Unit14

Norwegian Cultural Skills Program Unit 14: Music and Musicians of Norway Part 1: Folk Music: Roots of Norwegian Music Part 2: The 19th Century: Edvard Grieg & Contemporaries Part 3: The 20th and 21st Centuries: Composers, Performers, Conductors

Written by Carolyn Solmonson Norquist Sagatun 1-018, Brainerd, MN Sons of Norway Heritage Programs March 2001 Revised May 2008

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

UNIT 14: MUSIC AND MUSICIANS OF NORWAY CONTENTS

Preface

1-2

Introduction

3

Part One. Folk Music: Roots of Norwegian Music

4-7

Part Two. The 19th Century: Edvard Grieg and Contemporaries

8-13

Part Three. The 20th and 21st Centuries: Composers, Performers, and Conductors

14-21

Elective Activities

21-25

Resources

26-28

Glossary of Norwegian Musical Terms

29

Report Forms and Feedback Questionnaire

30-32

Norwegian Cultural Skills: Levels, Pins, and Bars

33-36

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

PREFACE Some activities in this Unit require listening to specific musical recordings, but in several cases the choice is left up to you. Most recommendations are for compact discs. The lending library of Sons of Norway is a good resource for these recordings, but has a limited number of each. To increase access, individual or neighboring local lodges might purchase and share some of the CDs most often required and a limited number of the elective CDs; see Resources section for more details about purchasing. Keep in mind that reproduction in any form by any means without written permission from the copyright holder is prohibited by law. Recordings recommended for specific activities have insert or cover notes with valuable information; when the original text is in Norwegian, you can assume English translations are also provided unless otherwise stated in the Unit descriptions. Brief definitions are included for some general music terms (in the text, the first time they occur) and for some Norwegian music terms (in the text and in the Glossary). If you are working toward program pins for Norwegian Cultural Skills, note: 1. Part One (Folk Music) is a prerequisite to Part Two or Part Three, but Part Two (19th century music) is not required for Part Three (20th and 21st century music). In order to have a broader overview of the Unit, read each Part in its entirety (and all the Parts in the Unit) before making your activity choices. 2. Each activity that requires listening to a recording also requires reading the insert or cover notes and completing a Listening Report Form. The production CD notes are generally more detailed than the brief synopses in this Unit. Unless otherwise stated, material quoted is from the production inserts. 3. Each Part requires completing one final Pin (or bar) Report Form and one Feedback Questionnaire in addition to the several Listening Report Forms. The Pin Report Form requires the signature of a lodge representative. Please review the forms before starting your work to help clarify any questions or concerns you may have. 4. Send all required materials to Sons of Norway, Attn.: Norwegian Cultural Skills Program, 1455 West Lake St. Minneapolis, MN 55408. You will receive your pins through a lodge representative. The wealth of recordings of Norwegian music made difficult any choice of particular ones for this Unit. Considering availability and accessibility for an audience of divergent interests, the Sons of Norway recording library was the starting point. For each recording ultimately chosen many others were considered, and your feedback is welcomed. Future revisions of this Unit will provide possible new sections not covered (for example, jazz in Norway).

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

Several public domain designs in this Unit are from the A.G. Smith book Viking Designs in the Dover Pictorial Archive Series: page 2

Carving from Thorpe Church (Hallingdal, Norway)

page 4

Detail from tapestry (Oseberg, Norway)

page 8

Carving from Thorpe Church (Hallingdal, Norway)

page 13

Detail from domestic window jam (Norway)

page 26

Two silver sword hilts (Norway)

page 27

Detail from tapestry (Oseberg, Norway)

page 28

Ornament from the rear of a sled (Oseberg, Norway)

page 29

Detail from carved doorway of Opdahl Church (Norway)

Acknowledgements Thanks are extended to Carolyn Solmonson Norquist for creating this Unit. An accomplished musician, Carolyn has a deep love of Norwegian music. Her forefathers came from the Hardanger, Gudbrandsdalen and Troms districts of Norway. Upon graduating from St. Olaf College in music, she participated in the St. Olaf Choir tour of Norway and Europe. With a scholarship from the Norwegian National League for postgraduate studies, she attended the University of Oslo International Summer School, at which she was also Chorus Director. Over the years, Carolyn has been invited to participate in two other choral group concert tours in Norway and Scandinavia, most recently in 1999. In 1975, with two Norwegian-American friends, Carolyn founded Musikk fra Norden, a performance group of voice, piano and violin/Hardanger fiddle. They have performed throughout the Midwest, including on the Garrison Keillor radio program, “A Prairie Home Companion.” While writing the guidelines for Music and Musicians of Norway, Carolyn was assisted by Andrew O. Lee, member of the Brainerd Sagatun lodge, born and raised in Fyksesund in Hardanger, Norway, with translation of research materials.

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

Unit 14: Music and Musicians of Norway INTRODUCTION This Unit in the Norwegian Cultural Skills Program provides you with a variety of choices according to your musical and historical interests. The Unit introduces the richness and variety of Norwegian music from its roots in times unknown through some of its myriad expressions in the present day. Some of the suggested materials might review music already known by you; some might encourage you to expand your horizons. To many people Norwegian music means Edvard Grieg, the beloved Norwegian musical giant. Yet, when we look and listen closely we discover that a great deal of Grieg's music sprang from a much older Norwegian musical heritage. Grieg's great musical gifts, often expressed through old Norwegian folk tunes, have been appreciated and loved for well over a century. New music treasures, however, have been created in Norway since his time, and composers and performers continue to enrich old forms with new vitality. See Purchasing Resources.

PART I: FOLK MUSIC The section, Roots of Norwegian Music, provides a basis of interest and further understanding for listeners of all ages. Special emphasis is placed on folk music and folk instruments.

PART 2: THE 19th CENTURY The section, Edvard Grieg and Contemporaries, explores the rise of historic nationalism in Norway as expressed through its native music. Norwegian folk music in combination with contemporary 19th century Norwegian authors like Garborg, Bjørnson, and Ibsen influenced composers Svendsen, Grieg, Halvorsen, and others.

PART 3: THE 20th and 21st Centuries The section, Composers, Performers, Conductors, introduces more contemporary Norwegian and Norwegian-American musicians. The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought major changes in Western countries due to large-scale emigration. As people left their native lands they carried with them their music and culture. Norwegian composers, performers, and conductors extended their musical influence throughout the 20th century, and continue to do so. This Unit starts with instrumental Norwegian folk music and ends with choral renditions of American folk music directed by a Norwegian-American.

