1. Pericondine/Hold On | Peicondine/Hold On
The first melody of the set is a well known Belgian dance tune. It was taught to Clara by Gertrud Weensgaard, who found a very similar version called ‘Pericondine’ in an old Danish tune book from Funen. Gertrud later discovered that Poul Lendal and Keld Nørgaard had written it down in their tune book “Dronebogen” (1991) after having heard it in a radio program about Flemish music in the 1970’s.
Maja composed ‘Hold On’ while having a crick in her neck.
2. Boblerne i Bækken | The Bubbles in The Stream
Maja composed the melody for both the song and the instrumental tune that follows.
The lyrics for the song is the beautiful poem “Angst” (Anxiety) by the Danish poet Emil Aarestrup, 1800-1856:
“Hold fastere omkring mig
Med dine runde arme
Hold fast imens dit hjerte
Endnu har blod og varme
Om lidt så er vi skilte
Som bærerne på hækken
Om lidt er vi forsvundne
Som boblerne i bækken”
3. Opdagede Omsider | Finally Realised
Clara composed ‘Opdagede Omsider’ after having participated in a music theatre project about “The Plague” by Algerian author Albert Camus. “The Plague” is about a city that is under quarantine due to a plague epidemic. At the end of the play, when the plague is gone and the gates to the city are opened again, on of the actors wrote this quote on the wall:
“In the depth of winter I finally realised that within me was an invincible summer”
“I den mørkeste vinter opdagede jeg omsider, at indeni mig fandtes en uovervindelig sommer” – Albert Camus
4. Asgar | Asgar
In December 2015 we met in Elisabeth’s tiny cottage to play, compose and make music together. It was snow outside, we had woollen socks, candles and a heater running nonstop. We all contributed with a part of the melody for ‘Asgar’ – our band’s first born composition.
5. Stolt Vesselil | Proud Vesselil
‘Stolt Vesselil’ is an old Danish folksong found in Karen Brahes Folio from 1570.
Maja and Clara learned this song from the amazing singer Mia Guldhammer, who has specialised in old ballads and songs from Denmark. The song is about ‘Proud Vesselil’ who refuses to sell her dreams for gold.
1. Stolt Vesselil var ikke vintre uden fem
Vo plukker løv ud af livsens træ
Da fik hun stedmoder både stram og streng
Selv træder hun duggen af jorden
2. Når begge mine døtre spinder silke og guld
Da har du aldrig sovet søvnen fuld
3. Jeg havde ej ligget og sovet så læng’
Havde jeg ikke haft så stærk en drøm
4. Jeg drømte at jeg havde de vinger så bred’
De bredte sig ud over både mark og hed’
5. Stolt Vesselil du gir’ mig morgendrømmen din
Så giver jeg dig mit forgyldende skrin
6. Behold du kun selv dit forgyldende skrin
Så vil jeg beholde morgendrømmen min
7. Farvel kære stedmor nu si’r jeg farvel
Nu vil jeg sove så længe som jeg vil
6. Interlude | Interlude
During a session of jamming and improvising we came up with this piece based on the melody line of ‘Blå Vals’.
7. Blå Vals | Blue Waltz
This smashing waltz is composed by Elisabeth. After having played it for a while we developed the final part of the melody together.
8. Krystallen/Venindepolska | The Chrystal/Girlfriend’s Polska
‘Krystallen’ is a traditional folk song found in both Denmark and Sweden.
Maja has made up her own version, mixing the Swedish and the Danish lyrics, of this beautiful song about longing for someone who is dear to you. She composed ‘Girlfriend’s polska’ thinking of dear friends supporting her in both good and bad times.
“Krystallen den fine
Som solen mon skinne
Som stjernerne blinke i sky
Jeg kender en ven
Min tro går til denne
En ven i denne her by
Min ven, min ven
Ak, om jeg end rejste til verdens ende
Så råber mit hjerte til dig
Tænk om vi kunne tilsammen komme
Og du var vennen min
Og jeg aller kæresten din
Min ven, min ven”
9. Morfars Schottish | Grandpa’s Schottish
Maja wrote this dance tune for her grandpa, Frede. We played it as a surprise for him at his 80th birthday.
10. Nog är världen trötter/Långdans | When the World Seems Tired/Long Dance
A traditional Swedish folk song from Leksand, Dalarna. It was taught to Maja by the wonderful Swedish singer Anna Elwing. The lyrics tell about that even though the world seems tired, the little bird will sing and make the sorrows go away.
The second melody of the set, ‘Långdans’, is a Swedish dance tune after Gössa Anders Andersson from Orsa, Dalarna. Maja and Clara learned it from the great fiddler Jonas Åkerlund during their studies at Skurups Folkhögskola, Skåne.
“Nog är världen trötter
og nog är världen grå
men liten fågel
han sjunger väl ändå
bara en liten visa
Och så skall människan göra
när sorgen faller på
glädjen blir större
och sorgerna blir små
små det äro”