Rasmus Villads Christian Ferdinand Winther (29 July 1796 – 30 December 1876), was a Danish lyric

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...

. He was born at

Fensmark Fensmark is the second largest town in Næstved Municipality on the south central part of the Danish island of Zealand. It is located about 6 km northeast of Næstved and has a population of 5,110 (1 January 2022)

near

Næstved Næstved () is a town in the municipality of the same name, located in the southern part of the island of Zealand in Denmark. Næstved has several adult education centers, five elementary schools - and has at least one of each type of the fou ...

, where his father was the vicar. He went to the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in ...

in 1815, and studied

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

, taking his degree in 1824. He began to publish verse in 1819, but no collected volume appeared until 1828. Meanwhile, from 1824 to 1830, Winther was supporting himself as a tutor. A large inheritance from his uncle, Rasmus Winther, allowed him in 1830 to travel to Italy for a year. In 1835 a second volume of lyric poems appeared, and in 1838 a third. In 1841 King

Christian VIII of Denmark Christian VIII (18 September 1786 – 20 January 1848) was King of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, King of Norway in 1814. Christian Frederick was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick, a younger son of King Frederi ...

appointed Winther to travel to

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to instruct Princess Mariane, on the occasion of her betrothal to the Crown Prince of Denmark, in the

Danish language Danish (; , ) is a North Germanic language spoken by about six million people, principally in and around Denmark. Communities of Danish speakers are also found in Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the northern German region of Southern Schl ...

. When he was over fifty, Winther married. Further collections of lyrics appeared in 1842, 1848, 1850, 1853, 1865 and 1872. In 1851 he, who had for most of his life been pestered by heavy debts, received a pension from the state as a poet, and for the next quarter of a century he resided mainly in

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. Besides the nine or ten volumes of lyrical verse mentioned above, Winther published ''Hjortens Flugt'' ("The Stag's Flight"), an epical romance in verse (1855). Taking place in 15th Century South Zealand, written in Nibelungenlied stanzas and probably inspired by Byron's ''Mazeppa'' it tells about young love, demonic forces and witchcraft with a running stag as the reappearing motive of the untamed forces of Nature. However, in the lyric intervals it is also praising the idylls and freedom of Nature. In generations it became a traditional confirmation present for Danish youths in that respect competing with Paludan-Müller’s ''Adam Homo''. Many of Winther’s shorter poems have won popularity and have become transformed into songs, for instance ''Flyv fugl, flyv'' – (“Fly, Bird, fly“), and some of the verses from his collection ''Til Een'', 1842, (“For One”) a tribute to his wife. A classic is also the small humorous epic poem for children: ''Flugten til Amerika'' 1830, (Engl. Transl. ''The Flight to America'', 1976). Besides must be mentioned ''In the Year of Grace'' a novel (1874); and other works in prose. He died in Paris, but his body was brought to Denmark, and was buried in the heart of the woods. As a lover of Woman and Nature Winther is perhaps one of the Danish authors who is most closely connected to the concept of a romantic poet. Many later Danish lyrics have been inspired by his verses. His special ability of making Nature accompanying the action and his elegant and, compared with his time, rather sensual tributes to women was something new. Through ''The Stag's Flight'', his main work, he has won the name of “The Singer of Zealand”.''The Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition, edited by Hugh Chisholm (Cambridge: University Press, 1911) pp. 735-736.
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Notes

References

* * ''Dansk Biografisk Leksikon'', vol. 15, Copenhagen 1984 (only in Danish).

External links

Christian Winther's grave

Christian Winther
on Victor Records. * * Lyrics
Christian Winther
at Kalliope.
Christian Winther
at Danish

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.
Christian Winther
at the Lied and Art Song Archive.
Christian Winther
at the Archive for Danish Literature. Children's poem
''Flugten til Amerika'':
book at the

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.
''Flugten til Amerika:''
lyrics at Danish

.
''Flugten til Amerika:''
recording
''Flugten til Amerika:''
translation Parlor song
''Længsel:''
Danish lyrics
''Længsel:''
English lyrics
''Længsel:''
musical notation
''Længsel''
on Edison Records.
''Længsel''
sung in English by Louise Homer. Folk song
''To drosler sad på bøgekvist:''
lyrics
''To drosler sad på bøgekvist:''
recording Art song

lyrics
''Flyv, fugl, flyv:''
recording {{DEFAULTSORT:Winther, Christian 1796 births 1876 deaths 19th-century Danish novelists 19th-century Danish poets Danish expatriates in France Danish male poets People from Næstved Municipality University of Copenhagen alumni Danish male novelists 19th-century male writers Lyric poets Burials at Holmen Cemetery