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

PART ONE Folk Music: Roots of Norwegian Music Behold the mark of the old. Let your heritage not be lost, but bequeath it as a memory, treasure and blessing...Gather the lost and the hidden and preserve it for thy children. Christian Metz (1846) How old is Norwegian folk music? An exact answer is not possible. Songs are frequently mentioned in Old Norse sagas, which date from pre-Christian Norway. Nor can we say which is older--the ballads that were sung or the instrumental music that was played. Folk music is of great age and variety, unique to different areas of Norway, and based on longstanding traditions. The sharply divided valleys, isolated communities where people lived their lives steeped in inherited customs, and limited outside influences all contributed to create and enrich these longstanding traditions. In the 19th century the Norwegian spirit of nationalism was roused, and in 1848 Ludwig Lindeman received a state subsidy to travel around Norway to collect songs and instrumental tunes. Between 1853 and 1863, he published nearly 750 Norwegian folk tunes in his Older and Newer Norwegian Mountain Melodies and subsequent volumes with similar names. These melodies left a strong mark on church hymn-tunes and on Norwegian and other Scandinavian composers. After World War II, when Norwegian musicians again sought to define their music independent of German cultural influences, there was a resurgence in Norway of interest in the folk heritage. The following musicians, among many others, helped preserve the roots of Norwegian music: Torgeir Augundsson Møller (1799-1872), legendary Hardanger fiddler "Myllarguten" Ole Bjørneman Bull (1810-1880), eccentric concert violinist, composer Ludwig Mathias Lindeman (1812-1881), organist, folk music archivist

PART ONE REQUIRED ACTIVITIES Choose three of the five below. 1. Folk Music from Norway Heilo HK 7078; copyright 1992 Heilo This cassette tape (CD also available) is designed as an introduction to Norway's folk music tradition. It contains 22 musical selections by 15 different performers/groups--many of whom are prize-winning artists. It takes the listener on a musical journey through the valleys and districts of Norway. It shows how contemporary artists perform traditional dances and tunes, but also how they draw on their heritage for new compositions (e.g. To the Works and Floating Earth) and transpositions (e.g. Bluebells). Ten dance forms are represented: waltz, reinlender, polka, pols dance, mazurka, halling/lausdans, reel, fandango, springleik, and springar. (For information about Norwegian folk dances, see the Folk Dance Unit of the Norwegian Cultural 4

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

Skills Program.) The instruments played include accordion, Hardanger fiddle, mouth harp, and langeleik. Read the cassette insert first, then locate the different areas on a map of Norway. As you listen to each piece, be aware of the effect of geography--valleys, mountains, fjords--in creating the diversity of Norway's folk music. Note selection B6, Happy Tune in Halling Rhythm. This tune is also found in today's folk music in Scotland. "Both Scottish music and blood have been mixed into Gudbrandsdalen culture since 1612. It was then that the great Scottish leader Sinclair, on his way to help the Swedish king in his war against Denmark, met a hard and brutal end at the hands of the farmers in the valley. Many of Sinclair's soldiers, who survived the battle, remained as settlers." The last selection on the cassette (B11) is the song of the golden plover, a migratory bird that summers in central and southern Norway (and the production company's trademark). Note: Although not required, if you choose this activity you might also be interested in Prillar Guri: A Heroine of Old Norway, translation by DeSordi and Stavig of Bruden fra Romsdal by Magne Sorflaten, Pine Hill Press, Freeman SD 57028, copyright 1972, second edition June 1975. This book recounts the story of the heroic deeds of the farmers in 1612 in Gudbrandsdalen and how Prillar Guri stood on the mountaintops playing her lur, thereby signaling to the farmers the movements of the Scottish soldiers. The book is now out of print but might still be found in bookstores, libraries, or Scandinavian gift shops. (See Resources for Heritage Program presentation on p. 26-28.) 2. Dolkaren -- The Best of Hallvard T. & Torleiv H. Bjørgum Hallvard T. Bjørgum, Hardanger fiddle; Torleiv H. Bjørgum, Hardanger fiddle, ordinary violin, stevkveding/singing, mouth harp Sylvartun SYLVCD 3; copyright Sylvartun Folkemusikk The CD of "Genuine Folk Music from Norway" contains 22 selections. The old style hardingfele tradition of slåttespel has been passed on by master Knut Heddi thru his student Andres Rysstad to the versatile folk musician Torleiv Bjørgum (b. 1921) and his son champion fiddler Hallvard Bjørgum (b. 1956). The fiddle pieces are performed in the styles of several different fiddlers. The CD booklet provides excellent music and instrument information, photos, and a watercolor painting by Olav Bjørgum Waterfall Spirits and Fiddler (1980). Note the names and descriptions of various Norwegian folk music forms (e.g. slått, kveding, gangar) and folk instruments (e.g. Hardanger fiddle, mouth harp). While listening to the CD, identify (with help from the back cover listing of selections) the type of folk music you are hearing and the instrument(s) being played. 3. Norwegian Folk Songs and Peasant Dances from Grieg's Op 66 and Op 72 Geir Botnen, piano; Knut Hamre, Hardanger fiddle; Reidun Horvei, song ProMusica PSC1102; copyright 1993 ProMusica This CD contains original folk tunes for voice and/or fiddle, followed by Grieg's arrangements of the same tunes for piano. Geir Botnen from Kvam in Hardanger, with "folk music in his blood," received his classical training in piano at the Bergen Conservatory and has "established 5

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

a position among the Norwegian elite" through his concerts at home and abroad as soloist and in chamber groups. Reidun Horvei from Voss has studied traditional folk singing--kveding-with some of Norway's leading artists and also studied classical music at the Bergen Conservatory. "She is highly regarded for her interpretations of folk tunes and her deep insight into their origins and history.” Knut Hamre from Granvin in Hardanger has played the Hardanger fiddle since childhood, studied with master fiddlers, and “is now considered one of the foremost exponents of this national instrument.” Horvei and Hamre are involved full-time in the performance and teaching of folk music. The trio has performed extensively in Norway, including the Troldsalen concert hall at Grieg’s home Troldhaugen during the Bergen International Festival. Grieg’s Op 66, Norwegian Folk Songs, is based on tunes for voice, and his folk music source collector was friend, neighbor, and amateur musician Frantz Beyer. The piano arrangements were based on songs, herd calls, lullabies, and mouth music transcribed by Beyer during his wide travels; several are thought to be from the singing of shepherdess Gjendine Slålien. The melody for the last piece, “Gjendine’s Cradle Song,” Grieg collected himself from her singing to him and his traveling companions. (See Gjendine Slålien’s 100th birthday anniversary picture [1972] in this CD insert). This CD contains 13 of the complete 19 pieces; each folk tune is sung in its original form, then played in Grieg’s piano arrangement. Grieg’s Op 72, Norwegian Peasant Dances, is based on tunes for Hardanger fiddle. Due to concert touring, composing, and failing health, Grieg asked his friend, violinist, and fellow composer Johan Halvorsen to accept master fiddler Knut Dale’s request to write down his dance tunes so they would not be lost. This CD contains six of the complete 17; the dance tune is played in its original form on Hardanger fiddle, then played in Grieg’s piano arrangement (if there is also a sung version, that is presented first). While listening to the CD, relate what you hear to the identifications listed on the back cover of the CD. Observe how the folk melodies are preserved, adapted, and expanded in the piano arrangements. (Opus numbers are often used in music, especially instrumental, to show the composer’s individual works in order of composition or publication). 4. Gatelangs med Ril & Reinlender Tom Rustad; accordion NORCD 151; copyright 1996 Norild Records This CD contains 16 dance melodies performed on accordion. Several dance forms are presented; hopsar (polka), reinlender, mazurka, waltz, reel, pols, and halling. (For information about Norwegian folk dances, see the Folk Dance Unit of the Norwegian Cultural Skills Program). The music listings are in Norwegian (without English translation). The brief biography of the performer does have English translation. Tom Rustad (b. 1966) is “the first person in Norway who has taken folk music as his main subject at the Norwegian State Academy of Music.” He is an accomplished accordion soloist and duettist, composer, and classical guitarist. He has written a composition for string orchestra and diatonic accordion, as well as music for a ballet company. His work was presented in 1990 during the opening of the Bergen International Festival. He holds a position of Master of Arts and Folk Music in Setesdal. 6

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

5. Make note of any recordings of Norwegian and Norwegian-American music, and performers you have in your home, your lodge library, your school or public libraries, or through other contacts. You need not limit yourself based on recording format or musical style; all categories are eligible. Consider CDs, music videos, cassette tapes, and LPs. Consider folk & traditional, classical, new age, popular, jazz or big band, rock & roll, rhythm & blues, and country and western. For one of these recordings, read the jacket or insert information, listen to the performances, and complete a Listening Report Form.

