The ''Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop'' ( da, Kjöbenhavns Jernbane-Damp-Galop), often just called the ''Railway Galop'' ( da, Jernbanegaloppen), is a musical composition by the Danish composer
Hans Christian Lumbye (1810–1874) which was written to celebrate the opening of the
Copenhagen–Roskilde railway line in
1847
Events
January–March
* January 4 – Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the U.S. government.
* January 13 – The Treaty of Cahuenga ends fighting in the Mexican–American War in California.
* January 16 – John C. Frémont ...
.
It is one of Hans Christian Lumbye's best known and popular works, and together with Lumbye's ''
Telegraph Galop'' and ''
Champagne Galop
The ''Champagne Galop'' ( da, Champagnegaloppen) is a piece of orchestral music by the Danish composer Hans Christian Lumbye (1810–1874) which was written to celebrate the second anniversary of Copenhagen's Tivoli in 1845. Together with Lumby ...
'', it was included in the 2006
Danish Culture Canon as a masterpiece of Danish classical music.
["Telegraph-Galop, 1844, Champagne-Galop, 1845, Kjöbenhavns Jernbane-Damp-Galop, 1847, H.C. Lumbye (1810–1874)"]
, in Kulturkontacten 20, 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
Background
The ''Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop'' was composed for the opening of the
Copenhagen–Roskilde railway line on 26 June 1847, the first
railway line in the
Kingdom of Denmark
The Danish Realm ( da, Danmarks Rige; fo, Danmarkar Ríki; kl, Danmarkip Naalagaaffik), officially the Kingdom of Denmark (; ; ), is a sovereign state located in Northern Europe and Northern North America. It consists of Denmark, metropolitan ...
. The piece was performed for the first time on 29 June in
Tivoli Gardens in
Copenhagen.
Description
The piece is a good example of the entertaining music Lumbye liked to compose. It faithfully recreates the sounds of a
steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...
chugging out of a station and grinding to a halt at the next stop, traditionally ending with the cry "Next stop - the train does not go any further".
Popularity
For a long time popular within Denmark, the piece has in recent years gained increasing popularity and was featured in the
Vienna New Year's Concert in 2012. It's also been recorded multiple times, being included on over 20 albums.
"Hans Christian Lumbye, Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop for orchestra (or piano) (Kjøbenhjavns Jernbane-Damp-Galop)"
AllMusic. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
See also
* Vergnügungszug ''Vergnügungszug'' (Pleasure Train), op. 281 is a polka composed by Johann Strauss II in 1864. It was written for the Association of Industrial Societies' Ball held in the Redoutensaal on 19 January 1864 and was inspired by the opening of the Austr ...
– a polka
Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas.
History
Etymology
The term ...
composed by Johann Strauss II
Johann Baptist Strauss II (25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (german: links=no, Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed ov ...
in 1864 inspired by the opening of the Austrian Southern Railway
The Austrian Southern Railway (german: link=no, Österreichische Südbahn) is a long double track railway, which linked the capital Vienna with Trieste, former main seaport of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, by railway for the first time. It now ...
References
{{Authority control
Compositions by Hans Christian Lumbye
Galops
Works about rail transport
Danish Culture Canon
1847 compositions