GADE, Niels W. [1817-1890]: Music manuscript "Echo de Fredensborg" by scibe's hand with autograph dedication by Gade: "Pièce d'Orchester composée pour la chapelle de sa Majesté Alexandre III Empereur de toutes les Russies. (Arrangement pour Piano 4/ mains.) Niels W. Gade." No Place, no Date [August 1890].. Folio 25.5 x 23.5cm. 2 leaves (title and dedication), 19 pp. music by scribe's hand in ink on 12-stave printed music paper. Contemporary red cloth with gold embossing on the front cover and blind embossing on the back cover.

EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION COPY - Music manuscripts by Gade are extremely rare and almost non-existent in the trade. Only a handful of album sheets are traceable in bookauctionsrecords since 1995. The composition in E-flat major was originally composed as an orchestral work. It was written, a few months before Gade's death on 21.12.1890, in August 1890 in Fredensborg, where he spent his last summer. The composer himself transcribed the piece for both piano 2 hands and 4 hands and made some sketches of it. There is also a version for military orchestra by Georg Carl Bohlmann (1838-1920) (cf. MGG², 7, 383). The present music manuscript is a dedication copy to Tsar Alexander III of Russia with a personal autograph dedication by Gade and a beautifully written musical text by scribe's hand. Tsar Alexander, was married to the Danish Princess Dagmar (called Maria Fedorovna in Russia), the daughter of King Christian IX and Queen Louise. Every summer there were family gatherings at the royal castle in Fredensborg, which included Alexander, Dagmar and their children. In 1885, the tsar acquired his own house for himself and his family in Fredensborg for his frequent visits to Denmark, which remained in the family's ownership until 1928. - Previously unprinted in the complete edition at Bärenreiter. - NWGW 26.