PART ONE ELECTIVE ACTIVITY Choose one of the eleven elective activities (see p. 21-25). For a Part One program pin, submit:

   

Three Listening Report Forms for required Part One activities One Listening Report Form for an elective activity if form is required Pin Report Form Feedback Questionnaire

Mail to: Sons of Norway Attn.: Norwegian Cultural Skills Program 1455 West Lake St. Minneapolis, MN 55408

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

PART TWO The 19th Century: Edvard Grieg and Contemporaries Far up in the lonely valleys and isolated hamlets, where the great mountains restrict the view and cast shadows on the mind, where a cheerful lust for life often goes hand in hand with…introspective yearning- is the home of our folk music. Small wonder that our composers, too, found a spiritual dwelling in these regions, and that their music took colour and shape from a soil that concealed a great mysterious treasure, our characteristic peasant culture in all its variety. David Monrad Johansen (1888-1974) At the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, Europeans experienced great political upheaval (e.g. the French Revolution 1789, the Napoleonic Wars 1789-1814). One consequence in several countries, particularly Norway, was the emergence of strong nationalistic feelings. Norwegian composers, writers/dramatists, and other artists found inspiration, themes, ideas, and native expression in deeply-rooted Norwegian folk music and folk tales. The following musicians, among many others, had an affinity for and an understanding of Norway’s folk music traditions and incorporated those traditions in their 19th century Norwegian music: Johan Svendsen (1840-1911), composer, conductor Rikard Nordraak (1842-1866), composer of the Norwegian national anthem, with words by author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson; Ja, vi elsker dette landet (Yes, We Love This Land of Ours) Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), composer, concert pianist, conductor Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935), concert violinist, conductor, composer

PART TWO REQUIRED ACTIVITIES Complete Part One first, then choose three of the five activities below, or if you are unable to find these specific recordings, choose any recordings of Johan Svendsen’s or Johan Halvorsen’s music. 1. Norwegian Rhapsodies by Johan Svendsen and Johan Halvorsen Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Ole Kristian Ruud, conductor ProMusica PSC 1085; copyright 1991 ProMusica This CD contains six Norwegian rhapsodies, four by Svendsen and two by Halvorsen. Svendsen and Halvorsen were friends and musical contemporaries with Grieg. Johan Svendsen was first a violinist but foremost an orchestral composer and conductor. He graduated from Leipzig Conservatory and studied at several other European music centers, then returned to Norway to continue to compose and conduct. His interest in Norwegian folk music is shown in 8

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

his four individual Norwegian Rhapsodies composed in 1876 and 1877. He used both instrumental and vocal folk tunes, deriving most of his themes from Lindeman’s collection of folk melodies. He is known for his rich orchestration, disciplined design, and contrapuntal themes. (Contrapuntal themes are relatively independent melodies sounded together. A rhapsody is a free-form instrumental composition of heroic, national, or rhetorical character, in several loosely integrated sections. Romantic composers in several Western European countries composed national rhapsodies to folk melodies). Johan Halvorsen was first a classically trained violinist who studied and performed in Bergen and Leipzig. After returning to Norway in 1883, he became a conductor and composer. In 1901 he notated folk dance tunes played by Hardanger fiddler Knut Dale (later arranged by Grieg for piano) and started to play the hardingfele himself. In his work Fossegrimen (not on the CD) he was the first to compose for the combination of Hardanger fiddle and symphony orchestra. Halvorsen’s Two Norwegian Rhapsodies were written in 1921. He reportedly got the basis for his folk melodies from a notebook of Johan Svendsen’s who received his folk melodies from the archivist Lindeman. The rhapsodies ring with the richness of Norwegian folk rhythms and melodies. 2. Edvard Grieg: Haugtussa, Op 67; Six Songs, Op 48; and Four Songs, Op 21 Marianne Hirsti, soprano; Rudolf Jansen, piano Aurora ARCD 1930; copyright 1988 Norwegian Music Productions Ltd. If this recording is not available, select other vocal recordings by Edvard Grieg. This CD is a collection of three sets of art songs. In the mid-1890s Grieg wrote to a friend: “In the last few days I have immersed myself in the strangest poetry: They have just published a book in dialect language by Arne Garborg called Haugtussa [The Mountain Maid]. It is a brilliant book which already flows of music. One only has to write it down.” Grieg’s beautiful Haugtussa Sang Cyclus uses texts from Garborg’s book of 71 poems written in landsmål, a synthesis of Norwegian dialects. The song cycle tells of a young shepherd girl’s life and love. As a young man and on the recommendation of Ole Bull, Grieg studied for a time at the Leipzig Conservatory. He wrote Six [German] Songs between 1884 and 1889 to original texts by six different German authors. Their theme is love, or sweet or aching sorrow. About composing songs in general, Grieg wrote to Henry T. Finck: “Why is it, then, that exactly the songs have come to take such a dominating place in my production? Quite simply due to the fact that I once (to quote the words of Goethe) was inspired by genius. The genius was: love. I loved a young girl with a wonderful voice and an equally wonderful gift for interpretation. This girl became my wife and is [the] only true interpreter of my songs.” He wrote Four Songs [from the Fisher Lass] between 1870 and 1872 in collaboration with the Norwegian poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, using text from his poem Fiskerjenten. 9

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

The CD insert provides texts for the three sets of art songs in their original languages as well as full English translations. Listen to the songs following either the original words or English translations, then listen again following the other. Listen yet again without the texts to just the music: these are art songs from different times in Grieg’s life. He wrote the Four Songs in his late 20s, the Six Songs in his mid 40s, and the Haugtussa songs in his early-to-mid 50s. (Art songs are composed as duets between voice and an instrument, usually piano, with both parts of equal importance.) Pay attention to melody, harmony, and style and see how Grieg evolved as a composer of songs. Soprano Marianne Hirsti was born in Oslo and studied at the Norwegian State Academy of Music and the Musikhochschule in Lübeck. Her singing career includes opera, oratorio, and solo concerts, appearing in Germany and at the Bergen International Festival several times. She received the Grieg Award in 1987. Pianist Rudolf Jansen was born in the Netherlands and completed his music studies at the Amsterdam Music Conservatory. He is well-known in the art of accompaniment and has appeared with many distinguished artists; he teaches master classes and has made several recordings. Note: Although not required, if you choose this activity you might also be interested in the three-volume set Kirsten Flagstad: Live Performances 1948-1957, available through the Sons of Norway recording library. Kirsten Flagstad is widely recognized as a Wagnerian soprano and Interpreter of German songs (volumes one and two). The third CD of the set contains her performances of ten art songs by Grieg. 3. Peer Gynt Suites 1 & 2 (Op 23), Lyric Suite (Op 54), Sigurd Jorsalfar (Op 56) Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra: Neeme Jarvi, conductor 427 807-2 GDC [POL 924. LC0173]: copyright 1986/87 Polydor International GmbH If this recording is not available, choose other recordings of the Peer Gynt Suites 1 and 2. This CD contains three sets of orchestral pieces by Grieg—some of his best known orchestral works. When Henrik Ibsen wrote Peer Gynt in 1867 as a dramatic poem it was intended to be “part satire, part knockabout comedy, [and] part philosophical meditation”, with no thought of theater. Some years later Ibsen arranged his work to be staged in the theater and he sought the collaboration of Edvard Grieg, only in his 30s but already a leading composer. In 1875 Grieg composed twenty-some pieces for theater orchestra as incidental music (Op 23) for Ibsen’s fiveact stage production of Peer Gynt, first performed in 1876. Years later, from this incidental music Grieg constructed two self-contained orchestral suites for performance independent of Ibsen’s play: Peer Gynt Suite No 1, Op 46 (1888) Morning [Mood] Aase’s Death Antra’s Dance In the Hall of the Mountain King 10

