Danish Culture Canon


The Danish Culture Canon consists of 108 works of cultural excellence in eight categories: architecture, visual arts, design and crafts, film, literature, music, performing arts, and children's culture. An initiative of Brian Mikkelsen in 2004, it was developed by a series of committees under the auspices of the Danish Ministry of Culture in 2006–2007 as "a collection and presentation of the greatest, most important works of Denmark's cultural heritage." Each category contains 12 works although music contains 12 works of score music and 12 of popular music and the literature section's 12th item is an anthology of 24 works.

Architecture

The committee for architecture was asked to choose 12 works covering both buildings and landscaping. It was decided that works could either be in Denmark designed by one or more Danes or abroad designed by Danish architects. The committee consisted of: Lone Wiggers, Carsten Juel-Christiansen, Malene Hauxner, Lars Juel Thiis and Kent Martinussen.
BuildingLocationYearArchitectImage
Hover Churchnear Ringkøbing, Jutland12th centuryUnknown
Glorup Manornear Nyborg, Funen12th century
rebuilt
1742–1743
1762–1765
and
1773–1775
Philip de Lange,
Christian Joseph Zuber
and
Nicolas-Henri Jardin
FrederiksstadenCopenhagen1749–1771Nicolai Eigtved
Church of Our LadyCopenhagen1811–1829C.F. Hansen
DyrehavenKlampenborg, Zealand1846Rudolph Rothe
Lægeforeningens boliger—BrumlebyØsterbro, Copenhagen1854–1856Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll
and
Vilhelm Klein
Mariebjerg CemeteryGentofte, Zealand1925–1935G.N. Brandt
Aarhus UniversitetÅrhus1931Kay Fisker,
C.F. Møller,
Povl Stegmann
and
C.Th. Sørensen
Aarhus City HallÅrhus1937–1942Arne Jacobsen
and
Erik Møller
Finger PlanCopenhagen1947Peter Bredsdorff
Sydney Opera HouseSydney1957–1973Jørn Utzon
Great Belt East BridgeZealand and Funen1991–1998Dissing+Weitling

Visual arts

The committee for visual arts decided that only works of artists who had completed their oeuvre could be included. They also decided that members of the committee could each select a work they especially appreciated. In this way the committee first selected seven works whereafter five members selected one work each. The committee consisted of Hein Heinsen, Hans Edvard Nørregård-Nielsen, Bente Scavenius, Bjørn Nørgaard and Sophia Kalkau.
WorkLocationYearArtistImage
Sun chariotNational Museum of Denmarkc. 1300 BCUnknown
The ResurrectionUndløse Churchc. 1440Union Master
Bordesholm AltarSchleswig CathedralCompleted 1521Hans Brüggemann
Frederik V on HorsebackAmalienborgCompleted 1771Jacques Saly
Jason with the Golden FleeceThorvaldsens MuseumCompleted 1828Bertel Thorvaldsen
A View through Three of the North-Western Arches of the Third Storey of the ColiseumStatens Museum for Kunst1813–1816C.W. Eckersberg
Autumn Morning on Lake SortedamNy Carlsberg Glyptotek1838Christen Købke
Dust Motes Dancing in SunbeamsOrdrupgaard1900Vilhelm Hammershøi
Summer Day by Roskilde FjordRanders Kunstmuseum1900L.A. Ring
The Great ReliefJ.F. Willumsens Museum1923–1928J.F. Willumsen
Standing WomanGöteborgs konstmuseum1937–1943Astrid Noack
StalingradMuseum Jorn, Silkeborg1957–1972Asger Jorn

Design and crafts

The committee for design and crafts decided that selection should be based on works with a useful function which were relevant at the time they were created while remaining recognizable today. They should also fall into an international perspective. The committee consisted of Merete Ahnfeldt-Mollerup, Erik Magnussen, Astrid Krogh, Ursula Munch-Petersen and Louise Campbell.

Film

In their selection, the committee for film focused on films reflecting Danish life with Danish actors. The included nevertheless the film Sult which takes place in Oslo and has Swedish actors. The committee consisted of Susanne Bier, Vinca Wiedemann, Tivi Magnusson, Ole Michelsen and Jacob Neiiendam.
WorkCreatorYearImage
Master of the HouseCarl Th. Dreyer1925
Day of WrathCarl Th. Dreyer1943
Ditte, Child of ManBjarne Henning-Jensen1946
Jenny and the SoldierJohan Jacobsen1947
HungerHenning Carlsen1966
Benny's BathtubJannik Hastrup and Flemming Quist Møller1971
MatadorErik Balling1978–1982
Tree of KnowledgeNils Malmros1981
Babette's FeastGabriel Axel1987
Pelle the ConquerorBille August1987
The CelebrationThomas Vinterberg1998
The IdiotsLars von Trier1998

