The
Nordic Medieval Ballad
The ballad was developed in France around 1220. The road to Scandinavia
went through the French-speaking English upper class. Norway became the
gateway into the Nordic countries because of the interest in European
literature among the Norwegian kings. Since the beginning of the 13th
century French books were translated from Anglo-Norman into the Norse
language. Following this interest in the continental culture - about at
the same time as Håkon V moved the court from Bergen to Oslo (1299) -
the ballad reached Norway.
In the social circles of Akershus Fortress (both a palace and the main
fortress defending Oslo) sagas, biblical stories, translated books and
traditional tales were performed. Among those who listened were people
with a knowledge of this new form of poetry. They picked their topics
from the stories and transferred them into ballads. They worked with
either tow-line or four-line stanzas. In the first case the two lines
are associated by rhymes, in the other the second and the fourth line
rhyme. The ballad usually has a refrain. The two lines stanza in
addition may have a refrain in the middle. The genre is often described
as epic, but could as well be called dramatic. It starts in the middle
of action without any prehistory or explanations. The story - usually
told in third person - moves from highlight to highlight from scene to
scene. It deals with a limited number of characters, and people are
described with established phrases. Everything is told in action or
dialogue.
The rich cultural life around Akershus Fortress disappeared at the
death of Håkon V in 1319 - when Norway was unified with Sweden. After
this, few ballads were created until the Danish ballad renaissance
started in the 1480s. In spite of this, many ballads lived on. They
were spread throughout the country - among all classes. Soon ballads
were sung all over theNordic countries. The interest in ballads came to
make the area the richest in medieval ballads in the world.
Harpa
To begin with the ballad was an oral form of literature. Only towards
the end of the 1400s did people start writing them down. Thus we don't
know what the «Akershusian» ballads looked like originally. We do,
however, know several different forms of the unknown original version.
A ballad which is usually called Harpa in Norway,
is written down in many versions. It is based on an old story, well
known throughout the world. Like the story the song is about love and
jealousy. Two sisters go to the water, and the older pushes the younger
in. She drowns and the older sister goes home and celebrates her
wedding to the younger sister's fiancé. The dead girl is found: A harp
or a fiddle is made from her dead body and brought to the wedding
celebration. The strings are magical and sing about the crime.
The ballad has two-line stanzas and is one of the oldest Nordic
ballads. It was spread from the «Akershusian» circles to the rest of
the Nordic countries and the British Isles, probably during the 1300s.
It has also been brought to America by immigrants. From the 1600s and
into our own century the song has been written down in many hundred
versions in these areas. It took some time before the Nordic versions
were printed. Only in 1874 a Faroese version was printed in Svenske
Folk-visor från forntiden (Swedish Folk-songs from the Past).
In 1836 a Swedish version became accessible via a leaflet costing a
penny sheet. In 1847 a Norwegian version was printed in Jørgen Moe's Indberetning
(Report). In Islenzk Fornkvædi (Icelandic
Folk-songs) Part I (1853), an Icelandic version was printed. Versions
collected after this time, may be based on these or other printed
versions. We know, however, that it takes some time before printed
texts are established in a tradition. We must turn to the last part of
the 19th century, and more often to the beginning of the 20th century,
before we find versions of Harpa where printed
texts could be the basis.
The versions of Harpa as they are collected from
different areas
throughout the time, are basically passed on to later generations in
their oral form. The song is very similar from one area to another.
Also note that versions from the 19th and 20th century are very similar
to the oldest texts in stanzas and lines and even on phrase level. (The
ballad was written down in England and Iceland in the 1600s.) The
similarity between the versions probably stems from the conservating
form, the clear-cut story-telling, and the strength of the story in
itself. The basic structure of Harpa has probably
been the same in the
middle ages as it is today.
The
melodic traditions
That the ballad about the two sisters has been well liked among
North-European people, does not only show in the numerous versions of
the text. From 1810 and way into the 1900s more than hundred melodies
for the song have been collected. As opposed to the texts which show a
unity in different places, the melodies are different from each other.
You can divide them into 'older' and 'newer' tunes. Texts from the
earliest days to the latest versions have both 'old' and 'new' tunes.