Peer Gynt Suite No 2, Op 55 (1891) The Abduction and Ingrid’s Lament Arabian Dance Peer Gynt’s Homecoming Solveig’s Song

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

(A suite is an ordered series of instrumental dances or movements in the same or related keys.) The incidental music includes parts for chorus and solo voices, and a complete recording would follow the chronology of the play. The suites have no vocal parts, and the four pieces in each suite are not grouped relative to events in the play. This CD contains excerpts from the incidental music, grouped and presented as in the concert suites. Throughout the years the combination of Ibsen and Grieg in Peer Gynt met with many opposing views. Tyrone Guthrie wrote: “Peer Gynt is Everyman…the adventures of Peer are partly real and partly symbolic…Ibsen never intended Peer Gynt for the theatre…it is meant to appeal to the eye and ear of imagination…Part of the box-office ‘draw’ of any production…has undoubtedly been Grieg’s music, [which] is very good music but very confusing to the play…If Grieg’s intention is to succeed Ibsen’s must fail.” (From Guthrie’s forward to Norman Ginsbury’s English version of the play staged at the Old Vic in London).* The CD insert includes information about the four movements in each of the two suites, and how each movement fits into the drama. From a purely musical perspective, note that the opening four-note motif in “Morning” is the four-note pattern of intervals in which the four sympathetic understrings of the Hardanger fiddle are often tuned. Also note that Harald Sæverud (who will be introduced in Part Three) composed incidental music (1947) for a revised production of Peer Gynt (1948). Grieg’s Lyric Suite is a set of orchestral works arranged from his Lyric Pieces, Book 5, Op 54 (1891) for piano solo. Lyric Pieces [piano], Op 54 1.Shepherd Boy 2.Processional Dance 3.Trolls’ March 4.Notturno 5.Scherzo 6. Bell-Ringing

Lyric Suite [orchestra], Op 54 1.Sheperd Boy 2.Bell-Ringing 3.Norwegian March 4.Notturno 5.March of the Trolls

The first piece in the suite was transcribed by Grieg himself, for strings and harp. The third, fourth, and fifth pieces in the suite were transcribed by Anton Seidl (a Hungarian-born conductor and Wagner proponent) for full orchestra but thoroughly revised by Grieg before publication. The second piece, Bell-Ringing, was transcribed by Seidl, not approved for publication by Grieg, and printed separately many years after Grieg’s death. According to Anthony Burton (CD insert): “[its] obscurity is a pity: it is an ingenious orchestral re-creation of perhaps Grieg’s most unconventional and prophetic composition, built almost entirely out of superimposed perfect fifth.” *Author’s Note: I was first introduced to Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suites as a child in public school music class and on the radio, and the music has lived in my heart throughout my life. Many years later when I studied the play, I began to realize the depth of symbolism of Peer Gynt, the many characters in the drama, and some of the contradictions of Grieg’s music with Ibsen’s drama. Perhaps it was best that I did, in an unplanned way, learn to appreciate them separately, and I would encourage you to do so also. 11

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

In 1872, Grieg composed incidental music (Op 22) for Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson’s historical drama Sigurd Jorsalfar (Sigurd the Crusader). The plot for this three-act play was taken from the Heimskringla saga; the incidental music consisted of two songs for male soloist and chorus plus three orchestral interludes. Twenty years later Grieg published its three principal orchestral pieces, revised and re-orchestrated, as a self-contained concert suite (Op 56). The CD insert includes information about the three movements and how they fit into the drama. 4. Grieg: Piano Concerto, Op 16; 6 Lyric Pieces, Op 65 (Liszt Piano Concerto No 2) Leif Ove Andsnes, piano; Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitri Kitayenko, conductor PM 518, LC 7873; copyright 1991 Virgin Classics Limited If this recording is not available, select another recording of Grieg’s Piano Concerto, Op 16 or other recordings of Norwegian music performed by Leif Ove Andsnes.

Grieg is often thought of as a miniaturist, or composer of small-scale works. He was a renowned concert pianist; his only concerto is for piano and orchestra, Op 16. He repeatedly revised both the solo and orchestral parts after its premier in 1869 until as late as 1907. This work has been immensely popular for decades, and continues to be so. (A concerto is an extended composition for one [or more] principal instruments with orchestral accompaniment; it involves contrast and interplay in three or four movements between solo instrument[s] and the symphony orchestra.) One unifying subject in Grieg’s creative life is exemplified by his lyric pieces for piano. He composed ten books of Lyriske Stykker between 1867 and 1901. The Six Lyric Pieces, Op 65 (1896) on this recording are from the eighth set. The last piece, “Wedding Day at Troldhaugen,” is particularly well known. The two works by Grieg on this CD show his handling of both large and small-scale composition; listen for the stylistic similarities and differences. The third work on this CD is a piano concerto by Liszt. Ferencz/Franz Liszt (18111886) was a Hungarian composer and a phenomenal pianist. Compare and contrast Grieg’s and Liszt’s Romantic/nationalistic styles. Leif Ove Andsnes (b. 1970) studied at the Bergen Conservatory. He has worked with several major orchestras and conductors, and has established a reputation as an outstanding soloist of international fame. His concert appearances include Norway, the USA (New York, Washington DC, Minneapolis, Los Angeles), Edinburgh, London, Berlin, Leipzig, and France. The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1765, and is one of the oldest orchestral institutions in the world with an unbroken tradition. Grieg often played as guest soloist. The current artistic director is Russian conductor Dmitri Kitayenko. In addition to its major concert season in Bergen’s Grieg Hall, the orchestra tours nationally and internationally. 12

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

5. Research biographical and other pertinent information (through libraries, internet, etc.) for as many of the following people as possible: Agathe Backer-Grøndahl Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Ole Bull Kirsten Flagstad Arne Garborg Edvard Grieg

Nina Hagerup-Grieg Johan Halvorsen Henrik Ibsen Rikard Nordraak Johan Svendsen

In addition to the artists named above, choose any other Norwegian musicians or composers. Base your decision on how many to choose by the availability of materials and your personal interests. (See the Sons of Norway music book for some examples of their works.) Write a report and include it with your Pin Report Form. Relate your information to any CDs you choose to listen to in Part Two. Note: Many of the composers and performers listed above are represented on a set of two CDs: Norske klassiske favoritter, Iceland Symphony Orchestra. www.naxos.com Of his own music Grieg once said, “Artists like Bach and Beethoven erected churches and temples on ethereal heights. My aim in my music is exactly what Ibsen says about his own plays. I want to build homes for people in which they can be happy and contented.” Bent Vanberg (1970)

PART TWO ELECTIVE ACTIVITIES Choose one of the eleven elective activities. For a Part Two program bar, submit:

 two or three Listening Report Forms for required Part Two activities  one Listening Report Form for an elective activity if form is required  Pin Report Form (with report for activity 5, if chosen)  Feedback Questionnaire. Mail to: Sons of Norway Attn.: Norwegian Cultural Skills Program 1455 West Lake St. Minneapolis, MN 55408 13

