Langgaard's Scandinavia

Kyrkhult (Blekinge)

In 1909, 1910, 1912 and 1913, the family spent their summer holidays in Kyrkhult, a little town in Blekinge, which every year was visited by hundreds of Swedes and Danes.

The popularity of the place was due to the 'Tulseboda Brunn', a spa which was opened in 1877. The restaurant building was put up in 1893 (photo 1983). Guests either lived at hotels, in holiday houses built for the purpose, or in private homes, as many people in the little town placed their houses at the disposal of Tulseboda.

Kyrkhult Church, where Langgaard gave organ concerts in 1912 and 1913. He played works by Bach and Händel, arrangements of Danish songs and his own compositions. In 1915 he composed a song to a text he had written himself, entitled Ved Kyrkhult Kirke (At Kyrkhult Church). (Photo 1983).

In the summer of 1913, the Langgaard family stayed at this house, called 'Rosengården'. That summer in Kyrkhult was of great personal importance to Langgaard, who was 20 at the time, and he interpreted his experiences in several later compositions, including a couple of very summery and idyllic string quartets, which were both first given the title Rosengårdsspil, but were later - in a more or less revised form - called String Quartet No. 4 and No. 6. The name of the place also suggested the title of three choral songs composed in 1919, the Rosengårdsviser (Rosengård Ballads).
The house still exists (Prästgårdsvägen 4), and the older photograph reproduced here has been made available by the Kyrkhults Hembygdsmuseum.

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