    1931 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    8 minutes

    2.2.2.2/4.3.2.1/timp/2 perc/archi

  49. Tre italienske Duetter

    1933 • Poul Schierbeck

    7+ Instruments

    12 minutes

    2 Voices solo + piano

  50. Akademisk Festmusik / Kantate

    1922 • Poul Schierbeck

    2-6 Instruments

    30 minutes

    Male voices (Cantata only), pno, 2 vl, vla, vlc

  51. Häxa

    1938 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    7 minutes

    Soprano solo + 2.0.0.0/4.2.3.1/timp/perc/cel/archi

  52. Natten

    1936 • Poul Schierbeck

    Orchestra

    12 minutes

    Piano solo + 2.2.2.2/2.2.2.0/timp/perc/archi

  53. Fête Galante

    1930 • Poul Schierbeck

    Music Drama and Stage Music

    25 minutes

    2 sopr, alto, 6 tenor, 2 bar, b-bar, 2 bass soli + piano

  54. I Danmark er jeg født

    DR Pigekoret 

    1926 • Poul Schierbeck, H. C. Andersen

    Choir

    Girls’ Choir (difficulty 3)




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News

  1. Pianist Erik Kaltoft turns 80 years

    general

    Pianist Erik Kaltoft turns 80 years

  2. Win the music Christmas present of the year

    general

    Win the music Christmas present of the year

  3. Songs by Poul Schierbeck published for the first time

    general

    Songs by Poul Schierbeck published for the first time

  1. Christian Winther Christensen receives Schierbeck award

    general

    Christian Winther Christensen receives Schierbeck award

Show More News

Calendar

  1. September 2023
  2. 14

    September

    Excerpts from C.F.E. Hornemann: Aladdin; Peter Heise: Drot og Marsk; Poul Schierbeck: Fête Galante

    time19:30

    location Symfonisk Sal, Musikhuset Aarhus, Denmark

    performed by Århus Symfoniorkester; Christian Øland, conductor; Denise Beck, soprano; Hanne Fischer, alto; Adam Frandsen, tenor; Nikolai Elsberg, baritone; Den Jyske Operas Kor