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

PART THREE The 20th and 21st Centuries: Composers, Performers, Conductors “You cannot sing unless you have a love of singing in your hearts. Above all, a great choir [is] we, not I.” F. Melius Christiansen (1871-1955) Many musical leaders with Norwegian roots studied first in Norway, then went abroad (often to Denmark and Germany) to continue their studies. Most returned to Norway; others emigrated to new lands but carried with them their Norwegian heritage and musical gifts. Some retained in their music the strong influence of Norwegian folk traditions. Others chose to walk new paths and ford new streams, producing more avant garde or cosmopolitan music. The following musicians represent a few examples of composers, performers, and conductors from Norway in the 20th century: F. Melius Christiansen (1871-1992), composer, choral conductor Harald Sæverud (1895-1955), composer Kirsten Flagstad (1895-1962), soprano, “The Voice of the Century” Knut Nystedt (b. 1915), organist, composer, choral conductor

PART THREE REQUIRED ACTIVITIES Complete Part One first, then choose three of the seven below. 1. Alf Prøysen—På Grammofon—Komplette Plateinnspillinger Phillips 514 955-2 (insert), 514 956-2, 514 957-2, 514 958-2, 514 959-2, 514 960-2; copyright 1993 PolyGram As, Oslo If these recordings are not available, choose other recordings of Alf Prøysen’s songs. These recordings by the beloved Alf Prøysen—radio singer, songwriter, entertainer—span the period 1947 through 1970. Norwegians today, both young and not-so-young, learned many of their childhood songs from Alf Prøysen singing on his weekly radio program The Children’s Hour. Choosing this activity involves careful thought, but it could be one of the most rewarding choices for you and all your lodge members (ages 5 to 95!). This is a set of five CDs, available as a set from the Sons of Norway recording library. Each CD covers specific years in Prøysen’s musical and storytelling career. If you choose this activity, 14

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

listen to a minimum of ten songs from the five CDs, including Julekveldsvise (Christmas Eve Ballad) and Musevisa (Ballad of the Mice)[see below]. These two required songs each appear more than once within the collection. The CD booklet – in Norwegian only - has a wealth of information about Prøysen, his texts, and the traditional melodies and composed songs on the five CD’s, especially the children’s songs. The music and words for the two required Prøysen songs —Julekveldsvise and Musevisa - are included in two Norwegian/English songbooks published in America: Ekte Norsk Jul III (Traditional Norwegian Christmas Songs, Poems and Stories, Vol. 3) by Astrid Karlsen Scott, and Mike and Else’s Norwegian Songbook, compiled and edited by Mike and Else Sevig. Many of Prøysen’s children’s songs can be found in Astrid Holen’s Den Store Barne-Sangboka (The Big Children’s Songbook). The songs are in Norwegian only. See Resources for more details. For two additional Alf Prøysen Christmas songs, see optional activity nine, Christmas music from Norway. He performs two songs on the Christmas CD Jul i norske stuer—Julepresangen (No. 6) and Romjulsdrøm (No 20). Neither of these songs is included in the Norwegian-American songbooks. See also Mrs. Pepperpot Stories by Alf Prøysen (in English), Random House Group Limited, ISBN 0 09 941 139 3. Marvellous, imaginative children’s stories! If you do this activity, list your ten chosen songs (including Julekveldsvise and Musevisa) on the Listening Report Form. If you understand and can read Norwegian, help others to learn about Prøysen, the songs he sings, and the stories he tells on the last CD. 2. Harald Sæverud: Complete Piano Music, Volume 2 Einar Hennning Smedbye, piano Victoria VCD 19085; copyright 1994 Victoria AS If this recording is not available, choose another recording of Harald Sæverud’s music which include the Ballad of Revolt (Kjempeviseslåtten) Harald Sæverud is considered by some a natural modern successor to Grieg. Danish composer Carl Nielsen said, “Sæverud’s music is as Norwegian as Grieg’s, but in its own particular way.” Sæverud himself said, “I have never felt any urge to imitate the special features of our folk music, but it is the Spirit of the folk melodies that I have tried to imbibe…[in order to]…write [my] own kind of Norwegian music.” “[W]hen I use the designation slått, this simply means a piece of music, and not a Norwegian dance.” Sæverud composed a number of large orchestral works, a considerable amount of chamber music, and music for theater, film, and television, but some say, like Grieg’s, his most characteristic writing is for the piano. This CD contains four piano suites called Slåtter og Stev fra Siljustøl, or Dances and Tunes from Siljustøl. Siljustøl was the name of the composer’s house. Each of his Siljustøl suites on this CD contains five short pieces. Suites Nos. 1, 2, and 3 were written between 1940 and 1944 during 15

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

World War II. The fifth and tenth pieces on the CD—“Siljustøl March”, Op 21/5, and “Ballad of Revolt”, Op 22/5---are two of Sæverud’s best known works, and two of his many protest pieces against the Nazi occupation. The “Ballad of Revolt”, or Kjempeviseslåtten (translated to mean “giant song”), is dedicated to those who fought in the Norwegian Resistance and has become a symbol of the Resistance movement.

The opening single-line melody of nine notes grows with rhythmic intensity and volume and then the theme is repeated with variations again and again. Suite No 4 (Op 25) was written during the years 1950-1955 but not published till 1966. For some, Sæverud is as important to Norway as Sibelius to Finland. Consult the CD insert for more information about the composer and comments about individual pieces. Einar Henning Smedbye studied in Norway, made his performance debut in 1968, and continued his piano studies in Vienna and Paris. He has been an active performer on Norway’s music scene as a soloist and has performed with several orchestras in Norway. He has performed abroad, and has made several recordings. Note: Although not required, if you choose this activity you might also be interested in other Sæverud recordings in the ProMusica series. It you have Internet access, check SEARCH Norway music harald saeverud, and Saeverud’s music for Peer Gynt. 3. Arne Brattland—Arctic Suite Arne Brattland, classical guitar: Debra Adamson, classical guitar Arctic ARCD 1997/003: copyright 1997 Arctic Records DA This CD features a Norwegian classical guitarist performing works written between 1987 and 1997 plus his arrangements of four short Grieg pieces. John W. Duarte (b. 1919, English) Ketil Vea (b. 1932, Norwegian) Arne Brattland (b. 1955, Norwegian) Bodvar Moe (b. 1951, Norwegian) Gunnar Germeten Jr. (b. 1947, Norwegian)

Arctic Suite, Op 111 (1992) Jiedna II (1988) Minisonatine (1989) Vind Vidda (1993) Lullaby (1987) Iskrystall (1997) So I Say (1990)

Arctic Suite is a four-movement composition written for Brattland based on folk tunes from several districts in northern Norway. Jiedna II and Minisonatine were both written for Brattland: jiedna is a Sami word meaning “sound” and the form of the piece can be likened to the Sami folk singing style called joik; a sonatina is a short sonata, usually relatively simple in its technical requirements. Vind Vidda for two guitars and Lullaby were written by Brattland himself. Vind Vidda, played with Jan H. Henriksen, is based on a joik ”reindeer in motion”. Iskrystall was also written for Brattland. The CD title applies not just to the first composition, 16

