Sophie Dedekam

Sophie Dedekam (1 April 1820 – 1 June 1894) was a Norwegian composer and diarist, one of the most significant Norwegian women composers of the 19th century, and principally remembered today for a hymn included in the Church of Norway Hymn Book and for her published recollections of a visit to Paris.

Dedekam was born in the Norwegian coastal town of Arendal, the daughter of the town's mayor. She became active in the social and cultural life of the city at an early age, where she sang and played the piano. She traveled to Paris when she was 25 for a visit of several weeks, recording her experiences in letters and in a diary that were published after she died. Dedekam did some public concertizing as a singer and collaborative pianist early in her life, but most of her performing was limited to amateur venues in the Arendal area or at home with her family and friends.

Dedekam also composed songs from an early age, again mostly for local consumption. Many of her pieces were eventually published by Wilhelm Hansen Music Publishers (known today as Edition Wilhelm Hansen) in Copenhagen. A number of her songs became quite well known in Norway as a result, but Sophie rarely received recognition as their composer, nor did she seek it. Two of her songs were also published by Theodora Cormontan, another Norwegian woman composer from Arendal.

As an unmarried woman in 19th century Norway, Sophie Dedekam's economic vitality diminished after her father's death. She spent the remainder of her life staying with various friends and relatives, by all accounts a happy person who brought joy to those around her. She died at the farm of her sister and her sister's husband in 1894.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1820 (Arendal), Died June 1, 1894 (Ottestad)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1917 - 1923

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-20788 10-in. 10/18/1917 De to Drosler Nathalie Hansen Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-21319 10-in. 12/28/1917 Taaren Nathalie Hansen Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-23544 10-in. 12/22/1919 Taaren Poul Björnskjold Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra composer  
Edison 9305 10-in. 12/24/1923 Taaren Carsten Woll Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dedekam, Sophie," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100475.

Dedekam, Sophie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100475.

"Dedekam, Sophie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100475

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