Jim Besser Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 (edited) We did English tunes in September; how about taking a little side trip and doing music from Scandinavia?Polskas, hambos, brudmarsches, gånglåts, schottishes, there's just so much great music from this part of the world.Sweden, Denmark and Norway are rich lodes of traditional music, and young, talented musicians steeped in those traditions are writing great new tunes.Are Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands technically part of Scandinavia? I don't know, and Wikipedia is not exactly clear on the subject, but for ThOTM purposes, let's say they are, especially since there are so many really cool Finnish tunes!Trad tunes, new tunes, your choice! Have fun. Edited October 1, 2015 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Good idea. I'll work something up. Finland, Iceland, Faroe Islands (and Greenland) are part of the Nordic region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiree Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Arepolska is a gorgeous swedish one! And in finnish there is a song called On Suuri San Rantas Autius (Sung here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoZwHkYu6aM&index=1&list=FLrBo1QuewDhBuvVr9O7jQ3w, very soupy) which I tink would work quite well on concertina - the only version I can find online are very soupy singing, but the melody just played more plainly I think is quite nice, and very melancholy (being finnish and all.) And on the subject of melancholy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc5M2Pa2rOQ is pretty cool too. The bounciness of scandinavian tunes is so appealing to play with on concertina 8D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Michel Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Since the designation of Finland as a Scandinavian country is a matter of controversy, what better way to kick things off than with a tune of disputed origin? http://youtu.be/6OIH2g6VCL4 "Astridin Valssi" is the Finnish name by which the Swedish group Norrlåtar recorded the tune in the 1970s (according to a discussion here: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?112890-Astridin-Valssi-(Swedish-waltz)).I've seen it confidently described as both Swedish and Finnish. If you know one way or the other, please enlighten me. Wherever it originated, it struck me as a lovely waltz when I first heard it a few hours ago, looking for Scandinavian tunes to contribute to the Theme. Since I had some time this morning, I entertained myself by layering the instruments a bit on this one. Bob Michel Near Philly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted October 1, 2015 Author Share Posted October 1, 2015 (edited) A quick take of a tune I heard David Barnert play at last month's Northeast Squeeze In: Gånglåt från Äppelbo A Swedish 'walking tune' - or Gånglåt - from Äppelbo, a town Wikipedia says has 258 residents. Played in G on a G/D Jeffries Anglo 30 button. Edited October 2, 2015 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Gånglåt från Mockfjärd and the Swedish Walking Jig http://jodykruskal.com/tune_of_the_month/october_2007.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted October 2, 2015 Author Share Posted October 2, 2015 Gånglåt från Mockfjärd and the Swedish Walking Jig http://jodykruskal.com/tune_of_the_month/october_2007.html Wonderful tune! As always, your fiddle/concertina mix is exquisite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Michel Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Here's the (Swedish) "Waltz from Orsa": http://youtu.be/Ac-VFs2AcDQ I've half-known this tune for many years, having first heard it (I think) from Jackie Daly and Séamus and Manus McGuire on the first (I think) album by "Buttons and Bows." I'm glad finally to have an incentive to tidy it up. Bob Michel Near Philly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I've got two this month. Stensvals, a nice waltz from the Dalarna region of Sweden that I learned from Bertil Ferneborg at Ashokan in the 1980s, and an unnamed tune that (after I learned it as Swedish) turns out to be Norwegian, but I hope that doesn't disqualify it. It's one of my favorite tunes to play (especially in duet with a fiddle). Also learned at Ashokan in the 80s, this one from Dave Kaynor, who said it was Swedish and was called "Sugar is Sweet." I've also heard it called "Kommen Til Meij Om Kvelden" which supposedly is Norwegian for "Come to me in the evening" although google translate, while recognizing it as Norwegian, seems to think the syntax is wrong. Several other authorities on Scandinavian music that I've asked said it doesn't have a name besides Norwegian Schottische (or Norwegian Reinlender, which meant the same thing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Here's the (Swedish) "Waltz from Orsa": http://youtu.be/Ac-VFs2AcDQ I've half-known this tune for many years, having first heard it (I think) from Jackie Daly and Séamus and Manus McGuire on the first (I think) album by "Buttons and Bows." I'm glad finally to have an incentive to tidy it up. Bob Michel Near Philly What an interesting waltz! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 I've got two this month. Stensvals, a nice waltz from the Dalarna region of Sweden that I learned from Bertil Ferneborg at Ashokan in the 1980s, and an unnamed tune that (after I learned it as Swedish) turns out to be Norwegian, but I hope that doesn't disqualify it. It's one of my favorite tunes to play (especially in duet with a fiddle). Also learned at Ashokan in the 80s, this one from Dave Kaynor, who said it was Swedish and was called "Sugar is Sweet." I've also heard it called "Kommen Til Meij Om Kvelden" which supposedly is Norwegian for "Come to me in the evening" although google translate, while recognizing it as Norwegian, seems to think the syntax is wrong. Several other authorities on Scandinavian music that I've asked said it doesn't have a name besides Norwegian Schottische (or Norwegian Reinlender, which meant the same thing). "Unnamed" - I know I've heard that one before, and probably played it. And I have no idea what the name .s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susanne Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 It's so cool that so many of you have chosen tunes from my home region, and even one from the place where I grew up (Orsa). I don't live there anymore but the region has a special place in my heart. I haven't joined the TOTM for ages but will definitely try to learn something for this month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 It's so cool that so many of you have chosen tunes from my home region, and even one from the place where I grew up (Orsa). Orsapolska - my favourite dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I was asked to play with a fiddler and violist at a Swedish funeral next week. Fortuitously, this hambo was in the set list. It doesnt sound like a funeral song to me (the rest of the set list does) but it was fun to learn. The recording quality is terrible. It sounded fine when I recorded it on my iphone but declined when I uploaded it to Soundcloud. Don't know what happened. https://soundcloud.com/ariaqueezehammer/hambo-pa-logen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Drinkwater Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 I have problems recording for TOTM at the moment, so I thought I would reprise an earlier contribution to TOTM, Josefin's Dopvals, lovely baptism waltz composed by Roger Tallroth for the christening of his neice. https://soundcloud.com/aeolaman/josefins-dopvals Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I've uploaded Polska från Rätan, Jämtland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) Randy Stein and I - two-thirds of The Squeezers - knocked this off in one take last night before rehearsal. Botched the ending. The tune is Balzer Jungfru, a waltz variously described as Norwegian or Swedish despite a name that - to me - sounds more German. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/68325595/C.net%20Tune%20of%20the%20Month/BalzerJungfru.MP3 Wheatstone English concertina and Jeffries G/D Anglo. Edited October 14, 2015 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 I've uploaded Polska från Rätan, Jämtland Interesting tune - it has an almost martial quality to it. Nicely played! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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