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but to the whole collection of pieces, most of which reflect aspects of northern Norway’s nature and culture, including folk tunes. Brattland ends with his own coolly elegant arrangements for two guitars of four Grieg piano pieces: Norwegian Dance Op 17/7, Cradle Song Op 68/5, fourhand piano Norwegian Dance Op 35/2, and Album Leaf Op 28/3. From the unknown originators of folk tunes to Lindeman to Grieg to Brattland, Norwegian music evolves. Arne Brattland (b. 1955) grew up in the district of Meløy in northern Norway. He played the guitar from early childhood and received his musical training at the Norwegian State Academy of Music (Oslo) and in London. He has toured Scandinavia, Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. He has also performed often on Norwegian national radio and television and has made several recordings. Debra Adamson (b. 1969) received her musical education in London and also a Master’s Degree in Performance at the University of Reading. She has performed as a soloist and together with her husband Arne Brattland, at such prestigious events as the Cannington International Guitar Summer School, the Guitar Festival of Great Britain, and the International Oatridge Guitar Festival in Edinburgh. 4. The F. Melius Christiansen 125th Anniversary Concert Choirs of Augsburg, Concordia, Gustavus Adolphus, Luther, and St. Olaf Colleges. C 2146/7; copyright 1996 The American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota F. Melius Christiansen, known as F. Melius, was Norwegian by birth but Norwegian-American by adoption. He emigrated to the United States in 1888 and joined his brother in Wisconsin. He studied at Augsburg College, and as a young man conducted and performed in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. In 1897, he returned to Europe to study at the Leipzig Conservatory, then in 1900 returned to Minneapolis and taught violin. In the summer of 1903, he became director of the “fledgling music program” at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and subsequently conductor of the local St. John’s Lutheran Church Choir. In 1912 prior to a concert tour to Wisconsin, the choir changed its name to St. Olaf [Lutheran] Choir. F Melius led that choir for the next 30 years, during which time he established his reputation and his legacy as a world-renowned composer and conductor in choral music. He spread his strong Norwegian roots and gifted us with his indomitable musical spirit. F. Melius saw his contribution to music not as one of genius or inspiration, but one of hard work. Through his students and successive waves of students, he still influences a cappella performances of choirs across the United States. (A cappella means in chapel style; choral singing without instrumental accompaniment.) For example, St. Olaf graduates Olaf C. Christiansen (son of F. Melius), Kenneth Jennings, and Anton Armstrong went on to become conductors of the St. Olaf Choir; and St. Olaf graduates Paul J. Christiansen (another son of F. Melius) and Rene Clausen went on to become conductors of the Concordia College Choir. The concert on this recording, “The Choral Concert of the Century”, was performed at St. Olaf College in November 1996, in honor of the 125th anniversary of F. Melius Christiansen’s birth. Each of the following five choirs performs for 15-20 minutes, three to five works, one of which is an F. Melius composition or arrangement: 17

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

Augsburg Choir Concordia Choir Gustavus Choir Luther Choir St. Olaf Choir

From Grief to Glory, Verse II, Love in Grief Wake, Awake Praise to the Lord Lost in the Night (Finnish song) O Day Full of Grace

A wide range of other composers is showcased, including Paul J. Christiansen, Leland B. Sateren (20th century Norwegian-American composer and former conductor of Augsburg Choir), and Knut Nystedt (20th century Norwegian composer and former conductor of the Norwegian Soloist Choir). In the last section of the recording, all choirs combined perform three signature works of F. Melius: Psalm 50 Movements II and III, O Bread of Life from Heaven, and Beautiful Savior. Note that four of the five colleges were founded by Norwegian immigrants (Gustavus by Swedish immigrants). The anniversary concert CD is most readily available from St. Olaf College; see Resources to order. Note: Although not required, if you choose this activity you might be interested in the biographical video F. Melius Christiansen: The Man-The Legacy, 1871-1955: “Now and Forever More”, (approximately 30 minutes) produced by the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota (1996) to commemorate the same anniversary.

The video is available exclusively through St. Olaf College. 5. hear- Det Norske Solistkor Grete Pedersen Helgerød, conductor ProMusica PSC 1134: copyright 1999 GMF If this recording is not available, choose other recordings by Det Norske Solistkor that include music by Nordic composers. The Norwegian Soloist Choir was founded in 1950 by Knut Nystedt, church organist, choral conductor, composer, and teacher. In its first years, many of the choir’s singers were drawn from the Norwegian Soloists’ Association. The virtuosity and artistry of its individual members were molded into a whole greater than simply the sum of its parts: the Norwegian Soloist Choir has become the most distinguished vocal ensemble in Norway. Its repertoire includes sacred and secular choral works from all periods, but is “devoted especially to larger, more demanding works” and to works from the 20th century. The choir performs both in Norway and abroad; in Norway it has presented premieres of more than 200 works, about one-third of which were premieres of Norwegian compositions. In its 50-year history, the choir has had just two directors: Knut Nystedt from 1950-1990, and Grete Pedersen Helgerød from 1990 to the present. During Nystedt’s tenure, both conductor and choir developed and consolidated their artistries and style. They are characterized by “openness to diverse musical style, close 18

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

cooperation with contemporary composers, and a unique Nordic choral sound”. Under Helgerød’s direction, the best of tradition is preserved yet enriched by fresh talent. On this CD, Grete Pedersen Helgerød conducts the 41-voice choir in six modern vocal works. Geir Johnson, in his commentary for the CD, says “Listening to a new recording by The Norwegian Soloist Choir is like re-experiencing some of the happiest moments in recent Norwegian music. For a period of close to 30 years after the end of World War II… Det Norske Solistkor was one of the few ensembles which succeeded in creating an understanding of new music, besides gathering a long series of the country’s foremost singers in a vocal ensemble matching the best on the international scene. [There were] scarce material resources to fulfill what was and remained the great dream of composer, conductor, and organist Knut Nystedt: the foundation of a professional vocal ensemble.” Johnson also identifies the theme of the CD as “the road to renewal revealing itself through the ideals of the past”. The first and last pieces, like bookends, are re-workings by modern composers of older works: Hear My Prayer, O Lord Regn og Rusk og Rosenbusk From the Sweet-scented Streams of Eternity Friede auf Erden O Crux Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen

Purcell (Engl)/Sandstrom (Swedish) Bo Holten (Danish) Lasse Thoresen (Norwegian) Arnold Schonberg (German) Knut Nystedt (Norwegian) Mahler (Bohemian)/Gottwald (German)

The second piece, Mist and Rain and Rosebush, is based on Danish text from Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). The third piece, From the Sweet-Scented Streams of Eternity, is based on Bahai (19th century Persian) religious writings and is “undoubtedly among the most significant vocal works in recent Norwegian music”. The fourth, Peace on Earth, is based on text from the German poet Conrad Ferdinand Meyer. Nystedt’s piece O Cross has Latin text from the sixth century, and is one of his major works for a cappella choir from the 1960s. The sixth work, I am Lost to the World, is based on German text by the Romantic poet Friedrich Ruckert. In the CD insert there is no English translation for this text. Music evokes response on both emotional and intellectual levels. The emotional aspects of these modern works are more readily accessible, but the cerebral aspects are perhaps less so. Hearing unfamiliar music can often be a springboard for new-found meaningful listening. Grete Pedersen Helgerød received her training as a church musician and choral conductor at the Norwegian State Academy of Music. She succeeded Knut Nystedt as conductor of the Norwegian Soloist Choir in 1990, and also continues to conduct the Oslo Chamber Choir which she founded in 1984. She has gained a reputation as one of Norway’s most versatile conductors—directing performances of contemporary music, folk music, major works for choir and orchestra and working with jazz musicians. 19

