SWEDISH TRADITIONAL: Polska from Dorotea
This tune is a famous polska attributed to Swedish fiddler, teacher, and cantor Johan August Andersson (1866-1902), who lived in the village of Dorotea in the Lapland region.
GJERMUND HAUGEN: Tjõnneblomen
The tune "Tjõnneblomen" (meaning something close to "The Water Lily" in Norwegian) is a waltz composed by the renowned fiddler Gjermund Haugen of Telemark, Norway. At first listen, it may seem very stylistically traditional, but it has an unusual five-part structure, revealing that it is a contribution to the modern concert stage rather than merely a traditional dance tune.
DANISH TRADITIONAL: Minuet No. 60
One of many short minuets, this was first transcribed by Rasmus Storm, an amateur fiddle player from Fåborg, in the 1760s as part of what is one of the earliest collections of Danish folk music. Nearly half of the tunes in the collection are minuets, a sign of the popularity of the eponymous dance during the latter part of the 18th century.
DANISH TRADITIONAL: Æ Rømeser
"Æ Rømeser" is one of the traditional sønderhonings (a folk dance unique to the village of Sønderho on the Danish island of Fanø) from the 18th century. The title simply translates to "The One from Rømø." Rømø is the first island south of Fanø, and is perhaps the origin of this particular tune.
RUNE TONSGAARD SØRENSEN: Shine You No. More (2017)
Contemporary Danish violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen composed this tune after listening to the song "Flow My Tears" by English renaissance composer John Dowland. The chord progression from the song is the basis of the C part of "Shine."
DANISH TRADITIONAL: Drømte Mig En Drøm
The oldest known secular song in the Scandinavian countries, this piece is notated on the last leaf of parchment in the Codex Runicus, which dates back to the 13th century. The meaning of the song has been debated, but many believe that the lyrics speak of justice and fair play.
DANISH TRADITIONAL: Stædil
A traditional medieval ballad which tells the tale of a young knight named Stædil, this story is one of magic and love. Curiously, the tune was also arranged by Ludwig van Beethoven for four-part chorus and piano in the 1810s.
FREDRIK SJÖLIN: Naja’s Waltz (2017)
Violinist Fredrik Sjölin composed this tune for his wife, Naja. Originally intended to be written in the style of a traditional Swedish polska, it ended up as an asymmetrical waltz with a Norwegian touch.
SHETLAND TRADITIONAL: Unst Boat Song
The island of Unst, situated in the very north of the Shetland Islands, has for hundreds of years conserved this simple and rather captivating little melody. No one knows exactly when this song came to life or who composed it, but the language of the three surviving verses, partly in Norse and partly in an extinguished dialect, suggests that it is very old. Although the lyrics leave some room for interpretation, it most certainly concerns the strong winds at sea.
DANISH TRADITIONAL: Hur var du i aftes så sildig
Another tune from Rasmus Storm’s collection, this one is slightly more mysterious than the minuets. The melody has an unusual bar structure of 3+5, making it unsuitable for all known Danish folk dances in the 18th century.
DANISH TRADITIONAL: The Dromer
Originally transcribed by the Bast brothers in the 18th century, "The Dromer" is technically an English dance. The peculiar title of the tune is most likely a misspelling of "The Drummer," a fairly well-known Scottish tune identical to the melody notated by the Basts. "The Drummer" started to appear in British tune collections around 1700, and later morphed into the well-known Scottish song "The Piper o’ Dundee."
GERMAN TRADITIONAL: Now Found Is the Fairest of Roses
This Christmas hymn describes a fair rose, growing in a world of thorns and thistles. The hymn is set to a mysterious, somewhat dark melody that was widely known in the 1730s.
Program Notes Courtesy of the Danish String Quartet.