There are of course more archaic tunes in the oldest material while we
find more modern tunes in the recent. The latest are functional and are
usually in major, sometimes in minor. These melodies occurred as a
consequence of the functional music which modestly started its
developement in the European renaissance. Many of the tunes to Harpa,
also those collected in the 20th century, show behind the functional
music: The melody-line moves in modal, plagal or pentatonic scales,
often with a recitation tone as point of reference. For modern ears it
seems that some of this melodies starts in one mode and end in another.
The
melodic selection
When we started working with Harpa in its different
versions, there was a need for high quality melodies given the limited
text material. We wanted a varied musical material with at least one
melody from each of the Nordic countries plus some examples from Great
Britain. We searched through books and archives and managed to get hold
of most of the accessible material. We went through the melodies one by
one - only 'medieval' tunes were accepted. In the Finnish-Ugrian and
Icelandic material no tunes had been passed on. Finland is still
represented with a Finnish-Swedish version. As for Iceland we found a
suitable melody from another Icelandic ballad.
We have selected thirteen melodies: Four Norwegian, two Danish, two
Swedish, one Finnish/Swedish, one Faroese, one Icelandic, one Scottish
and one English. Among these most of the modal scales and some examples
of plagal and pentatonic scales are represented. There are melodies in
free rhythms and several dance rhythms.
The
text selection
In the four cases were the text and the melody have been passed on from
the same source, we have used them together. Otherwise we have found a
text from the area the chosen melody comes from. In choosing between
the various texts and stanzas, we have emphasised what distinguishes
them rather than what makes them similar. Thus some versions come
across as dramatic - often with a lot of dialogue; some are narrative;
some are lyrically elaborate; others show great economy of expression;
on leans towards the canevalesque; others are saga-like; some are set
in royal circles while most of them are about two farmer girls. The
song can have both a tragic and a happy ending.
In spite of the differences the plot is the same in all the versions.
In some cases we have presented the whole story, but in most cases we
have divided the song in two. We then present the first half from one
tradition, and the second from another. Sometimes we have used one
fragment which is special in one particular tradition. With one
exception the versions have different refrains. This is because the
refrain often comes with the melody. Each refrain colours the text in a
special way.
It has been important in our selection that each of the tracks should
be able to stand by themselves. That is why all of them have names of
their own. If the title stems from the original singer, most often we
have kept it. In cases of duplication, or where a song is without
title, or the title unsuitable for the fragment we have chosen - we
have based ourselves on tradition and found a title which suits the
text.
The texts are printed in the way they are written down according to
their sources. This leads to inconsistencies in the spelling, but we
still feel this is the best way of doing it. When the basic text is not
available, we have used the earliest printed version. The pronunciation
is based on the written text and/or the dialect in the the song comes
from.
Ballad
performance in the Middle Ages
In addition to various medieval sources, folklore can give information
about ballad performing in the Middle Ages. Ballads were sung to dances
in a row or dances in a circle like the Faroese still do it. A singer
sings the main part, the rest join in for the refrain. In the Faroese
tradition a good singer rnust be able to enthuse his fellow dancers
through his expressive singing, bodily attitude and facial expressions.
There are examples of ballad dancing in the Middle Ages from the Nordic
countries. The festive aspects of such dancing was vital for spreading
the songs.
In the oral tradition outside the Faroes, the ballads are sung
independently of the dance - by a special narrator. Such performances
have been welcome as a variation from reading aloud, legend- and
story-telling. As with other narrative arts you can basically
distinguish between two narrating attitudes: In the first the singer is
a medium for the song. In the second he relates to the story as if it
happens here and now. Ballad narration has certainly been used
alongside ballad dancing from the beginning.
In the sources it looks like a singer who wanted to accompany his
singing would often use fiddle. Singers who have used fiddles along
with their singing are also known through folk tradition. Plucked
instruments also have been used in a similar way. In the Anglo-Saxon
epic Beowulf (probably from the 8th century), which reflects Danish and
Swedish conditions it says: «...there where the harps sound, I clearly
sang the minstrel...». In Norway and Finland tradition tells us about
singers who played string-instruments like «langeleik» and «Kantele»
while singing.
Descriptions from the Middle Ages sometimes mention playing in groups.