Literature

The committee for literature found it important to select works with a quality which had been appreciated over time. The selected works were also considered to have made an important contribution both to Danish literature and to Danish culture in the widest sense. They reflect an original and bold artistic approach to works of value. They are worthy of being preserved for posterity as they serve as reference points in a modern global context. The committee consisted of Finn Hauberg Mortensen, Erik A. Nielsen, Mette Winge, Claes Kastholm Hansen and Jens Christian Grøndahl.
AuthorWorkYearImage
Leonora ChristinaJammers Minde, translated as Memoirs of Leonora Christina1673–1674, published 1869
Steen Steensen BlicherThe Rector of Veilbye1829
Hans Christian AndersenThe Little Mermaid1837
Søren KierkegaardEither/Or1843
Jens Peter JacobsenFru Marie Grubbe1876
Herman BangVed Vejen1886
Henrik PontoppidanLucky Per1898–1904
Johannes V. JensenThe Fall of the King1900–1901
Karen BlixenWinter's Tales1942
Klaus RifbjergOg andre historier 1964
Inger Christensen'1991

The 12th item is an Anthology of lyrics' consisting of the following 24 works:
AuthorWorkYearImage
Anonymous folk songEbbe Skammelsøn
Anonymous folk songGermand Gladensvend
Thomas KingoHver har sin Skæbne
H. A. BrorsonDen yndigste rose er funden1732
Johs. EwaldTil Siælen. En Ode1780
Schack von StaffeldtIndvielsen1804
Adam OehlenschlägerHakon Jarls Død eller Christendommens Indførsel i Norge1803
N. F. S. GrundtvigDe Levendes LandFirst published 1883
Christian WintherRosa unica1849
Emil AarestrupPaa Sneen1838
Holger DrachmannJeg hører i Natten den vuggende Lyd1877
Sophus ClaussenEkbatana1896
Jeppe AakjærAften1912
Thøger LarsenDen danske Sommer1914
Tom KristensenDet er Knud, som er død1936
Jens August SchadeLæren om staten1928
Gustaf Munch-Petersendet underste land1933
Thorkild BjørnvigAnubis1955
Ole SarvigRegnmaaleren1943
Morten NielsenØjeblik1945
Frank JægerSidenius i Esbjerg1959
Ivan MalinowskiMyggesang1958
Per HøjholtPersonen på toppen1985
Henrik NordbrandtViolinbyggernes by''1985

Music

The committee for music explained that, taking account of the wide range of Danish music, they gave focus to individual works rather than a composer's oeuvre. They presented two lists: one for what they called score music, the other for popular music, although the two should be considered as a whole. The committee consisted of Per Erik Veng, Jørgen I. Jensen, Torben Bille, Inger Sørensen and Henrik Marstal.

Classical music

Composer/authorWorkYearImage
F.L.Æ. KunzenHolger Danske1789
C. E. F. WeyseOtte Morgensange and Syv Aftensange1837 and 1838
H. C. LumbyeThree galops: Telegraph Galop, Champagne Galop and Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop1844, 1845 and 1847
Niels W. GadeElverskud1854
J. P. E. HartmannVølvens Spaadom1872
Peter HeiseDrot og marsk1878
Carl NielsenMaskarade1906
Carl NielsenSymphony No. 4: The Inextinguishable1916
Rued LanggaardAntikrist1923
Per NørgårdSymphony No. 31976
Pelle Gudmundsen-HolmgreenSymphony-Antiphony1978

The 12th item titled Højskolesange consists of the following 12 songs:
Composer/authorWorkYearImage
C. E. F. Weyse, words: N. F. S. GrundtvigDen signede dag med fryd vi ser1826
Folk song, words rewritten by Svend GrundtvigDet var en lørdag aften1849
Folk song from the Mariager areaEn yndig og frydefuld sommertidPublished in A.P. Berggreen's Danske folkesange 1869
Music: Carl Nielsen, words: Ludvig HolsteinVi sletternes sønnerMusic 1906, words 1903
Music: Carl Nielsen, words: Jeppe AakjærJens VejmandMusic 1907, words 1905
Music: Thomas Laub, words: St.St. Blicher«Det er hvidt herude»Melodi 1914, tekst 1838
Music: Oluf Ring, words: Thøger LarsenDanmark, nu blunder den lyse natMusic 1922, words 1914
Music: Poul Schierbeck, words: Hans Christian AndersenI Danmark er jeg fødtMusic 1926, words 1850
Music: Thorvald Aagaard, words: Laurits Christian NielsenJeg ser de bøgelyse øerMusic 1931, words 1901
Music: Otto Mortensen, words: Helge RodeDu gav os de blomster, som lyste imod osMusic 1939, words 1921
Music: Otto Mortensen, words: Alex GarffSeptembers himmel er så blåMusic and words 1949
Music: Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller/Shu-Bi-Dua, words: Holger DrachmannVi elsker vort landMusic 1887 and 1980, words 1885

