Bland velocipedmarscher och pingpongpolkor

Utgivning av idrottsrelaterad mellanmusik i Sverige fram till ca 1939

Abstract

Among bicycle marches and ping pong-polkas: The publication of sports-related middlemusic in Sweden until 1939.

During the end of the 1800s, interest in sports and physical education increased in Sweden. One consequence of this is that music linked to sports in many different styles and by a disparate group of composers of character pieces and dance music comes for sale in the music market. The purpose of this article is to study the "sports music" published in Sweden as a form of middle music and discuss music's relationship and connections to sport as a program ("theme") and social context for music. Thus, the article explores dimension of music about and for sports.

Based on a material consisting of about 80 pieces of sheet music for piano (marches, polkas, waltzes schlagers, etc.), the article illustrates how the music was both intended for music making in the homes and was arranged to be played by orchestras at private and public events as part of the sports life. This brought the music closer to the context it implies to describe or be dedicated to. At an initial stage, many of the composers seem to have sports interest or connection to the associations. From the 1920s onwards sport becomes an increasingly popular theme for schlager songs while interest in the publication of instrumental piano music dedicated to sport associations declines.