It may have been improvised on the spot or the musician may have been
more professional. «The players» were professional troubadours who
would often play together in groups. They went from place to place and
were indispensable at festive occasions. «The players» were jesters and
among a lot of other skills would often sing and play several
instruments. As in Scandinavia in the late Middle Ages, it is probable
that the ballads were an important part of the repertory in the Nordic
musical groups at this time.
Briefly
about the Instruments
The instruments on the recording is limited to
- instruments typical for the Nordic countries in the Middle Ages
- instruments inferred to Skandinavia during high- and latter Middle
Ages
- Nordic folk instruments of the medieval type.
EI
GÅMOL VISE - Norway
This text is based on versions of Harpa that were
written down in Western Telemark in 1800s. The most important of these
are after Olav Glosimot and Hæge Solli. As opposed to the other
refrains on this recording, this refrain is closely connected to the
text. It may have been the original refrain for the ballad. The melody
stems from old recordings. Rikard Berge got it in around 1910 from
Svein K. Tveiten when he was collecting melodies on his phonograph.
Svein Tveiten got the melody from Hallvor Bekkhus. Tveiten usually
recited the ballads in free rhythm, a typical way of performing orally
transmitted ballads in Norway. The song is arranged for hammer dulcimer
and Norwegian harp.
arr. Myhren
DE
TVÅ SYSTRARNE - Sweden
This text was written down by Hyltèn-Cavallius in Södermanland,
probably in 1836 or 1843. The melody we use was written down by
Grönland around 1810. We have chosen the first six stanzas. It is
arranged for keyed fiddle and symphony. Choir in the refrains.
arr. Brevig
BINNORIE
- Scotland
A very lyrical Scottish version printed in Scott's Minstrelsy
(1802) is the basis for this text. As in the West-Nordic versions, it
is a harp that is made. In the Scottish tradition the harp plays by
itself making the crime known at a formal reception at the court. We
have picked the part about the harp and the disclosure. The melody was
written down sometimes before 1842, but little more is known about it.
The song is arranged for harp, hammer dulcimer and guitar fiddle.
arr. Jensen
DEN
UNDERBARA FIOLEN - Sweden
Anna Ehrenstrøm from Gotland is the source of this beautiful version.
The text was written down twice as she sung it first by an unknown
collector between 1820-1837, then in 1842 by Hyltèn Cavallius. The
oldest version has three more stanzas than the other, otherwise there
are only minor differences. We use the earliest version, but we have
complete it with expression from the later one. The melody passed on by
Anna Ehrenstrøm belongs to the 1842 version. For the four stanzas were
the strings tell about the crime, we have taken the liberty to vary the
melody with a lullaby passed on to Øyonn from her great grandmother,
Aslaug R. Groven from Telemark. The song is arranged for Norwegian
dulcimer, guitar fiddle, kantete and lyre.
arr. Jensen
SØSTRENE
- Norway
Most of the Norwegian ballad material has been found in upper Telemark.
A few singers recur as sources, and these often belong to the same
families. Harpa, however, has been found way
outside the singer families. In 1864 Lindeman collected six stanzas
from Olea Gjølstad from Brandval in Finnskogen at Hedmarken. In this
melody the first and second stanza are united into one. We have carried
this form through. Thus the six stanzas are performed as three. The
song is arranged for number of eight fiddle, tambourine and wash-board.
arr. Jensen / Brevig
HARPAN
- Finland
The Swedish ballad tradition has prevailed much longer in Finland than
in Sweden. This Finnish/Swedish text was written down by Greta
Dahlström in 1924 for Sofia Swanström from Southern Finland. We have
used the last part of the song. The content of the first part is
similar to the "Finnskog-version" (#5). The harp-maker makes "tapplor"
from the body's fingers. Many have interpreted this to mean that he
makes a keyed fiddle - an instrument that is well known in Swedish
folklore. The song is also written down in a Finnish version: Sisarukset.
Sadly we have no melody for the finnish-ugrian text. The melody of Harpan
stems from Betty Elfving. She had learnt it from a nanny from Tenala in
Southern Finland. The song is arranged for kantele, lyre from Novgorod,
keyed fiddle and bowed dulcimer.
arr. Jensen / Brevig / Myhren
KVÆDI
UM TVÆR SYSTUR - Island
This version is written down by Gunnlaugur Jónsson in 1840. It is as
good as identical with the Icelandic manuscript from the 1600s. Apart
from some small details in the language and a few more stanzas in the
older version, the different refrains constitute the difference. We
have chosen the 1840 manuscript, as the length of the refrain suits the
melody we have chosen. Since no melody has been written down for the
Icelandic versions we have borrowed the melody of Karlamagnus-kvædi.
