Über
For many hundreds of years, we in the North have sung the same hymns during Advent and Christmas. The melodies for these hymns have varied, with many local versions and folk tunes used across the country, alongside several melodies that have become standardized and are sung by "everyone." However, the hymn texts have remained the same. Regardless of what one believes or how one interprets the lyrics, or even personal taste, many experience a sense of community and belonging when these hymns are performed, or when they sing along themselves. Singing often creates a strong sense of unity.
In earlier times, when there was less music in everyday life and many people's work was physically demanding, singing was of great importance. Old sources I have encountered and learned from tell of many people singing while they worked. They sang various types of songs, such as children's songs, lullabies, ballads, and others who mainly sang hymns. They sang during work, in good times, and in bad. Ragnar Vigdal (1913–1991) told that "the old ones" used song for personal strength—they would sit in a room alone and sing, just for themselves, as a form of meditation. A beautiful concept is that "song is double prayer."
The eternal message of Christmas is that the light is born again. A renewed hope for a new light, and hope for a good new year ahead. This is what these hymn texts are about, and we sing them every year, over and over again. Gratitude, hope, joy, love, and the message that light triumphs over darkness.
The religious folk tunes on this recording have been sung for a long time, and some of them have fallen out of use. Therefore, it is a great joy to bring them back from the slumber they have been in and give them new life. They are taken from older musical manuscripts and sound archives, and geographically, they belong to Voss, Hardanger, Eksingedalen (Vaksdal), Øygarden, and Luster in Sogn.
The title of the recording, *Helgasong*, is taken from Elias Blix's beautiful hymn *"Now Come God’s Angels with a Greeting in the Sky."* This was the first Norwegian hymn sung in a church, on December 26, 1884. The folk tune we use in this recording was found in the musical manuscripts of Olav Sande (1850–1927), who transcribed it in Voss (1899–1923) after an unnamed singer.
- Irene Tillung, accordion
- Tore Brunborg, saxophone
- Mats Eilertsen, double bass
- Nils Økland, fiddle and hardanger fiddle
- Berit Opheim, vocals
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