Berit Opheim - Helgasong [CD]

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For many hundreds of years, we in our culture here in the north have sung the same hymns during Advent and the Christmas season. The melodies of the hymns have varied, with many local versions and folk tunes used across the country, in addition to several melodies that have been standardized and sung by 'everyone,' but the hymn texts have remained the same. Regardless of what one believes, takes from the texts, or prefers, many people feel a sense of community and togetherness when these hymns are performed, and when one joins in singing them. Song often creates a strong sense of unity.

In older times, when there was less music to be heard in daily life and the workdays for many were physically demanding, singing was very important. Elderly sources of song I have encountered and learned from have shared that many people used to sing while they worked. They sang different types of songs--children's songs/lullabies, folk songs, short tunes--while others mainly sang hymns. They sang during work, in times of prosperity, and in times of hardship. Ragnar Vigdal (1913-1991) explained that 'the old folks' used song for their own spiritual upliftment; they could sit in a room by themselves and sing, only for and to themselves, as a form of meditation. A beautiful expression is that 'song is double prayer.' The eternal message of Christmas is that the light is reborn. A renewed hope of a new light and hope for a good new year to come. This is what these hymn texts are about, and we sing them every year, again and again. Gratitude, hope, joy, love, and the message of light triumphing over darkness.

The religious folk tunes on this recording have been sung for a long time, and some of them have fallen out of use. Therefore, it is a great joy to bring them out of the slumber they have been in and give them new life. They are sourced from older musical transcriptions and from sound archives, geographically belonging to Voss, Hardanger, Eksingedalen (Vaksdal), Oygarden, and Luster in Sogn.

The title of the recording, Helgasong, is taken from Elias Blix's beautiful hymn 'No koma Guds englar med helsing i sky' ('Now God's Angels Come with Greetings in the Sky'). This was the first hymn in Nynorsk to be sung in a church, on the second day of Christmas in 1884. The folk tune we use on this recording was found in the musical transcriptions of Olav Sande (1850-1927), which he wrote down in Voss (1899-1923) after an unknown singer.>> - Berit Opheim, Vocalist

No koma Guds englar / The Angels of God

Den fagraste rosa er funni / The Fairest Rose is Found

I denne sote juletid / In this Sweet Yuletide

Oppa land / Up Country/

Eg er so glad kvar jolekveld / I am so Happy every Christmas Eve

Fager er jordi

Fryd dig du Kristi brud / Rejoice, you Bride of Christ

Her er det ny som pa jordeirk skjedde / Something New on Earth

Eit barn er fodt i Betlehem / A Child is Born in Bethlehem

Dei to systrena / The Two Sisters

Fra himlen hoyt / From the Sky

No koma Guds englar / The Angels of God

Den fagraste rosa er funni / The Fairest Rose is Found

I denne sote juletid / In this Sweet Yuletide

Oppa land / Up Country/

Eg er so glad kvar jolekveld / I am so Happy every Christmas Eve

Fager er jordi

Fryd dig du Kristi brud / Rejoice, you Bride of Christ

Her er det ny som pa jordeirk skjedde / Something New on Earth

Eit barn er fodt i Betlehem / A Child is Born in Bethlehem

Dei to systrena / The Two Sisters

Fra himlen hoyt / From the Sky

• Genre: Folk
• Product Type: AUDIO CD
• Barcode: 7033662074259

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