The album consists of traditional songs and dances we’ve learned from
transcriptions and recordings, primarily by/of singers.
The frst track is a lullaby from Skåbu, where the text recounts the Aesop’s fable, “The Ant and the Grasshopper”. Next we have a march named after the Scottish commander Sinclair, who fell at the battle of Kringen in Gudbransdalen in 1612. “The Cat Sat on the Roof” is a ballad about a cat that buries itself upon the arrival of winter. After that come three instrumental tunes (with differing instrumentations). A springleik called “Graupleiken” (“Graupe Tune”), a hallingstubb called “Pelapipeleik” (“Wooden Flute Tune”) and another springleik, “Munnharpeslått” (“Jew’s-Harp Tune”), which we’ve learned from transcriptions of the storyteller and Jew’s harpist Olav Åsmundstad (1850-1925). ”Leik” means “tune”, but the word leik also means “game”. An old name for musicians is “leikere”; not dissimilar to the English “players”. “Leik” and “slått” both mean the same thing.
On the next side we hear the old ballad “Heilagdagsvandring” (A Sabbath Day’s Journey), written by Knut Soksen (1718-1792). This song is about someone who wakes up and thinks that they’d like to go on a hike. Then we have two short melodies that have been sung by milkmaids on their crofts and summer farms. Following these budeiehulle is “Gauken” (“The Cuckoo”), which is a springleik that fts the willow flute’s register, and then “Bessleiken”, which is an old springleik. “Møllergutmarsjen” (The Miller-Boy’s March) is a march in the tradition of the legendary Jonas Dokken (1883-1957) and fnally, “Nå e det ende på vårt lag” (“Now the Merriment is Ending”) is part of a song from the early 1700’s that people have sung at the end of parties ever since.
Some notes on the instruments: Besides our fddles, we use two different Norwegian drone zithers (langleik). One is an authentic old instrument from a neighboring farm, whose last known player was Rønnaug Rolstad (1807-1880). The other was recently made by Niels Jørgen Røine and Øystein Husemoen and has adjustable frets that allow you to play any scale you’d prefer. We also play an Indian harmonium that is re-tuned according to our own tuning-system, which facilitates the playing of several prominent scales from Norwegian folk music. Two different kinds of flutes are used, a wooden flute from Heidal and a plastic willow flute (seljefløyte). Also, we play a Jew’s harp, as well as various percussion instruments.
credits
released October 8, 2020
All melodies and texts are traditional
All arrangements by Hans Kjorstad and Rasmus Kjorstad
Recorded by Audun Strype in Sør-Fron kjørkje, May 8th-10th 2020
Mixed and mastered by Audun Strype, June/July 2020
Produced by Hans Kjorstad, Rasmus Kjorstad and Audun Strype
Photograph and graphic design by Johannes Selvaag
The cover is made by our Grandmother, Ragnhild Kjorstad (b. 1925)
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