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

6. The Dale Warland Singers - Blue Wheat ACC 122; copyright 1996 American Choral Catalog, Ltd The Dale Warland Singers is a 40-voice professional choral ensemble founded in 1972 by Norwegian-American Dale Warland and conducted by him. The chorus is devoted to the commissioning and performance of the 20th century music and performs both old and new classics. The Dale Warland Singers has thrilled choral music enthusiasts not just at home (Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul), but throughout North America and Europe. This CD presents 19 American folk songs: traditional songs, African-American spirituals, and songs by Stephen Foster (1826-1864). Warland has chosen arrangements that match the heart and beauty of each song. Dale Warland’s forefathers came from Tau, near Stavanger, Norway. He received his undergraduate degree in music from St. Olaf College, and he holds advanced degrees from the University of Minnesota and University of Southern California. Warland has devoted his professional life to attaining the highest artistic level in choral singing. He has conducted the Swedish Radio Choir, Danish Radio Choir, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and Israel’s Cameran Singers, and has lectured on American music at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. Through musicianship and attention to detail, he has built one of the finest choral ensembles in the United States. Note: Although not required, if you choose this activity you might be interested in The Dale Warland Singers- Cathedral Classics (ACC 120; copyright 1994 American Choral Catalog, Ltd). This CD features four selections based on “the Church’s timeless words of faith”—one 17th century work and three 20th century compositions. Note: Members are encouraged to select and share any Norwegian-Canadian musicians or Norwegian-Canadian music in fulfilling a part of the requirement for Part 3 of the music unit. 7. Research biographical and other pertinent information (through libraries, Internet) for as many of the following people as possible: Arne Brattland Pauline Hall Alf Prøysen Erik Bye Truls Mørk Harald Sæverud F. Melius Christiansen Knut Nystedt Lasse Thoresen Leif Ove Andsnes Bukkene Bruse Tone Hulbækmo Mari Boine Herborg Kråkevik Karl Seglem or other Norwegian or Norwegian-American or Norwegian-Canadian musicians, composers and performers of your choice. Base your decision of how many to choose by the availability of materials and your personal interests. The Internet might be the most productive source. Write a report, minimum of three pages, and include it with your Pin Report Form. Relate your information to any CDs you choose to listen to in Part Three. 20

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

Part Three Elective Activity Choose one of the eleven Elective Activities. For a Part Three program bar, submit:

   

Two or three Listening Report Forms for required Part Three activities One Listening Report Form for an elective activity if form is required Pin Report Form Feedback Questionnaire

Elective Activities: Parts One, Two and Three Choose a different Elective Activity for each Part to be completed. 1. Start (or participate in) a music listening group of three or more individuals gathered together to listen, discuss, and share Norwegian music. Choose recordings from material suggested in this Unit or from the Sons of Norway CD catalog (available from Sons of Norway website www.sofn.com). Group members may also suggest recordings from their own collections. The group might meet once and listen to several recordings from their own collections, or it might meet regularly and listen to just one recording per meeting. Set a date and time and announce this to the lodge and in your newsletter. Include in your Final Report the printed newsletter announcement. Choose three of the recordings that have impressed you and complete Listening Report Forms for those. 2. Start (or participate in) a music exchange group. Share one or more Norwegian music CDs, cassette tapes, or music videos (maybe even LPs) with members of the group. Agree on how long each member borrows a recording, and how the recordings are passed from member to member. Announce this to the lodge and in your newsletter. Include in your Final Report the printed newsletter announcement. Choose three recordings that you have shared and complete Listening Report Forms for those. 3. Keep a music listening journal. Check public radio and public broadcast schedules for listings of Norwegian music throughout the year, especially around May 17, in June around Midsummer’s Day, in October around Leif Erikson Day, and in December during Advent and at Christmas. Listeners living in areas more heavily populated by those of Scandinavian heritage might have more opportunities to hear and see these programs. Share this information with others in your lodge and community. Include in your Final Report a list of ten compositions and composers with broadcast date, time, and medium. 4. Share your musical talent. For example, learn at least three Norwegian songs (in Norwegian or in English) and arrange with your program chairman and Lodge musician to lead a

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Norwegian sing-a-long. Contact Sons of Norway Home Office about CD “Sing-a-long I”, which includes many delightful songs for group singing with accordion, piano, guitar and bass. This CD also includes piano accompaniments for all the national anthems sung at lodge meetings. If you are an instrumentalist, set up an informal recital of Norwegian music. Soloists, duos, trios or small groups can perform. Communication, preparation, practice, and teamwork are all essential. Announce your program to your lodge and in your newsletter. Include in your Final Report a copy of your announcement and an outline of the music performed. Comments about your performance would be appreciated also. 5. Write a music review. Attend a concert of Norwegian and/or other Scandinavian music and share your listening experience. Concerts are often a part of Norwegian/ Scandinavian festivals in the United States, Canada, Norway, or other Scandinavian countries. Closer to home, perhaps your local professional, college, or high school orchestra, chamber group, choir, or band performs Norwegian or other Scandinavian music. Draw your own conclusions about the performances. Use the Listening Report Form as a guide for your review, or write it your own way. If you are comfortable doing so, submit your review to the editor of your newsletter for possible publication or check with your program chairman about sharing your review with your lodge. Include in your Final Report a copy of the concert program. 6. Interview music-makers in your lodge or community. Talk with any individuals who are or have been involved in music in any way (not just Norwegian or other Scandinavian music). Ask these individuals about their own experiences, musical studies, the joys and frustrations of music, and any related thoughts or questions you have. If you are or have been involved in music in any way (e.g. harmonica-player, piano lessons, choir or glee club, orchestra or band), ask yourself the same questions. Include in your Final Report half-page summaries of three personal interviews. 7. Arrange a musical presentation or mini-presentation. Request video and/or slide presentations about Norwegian music from your lodge or the Sons of Norway lending library. Arrange a presentation date and time with your program chairman and prepare the material for your group. Announce your presentation to the lodge and in your newsletter. Include in your Final Report the newsletter announcement. Comments about your presentation would be appreciated also.

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8. Explore Sissel Kyrkjebø recordings. Several are listed below, but your choice is not limited to these. Complete a Listening Report Form for at least one recording. a. Gift of Love Mercury 522 118-4 [LC 0268 PG 581]: copyright 1994 PolyGram As, Oslo During the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, Sissel Kyrkjebø singing Fire in Your Heart was heard throughout the world. American singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka said of her: “I first met Sissel on the Red Cross TV show in Norway. The moment she opened her mouth to sing, I was speechless. I heard one of the most beautiful voices in a long time…But star quality goes beyond a voice alone…I believe she is one of the national treasures of Norway.” This cassette tape presents 13 songs in English, starting with Fire in Your Heart. It includes three Sedaka songs (a duet with him in Breaking Up Is Hard To Do) and the Lennon & McCartney song Here, There and Everywhere. b. Innerst i sjelen Mercury 522 424-2; copyright 1994, PolyGram As, Oslo This CD presents 12 selections, the last of which is the 1994 Olympic song Fire In Your Heart. This song is the only song in English, and is performed as a duet with Placido Domingo, world famous opera singer and conductor and one of the “Three Tenors”. The other 11 songs are in Norwegian, and include folk songs from Sunnmøre and Hallingdal, and stev from Telemark and Setesdal. The insert has text only in Norwegian. The instrumental accompaniment is a mix of old and contemporary sounds, including Hardanger fiddle, guitar, keyboards, woodwinds and percussion. c. Glade Jul (see elective activity 9 below, Christmas Music) d. Soria Moria (a few songs in English; most in Norwegian) e. Sissel (Debut Album) MC 8601, NOAH This cassette tape contains 12 songs, titles in Norwegian (except Summertime), and unfortunately has no insert notes. Instruments include guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, bass and percussion. f. Sissel: Northern Lights DVD featuring Sissel and celebrated guest and friend José Carreras in this new public television special filmed on location in the UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE VILLAGE of Røros, Norway. For further information on the video, go to www.denonclassics.com or www.Sissel.net

