Johannes Erasmus Iversen
Encyclopedia
Johannes Erasmus Iversen (1713–1755) was a Danish
Baroque
composer. He also worked as a teacher, musician, conductor and a concert organizer.
, Iversen chose to make his living as a musician. From 1740, he regularly arranged public concerts together with other performers. This led to the creation of the Musical Society in 1744, which Iversen soon came to lead. The organization was both a musical society and an academy of music.
The Society was closed down in 1749, but soon after Iversen created a new Collegium Musicum. This new society consisted in part of musicians educated by Iversen. When Iversen was appointed precentor
in Vor Frue Kirke
, the cathedral
of Copenhagen
, the concerts by the new society diminished. Iversen himself apparently rarely gave concerts in public after that.
s. The titles of these have been preserved, among them Forsynstempelet (English: Temple of Providence) from 1747. As cantor at the University, he also composed several works for various festivities at the university. Among these were a cantata from 1752 in memory of Queen Louise
, who was married to King Frederick V
and died in 1751. Another cantata was composed in honor of the new queen Juliana Maria
, who married Frederick V in 1752. One of his last works was the mourning music over his friend Ludvig Holberg
, a famous Danish playwright
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
composer. He also worked as a teacher, musician, conductor and a concert organizer.
Life
Originally a student at the University of CopenhagenUniversity of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
, Iversen chose to make his living as a musician. From 1740, he regularly arranged public concerts together with other performers. This led to the creation of the Musical Society in 1744, which Iversen soon came to lead. The organization was both a musical society and an academy of music.
The Society was closed down in 1749, but soon after Iversen created a new Collegium Musicum. This new society consisted in part of musicians educated by Iversen. When Iversen was appointed precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
in Vor Frue Kirke
Church of Our Lady (Copenhagen)
The Church of Our Lady is the cathedral of Copenhagen and the National Cathedral of Denmark. It is situated on Vor Frue Plads and next to the main building of the University of Copenhagen....
, the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, the concerts by the new society diminished. Iversen himself apparently rarely gave concerts in public after that.
Work
Iversens compositions have apparently been lost, but it is known that he composed several cantataCantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
s. The titles of these have been preserved, among them Forsynstempelet (English: Temple of Providence) from 1747. As cantor at the University, he also composed several works for various festivities at the university. Among these were a cantata from 1752 in memory of Queen Louise
Louise of Great Britain
Louise of Great Britain was the youngest surviving daughter of George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach, and became queen consort of Denmark and Norway.-Early life:...
, who was married to King Frederick V
Frederick V of Denmark
Frederick V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.-Early life:...
and died in 1751. Another cantata was composed in honor of the new queen Juliana Maria
Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Duchess Juliane Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel , , was queen of Denmark between 1752 and 1766, second consort of king Frederick V of Denmark and Norway, mother of the prince-regent Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and herself de facto regent 1772–1784.- Early life and queen :Born...
, who married Frederick V in 1752. One of his last works was the mourning music over his friend Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, who spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque...
, a famous Danish playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
.