Bertel Thorvaldsen
København
Frederike Dorothea Hammer, Peter Hanning Hammer
København
Da der er tale om en sang, er der ingen egentlig ud- eller tilskrift. Sangens forside er (som gengivet nedenfor) påskrevet: Vise / Ved / Hr. Sorenskriver Hammer / og Q / Jomfrue Wiests / Bryllup.
Dateringen fremgår af sangen.
Song from Thorvaldsen to the newly-married couple Peter Hanning Hammer and Frederike Dorothea Hammer, née West.
Vise
Ved
Hr Sorenskriver Hammer
Og Q
Jomfrue WiestsI
Bryllup
__
af
Deres Ven
Thorvaldsen
Mel: Ung Adelsteen paa Tinge stod: o:s:v.
” Saa vædligtII gjald et Konge OrdIII
” Ieg Hammers Troeskab længe kjenderIV
Han virke Gave i Fædres Nord!
” Til Brødres HeldV jeg did ham senderVI
” Der skal han tække Lov og Ret:
” Han reise snart! Jeg byder det.”
#
Saa liflig gjald et Pige-Ord:
IegVII did vil Hammers Fjed ledsage
Hos ham er varmt det kolde Nord.
Og skjönne de frosne Dage
Jeg der i Hammers Favn vil døe!
Saa var det Ord af vor Møe
#
Da Sendtes Bud til Degn og Præst;
Man lod det ædle Par forene;
Da sanked man hver Vennegjæst
Til Vidne ved Lyksalig Scene:
Nu sidde vi med Bægret hvær,
Og sige de foreente To.
#
Gid De til Huuslig Gammen gaae
Som norske Bygder dem berede!
Gid silde De, med Issen graae,
Maae Børnebørn til Altret lede!
Saa vandrer De i Herrens Navn
Til Himlen i Hinandens Favn!
Song
At
Mr judge Hammer
And Q
Miss Wiest’s
Wedding
_
By
Their friend
Thorvaldsen
Tune: Young Adelsteen in parliament stood: etc.
“So powerful was a royal pronouncement
“I Hammer’s allegiance long have known
He efforts gave in Fathers’ North!
“To brothers’ blessing I there him send
“To deal with law and order:
“He soon will leave! I so command.”
#
So delightful was a girl’s promise:
I there will Hammer’s steps accompany
By him is warm the cold North.
And beautiful the frosty days
I there in Hammer’s arms will die!
Thus was the promise of our maiden
#
Then words were sent to parish clerk and vicar;
The noble couple were married;
Then every friendly guest was assembled
To witness the blissful scene:
Now we are sitting each with a cup,
And say to the joined two.
#
May they go to domestic happiness
Which Norwegian villages them give!
May they late with their tops grey
Take their grandchildren to the altar!
Thus they walk in the name of the Lord
To Heaven in each other’s arms!
[Translated by Karen Husum]
This song for Peter Hammer and his bride must have been sung at their wedding 9.3.1796. The song has been written down by an unknown copyist, and the correct spelling indicates that Thorvaldsen has not personally given the song its final form (see the referential article about Thorvaldsen’s Spoken and Written Language).
Thorvaldsen himself may have accompanied the song on the guitar or the violin, see the letters connected with the topic: Thorvaldsen and Music.
Frederike Dorothea Hammer’s life, however, ended less happily than wished for her in Thorvaldsen’s song. See her appeal to Thorvaldsen for financial help 1.3.1835.
NN
Last updated 09.12.2014
That is, Frederike Dorothea Hammer, neé West.
Der menes formentligt “væligt”, det vil, jf. Ordbog over det Danske Sprog, sige “kraftigt”.
Det vil, jf. Ordbog over det Danske Sprog, sige “et ubrydeligt løfte”. Den danske konge var på dette tidspunkt Christian 7.
Hammer graduated in law from Copenhagen University in 1791 and was employed as a clerk in the central administration (Danske Kancelli).
This flattery means that the Norwegian ”brethren” were lucky because Hammer was going there to discharge his office. However, there might be a sarcastic allusion to Hammer’s brother, who had been a judge in Tromsø but had been suspended from his office. It was this office which the younger Hammer-brother was to take over, see A. Falk-Jensen and H. Hjorth-Nielsen: Candidati og examinati juris 1736-1936, Copenhagen 1955, II, p. 83.
Hammer was a judge in Tromsø and Senja 1796-1802.
This must be Frederike Dorothea Hammer.