Kvædi um tvær systur is arranged for hammer dulcimer, guitar
fiddle and harp. All these instruments are mentioned in the Icelandic
sagas (Cf.: "psalterium", "fidle" and "harpe").
arr. Afzari Rad
DE
TALENDE STRÆNGE - Denmark
These stanzas were written down by the source himself, the farmer
Severin Toxværd from Falster. His son has described how his father used
to sing this song while he was twisting ropes. We have chosen three
stanzas from the last part of the song as the first part is similar to De
to søstre (#10). In the Danish and some of the Swedish
versions the magical instrument is a "fiol". Along with guitarfiddle,
we use hammer dulcimer and lute.
arr. Afzari Rad / Brevig
HÒRPESLÅTTEN
- Norway
In many of the Norwegian and in some of the Swedish versions the
magical instrument is broken and the murdered maiden comes alive again.
This is also the case in this text which is based on a manuscript from
1856/1857 by Sophus Bugge after Turbjør Haugjen. The mystical melody we
have found in a Lindeman manuscript from 1851 after Aslaug Hegnin from
Kviteseid. It is written down in the rhythm of a "halling" (a
folk-dance well known in Norway and Sweden), which also suits the title
of this version. Instrumentation: Norwegian dulcimer.
arr. Myhren
DE
TO SØSTRE - Denmark
In Danish and Swedish versions of Harpa the younger
sister offers her fiancé to her older sister if she will save her - but
it helps her little. The difference and animosity between the two shows
clearly in this version from Roskilde. Elise Galskiødt wrote it down in
1847 the way she remembered that Mine Christiansen and her husband used
to sing it. It is arranged for lyre, Norwegian dulcimer and clay jar.
arr. Jensen
HØRPU
RÍMA - The Faroes
Jens Christian Svabo wrote down Hørpu ríma in the
1780s. A stanza from another old Faroese song suits well as an
introduction: "Some could ring / echo to sing. / Some could
play well / both drums and bowed dulcimer as well." Along
with choir on the refrains we also use Lapp drum.
arr. Myhren
THE
MILLER AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER - England
Together with the Icelandic manuscript from 1600s, this is the oldest written version of Harpa.
It was first printed in 1656. It has burlesque traits, as opposed to
the more "Saga-like" Icelandic version. As many humorous medieval
songs, not least in the British tradition, it makes fun of the upper
class: a princess pushes her younger sister into the lake and she
drowns. A miller finds her body and makes a "violl" of her
"breastbone", a "viol-brigde" of her "nose-rigde" and "strings" of her
"veins". The dead legs of the princess dance "Moll Syms" to the music
of the newly-made fiddle. Such wild sarcasm must have been liberating
among people who felt contempt for an oppressive monarchy. The miller
is the hero in this carnevalesque version because of his disrespectful
attitude to the body of the princess. The nonsense-refrain "with a hy
downe downe a downe-a" accentuates the humorous genre of the song. The
text originally has seventeen stanzas, we use seven from the first
part. The melody from Northumberland is in the minor key and was first
printed in 1882. In our days the minor key suggests melancholy, but
this is a relatively new phenomenom. In older times they used melodies
in the minor, however grotesque or burlesque the text was. Instruments:
psalter, hammer dulcimer, fiddle and clay jar. Choir in the refrains.
arr. Jensen / Brevig / Afzari Rad
GULLHARPA
- Norway
The two angels who find the body in this version, give it a special
atmosphere. The angels make a golden harp of the drowned girl. Birte
Nordrum from Østre Gausdal passed on the text to Rikard Berge in 1913.
We have picked the stanzas about the angels when they make the harp.
Apart from the gilding, the making of the harp is basically the same in
all the West-Nordic versions. The melody stems from Sandvigs
manuscripts from Gudbrandsdalen. Apart from the harp, we use kantele.
Choir in the refrains.
arr. Jensen
Øyonn Groven Myhren
(Translation: Ingebjørg Michaelsen)