Kristina from Duvemåla...

From the musical "Kristina from Duvemåla" based on books by Wilhelm Moberg detailing a family's poverty-driven migration from Sweden to America in the mid-19th century: The Emigrants, Unto a Good Land, The Settlers, and The Last Letter Home.

“A young girl, Kristina, sits on her swing and dreams about her beau Karl Oskar. He is on his way to see her [eager seeing her], and she pictures how he makes his way through the familiar surroundings (‘Duvemåla Pasture’).

When Karl Oskar arrives he tells her that he has inherited his father's farm, and can now make Kristina his wife. The two are wed and begin a life together, but times are hard as they keep getting bad harvest years.

Kristina worries that they won't be able to support their growing family, and suggests to her husband that they don't have intercourse, in order to prevent another pregnancy.

Karl Oskar talks her out of it, saying that it would be a betrayal of his lust and love for her (‘My Lust for You’).”

When she is sitting on her swing waiting for him she sings:

”Sedan han lämnat Korpamoen, tar han stigen mot Bökevara
Bidalites vägskäl ser han snart, en halv fjärdingsväg är det bara
Skälljud från korna hör han svagt, ifrån Åskålens näs och uddar
Hölassen där i träd och snår, brukar kvarlämna strån och suddar

Över grind och stätta
Har han svingat sej, nu är han nära
Fötterna är lätta
För han vandrar vägen till sin kära

Åkerby har han bakom sej, där ska dansas på lördagsnatten
När han passerat Åleberg, ser han Kråkesjöns dunkla vatten
På Krysseboda sommaräng, ser han liljekonvalj utslagen
Björkskogen där bär nya löv, där är ljust in på sena dagen

Över grind och stätta
Har han svingat sej, nu är han nära
Fötterna är lätta
För han vandrar vägen till sin kära

Och snart är han vid Sju Bönders grind, jag kan skymta hans vita krage
Snart med hans axel mot min kind, går jag i Duvemåla Hage.”

See pictures from a studying day with Helen Sjöholm (the singer on the video).

From Symphony no 5 by Mahler...

More on music…

Lars-Erik Larsson.

Hjalmar Gullberg.

In the magazine Opus a Swedish priest says:

“I believe in the synthesis between the verbal message and the music. And don’t forget that many people are tired of words. Many people prefer listening to the music [listen to music more than a lot of words. We need to express ourselves with other means than words too! For instance through different artistic expressions. And communicate with other means! And we need to be active communicators and executors, not only passive receivers! People have written and expressed earlier...*].”

At another place it stood about music-execution:

“They know the entirety is dependent on the parts, that the parts are cooperating or working together for the harmony's and for development's sake, and that the differences and distinctiveness (särprägling) are resources.”

It also stood about "Disguised God" in this magazine, with music by the composer Lars-Erik Larsson and lyrics by Hjalmar Gullberg.

Listen to Disguised God here with Håkan Hagegård as soloist. Here Erland Josephson reciting from it. And Hillevi Martinpelto soprano-soloist in it. Two years ago I finished a course that was held in this school.

* The mind and soul - and brain needs stimulation? The whole person needs nourishment, nourishment of other kinds than only things we take in through the mouth! Many live on starvation-diets of many different kinds? Living in environments giving little too? Drawn to them, into them, in a sort of re-enacting of their early lives? Lonely (but maybe not always literally), in soils where one can't really grow? And many look down on these persons? Admire the intelligent and successful? Contempt for weakness I would say... Something even so called "enlightened" show.

Music...

I have just returned from work. It's a wonderful weather here still. Summer-warmth. Practiced with a colleague from a nearby town on this piece for instance. Fun!



And the band P Floyd from Dalarna, Sweden. Two of the videos from Dalhalla actually too!

PS. From the magazine Opus: watch about the music festival "Musik vid Siljan" or "Music at lake Siljan" here.

I also read that the British rock and pop musician Mike Oldfield has said that

“I listen a lot to classical music. It is much deeper and more full of nuances (mer mångfacetterad) than the rock. I am tired of rock.”

He has recently written the piece “Music of the spheres” for symphony orchestra, choir, guitar, harp and singer.

It sounds according to the magazine as this man (born May 15, 1953 in Reading, Great Britain) is silent, shy and reserved (or aloof). Picture on him below.
His home site here.


Two versions of his Tubular Bell on the videos.

Dalhalla...

Yesterday evening I was on a performance with the National Dance Company of Ireland in the music arena Dalhalla. It was a wonderful evening. Also watch these videos and these at youtube! The dancers and musicians had a lot of space on the stage of Dalhalla compared to the one on the videos!!

Almost three years ago I was there on the finishing concert of Tällberg forum when they played Fire Work Music by George Friedrich Händel and had fireworks - a fantastic experience! With the night-sky above.

The power of music…

Also watch this.

Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra...

the Youth Symphony Orchestra at my work place.

[Updated in the evening] Watch this, about the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra. It stands about it:

"Through a system of early training and local orchestras, Venezuela has not only provided an uplifting musical experience for its at-risk youth, but also developed an orchestra that is world famous."

This orchestra sounded great. See about it at wikipedia too.

Read about Simón Bolívar (I have edited the text from wikipedia a bit in the quotation below):

“Born July 24, 1783 in Caracas, died December 17, 1830. He was one of the most important leaders of Hispanic America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.

After the triumph over the Spanish monarchy, Bolivar participated in the foundation of the Gran Colombia, a nation forming the liberated Spanish colonies. Bolivar became President of Gran Colombia from 1821 to 1830, President of Peru from 1824 to 1826 and President of Bolivia from 1825 to 1826. After the death of Bolivar in 1830 and the later dissolution of the Gran Colombia in 1831, Bolivar's legacy contributed decisively to the independence of present-day Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela."

Addition in the evening after a long day at work: Had to search on this youth orchestra and its conductor (since 1999) Gustavo Dudamel. In the Swedish part of Wikipedia it stands about Dudamel:

”Gustavo Dudamel, född 1981 i Barquisimeto, venzuelansk dirgent. Dudamel är sedan 1999 konstnärlig ledare för Venezuelas nationella ungdomsorkester [Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra]. /…/ Han är chefsdirigent för Göteborgs Symfoniker [Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra] från och med säsongen 2007/08 och även utsedd till musikalisk ledare för Los Angeles Philharmonic från och med 2009/10.”

About the video:

“Live performance of Brahms' 1st piano concerto in D minor, op. 15, with Kirill Gerstein, Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar youth symphony orchestra.”