Nielsen mentioned the cantata for the first time in a letter of May 1929. During July he received the text from the poet, and the music was composed in the course of a few weeks at the end of July. According to Nielsen's diary, the cantata was finished on 5 August. The cantata was performed by the Band of the Royal Life Guards. Johannes Andersen undertook the instrumentation of the work and of the Fest-præludium ved Aarhundredskiftet (CNW 84), which was also played at the occasion. See more about this work at The Royal Library