Popular music

The 12th item Evergreens is an anthology consisting of the following works:
Composer/authorWorkYearImage
Sven Gyldmark/PoetenSolitudevej – sung by Elga Olga Svendsen.From Cirkusrevyen 1953
Sven Gyldmark & Erik LethEr du dus med himlens fugle – sung by Poul Reichhardt.From the film Vagabonderne på Bakkegården 1958
Vidar Sandbeck & Peter Mynte – singleHeksedans – sung by Raquel Rastenni.1960
Bjarne Hoyer & Ida FromTo lys på et bord – sung by Otto BrandenburgFrom Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, 1960
Otto Helge Francker & Sejr Volmer-SørensenDansevise – performed by Grethe Ingmann and Jørgen Ingmann.From Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, 1963
Bent Fabricius-Bjerre & Klaus RifbjergDuerne flyver – sung by Cæsar.From the film Jeg er sgu min egen, 1967
John MogensenSå længe jeg lever – sung by John Mogensen.Single 1970, also in the album John Mogensen: John, 1973
Anne LinnetSmuk og dejlig – performed by Shit & Chanel.From the album Shit & Chanel, 1975
Peter A. G. Nielsen/GnagsUnder Bøgen – performed by Gnags.From the album Er du hjemme i aften, 1977
Shu-bi-duaDanmark – performed by Shu-bi-dua.From Shu-bi-dua 78'eren, 1978
Frans Bak & Per NielsenDanse i måneskin – performed by Trine Dyrholm & Moonlighters.From Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, 1987
Lars LilholtKald det kærlighed – performed by Lars Lilholt Band.From Lars Lilholt Band: Portland, 1986

Performing arts

The committee for performing arts explained that their selection was based on works of unique creativity representing something new for their time while still remaining meaningful today. The committee consisted of Flemming Enevold, Karen-Maria Bille, Jokum Rohde, Sonja Richter and Erik Aschengreen.
CreatorWorkYearImage
Ludvig HolbergJeppe på Bjerget1722
Adam OehlenschlägerAladdin1805
August Bournonville and Herman Severin LøvenskioldLa Sylphide1836
Henri NathansenIndenfor Murene 1912
Kaj MunkOrdet 1932
Kjeld AbellAnna Sophie Hedvig1939
Four revue numbers:Man binder os på mund og hånd, Skolekammerater, Brevet til Bulganin, Fingernummeret 1940, 1956, 1957 and 1974
Harald Lander and Knudåge RiisagerEtudes1948
Flemming Flindt and Georges DelerueEnetime1963
SolvognenJulemandshæren1974
Sort SolSort Sol live, Carlton og Wurst1986–1987
Jess ØrnsboMajonæse1988

Children's canon

The committee was formed spontaneously as work proceeded in the other areas. It is therefore not an independent selection as suggestions were received from all the other areas.
CreatorWorkYearImage
C.Th. SørensenChildren's building site1931
Gunnar Nyborg-Jensen De små synger1948
Astrid Henning-JensenPalle alene i Verden 1949
Carl BarksThe Golden Helmet1954
Nanna DitzelHigh chair1955
Godtfred Kirk ChristiansenLego brick1958
Cecil BødkerSilas og den sorte hoppe1967
Halfdan Rasmussen & Ib Spang OlsenHalfdans ABC1967
Katrine Hauch-FausbøllKaj & Andrea1971 ff.
Anne LinnetGo' sønda' morn'1980
Søren Kragh-JacobsenGummi-Tarzan 1981
Steen KoernerNøddeknækkeren2003

Impact

According to press reports, the canon has had limited impact and has been ineffective in its stated goal of fostering integration between the Danes and the immigrant communities. Berlingske pointed out, nevertheless, that the canon will remain a milestone as a non-socialist government had dared to "simply state that some works are better than others" and assert in that "this country may well be a modern society in a globalised world but that does not mean we have no merit as a nation or no right to national pride." Erik A. Nielsen, a member of the canon's literature committee, is not surprised the literature canon has had such limited effect, faced as it is with a "tsunami of international, strongly commercial cultural interests." He points out that the only reason his students take an interest in Danish culture is that "they have to take exams in it. If they are free to choose culture themselves, they go for films, rock music and a whole lot more that is essentially English or American in origin.