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9. Explore Christmas music from Norway and the Norwegian Communities in North America. Choose one of the four recordings listed below, and complete a Listening Report Form. Comment about when and how you first learned the Christmas songs familiar to you, about the songs new to you, and about any Christmas memories you wish to share. A number of songs can be found in the two Norwegian/English songbooks mentioned in Part Three, the Sons of Norway songbook or in any songbooks you have available. Some songs appear on more than one recording. a. Jul i norske stuer Nordisc 538 261-2;copyright 1998 PolyGram A/S, Oslo This CD is a wonderful potpourri of 22 Christmas songs performed by several of Norway’s best-known singers, including Nora Brockstedt, Elisabeth Andreassen, Alf Prøysen, NRK Studiekor, and others. All the songs are in Norwegian, and the insert texts are in Norwegian only. Several are familiar Christmas songs, such as Let it Snow, Now it is Christmas Time, Lo How a Rose Is Blooming, Silent Night, I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve (Jeg er så glad hver julekveld), and Beautiful Savior. b. Sølvguttene julenatt Aurora ARCD 1923; copyright 1987 Sølvguttene/Torstein Grythe In 1940, Torstein Grythe founded the boys choir Sølvguttene, and after a short time they affiliated with National [Radio] Broadcasting in Norway. In 1951, Grythe also took over management of the NRK Boys Choir. For many years the Sølvguttene Choir and the NRK Choir performed together, and in 1968 the two joined together as one—Sølvguttene. The Choir is a division of Radio Broadcasting in Norway and has performed throughout Norway and abroad. Thorstein Grythe studied violin, and until 1986 was director of music for Oslo Music Conservatory as well as for Sølvguttene. This CD presents 20 selections, many of which are familiar Christmas songs: Beautiful Savior, Lo How a Rose Is Blooming, O How Beautiful the Sky, Silent Night, I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve, Thy Little Ones Dear Lord Are We, A Child Is Born in Bethlehem, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pie, Jesu, and Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from Messiah. The insert texts are in Norwegian only. c. Musikk fra Norden (Music from the North) Christmas music and other songs from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland; Edvard Grieg "Bell Ringing" and "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" (See Part Two). Norwegian-American performers: Inger Dahlin, Violin and Hardanger Fiddle; Margaret Halvorson Heglund, Piano; Carolyn Solmonson Norquist, Voice. Made available as a CD in 2005 (www.musikkfranorden.com).

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d. Glade jul- Sissel Kyrkjebø NOAHMC 8700; copyright 1987 Stageway records AS, Oslo This cassette is one of the earlier Sissel recordings and includes 13 songs, all but one sung in Norwegian. Most of the songs are arrangements of traditional pieces. A variety of singers and instrumentalists provides background. Many of the songs will be familiar but in new arrangements: Silent Night, A Thousand Christmas Lights Are Lit, Lo How a Rose Is Blooming, Beautiful Savior, A Child Is Born in Bethlehem, Thy Little Ones Dear Lord Are We, Mary’s Boy Child ( in English), and I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve. Many are found in English and Norwegian in the two songbooks listed in Resources. 10. Submit a copy of a work of art (drawing, sketch, painting, cartoon, etc.) you created as a result of listening to and/or performing Norwegian music. 11. Learn to play folk dance tunes for lodge dance activities. Report on tunes learned and activities participated in. Comment on the differences between playing for dancing vs. playing for listening.

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RESOURCES At the Sons of Norway website (www.sofn.com), click on “members only” and go to “member resources” and you will find a wealth of information through the Information Bank, the Slide Library, the CD and video lending library (refer to “Famous People and “Tourist” sections). See some examples below: Videos: Edvard Grieg’s Mountain Odyssey (27 minutes; his music and nature) The Sound of Norway (30 minutes; music of Norwegian composers) Slide Program: Troldhaugen (20 Minutes; tour of Grieg’s home) Information Bank & Mini-Presentations (write-ups, each 3 minutes long) Lucia Romjula-The Days Between Christmas and New Years Battle of Kringen/Prillar Guri The Hardanger Fiddle Myllarguten-A Master Fiddler Edvard Grieg, Composer Ole Bull, Violinist Kirsten Flagstad, Opera Singer Norwegian Christmas Carols Purchasing resources. In addition to those listed below, try your local music retailers Scandinavian Marketplace 218 East 2nd Street – Hastings, MN 55033 1.800.797.4319 / [email protected] www.scandinavianmarket.com Ingebretsen’s Scandinavian Center 1601 E. Lake Street – Minneapolis, MN 55407 1.800.279.9333 / 612.729.9333 www.Ingebretsens.com [email protected] Stabo Scandinavian Imports – West Acres 3902 13th Ave S, Suite 605 – Fargo ND 58103 1.701.282.0421 www.stabo-imports.com [email protected] Skandisk, Inc. 6667 W Old Shakopee Rd, Suite 109, Bloomington, MN 55438 1-800-468-2424 or 952-829-8998 www.skandisk.com 26

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Purchasing resources (cont.) St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave. Northfield, MN 55057-1098 1-800-363-5487 and 1-888-232-6523 www.stolafrecords.com and www.stolafbookstore.com The Dale Warland Singers www.dalewarlandsingers.org Internet Search: www.amazon.com (Search Norway music CDs) www.scandinaviahouse.org (New York City) www.norway.org To order recordings directly from Norway, try these two websites: www.mfn.musiconline.no and www.mic.no Songbooks Ekte Norsk Jul III (Traditional Norwegian Christmas Songs, Poems & Stories, Vol. 3) by Astrid Karlsen Scott, 1997, ISBN 0-9634339-3-8 (vol. 3), ISBN –9635339-1-1 (4-vol set), Nordic Adventures, 7602 Holiday Valley Dr NW, Olympia WA 98502, 360-866-3798, www.NordicAdventures.com Mike and Else’s Norwegian Songbook compiled and edited by Mike and Else Sevig, 1985. ISBN 0-9615394-0-2, Skandisk Inc (see Purchasing Resources) Den Store Barne-Sangboka (The Big Songbook for Children) by Astrid Hole, 1985. ISBN 82-03-11215-3, H. Aschehoug & Com (W. Nygaard), Oslo Books in English A History of Norwegian Music, by Nils Grinde 1991 Edvard Grieg--Letters to Colleagues and Friends, ed Finn Benestad, 2000 Edvard Grieg--The Man and the Artist, by Finn Benestad and Dag SchjelderupEbbe 1988 Johan Svendsen—The Man, the Maestro, the Music by Finn Benestad and Dag Schjelderup, Ebbe 1995 Ole Bull: Norway’s Romantic Musician and Cosmopolitan by Einar Haugen, Camilla Cai(contributor) 1996 Shattered Dreams, The Ole Bull Colony in Pennsylvania, by Paul W. Heimel 27

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

Publication Resources Sons of Norway’s Viking magazine often publishes articles related to Norwegian and North-American musicians and composers. News of Norway, published by the Norwegian Embassy in Washington D.C., is also a good source of information on music (www.norway.org). Examples from Viking Magazines: May 2008: The Legacy of Setre and Songs of my Youth Oct 2007: Grieg – Music to our Ears - Bergen Philharmonic Sep 2007: The Youth Issue - “Hot Music out of Norway’s Cold Climate” Grieg: Young Norwegian Pianist Knut Erik Jensen Nov 2006: Ibsen goes to Africa (See Part Two “Peer Gynt”) Mar 2001: Music and Musicians of Norway (Introduction to Music Cultural Skills Unit) Nov 2000: Musical Heritage: The St. Olaf Choir introduces the Norwegian discipline and values to its members Oct 1997: Hometown History – “Nidelven” (Liv Dahl) Norwegian-American Weekly (Arts and Entertainment Section), 7301- 5th Ave. NE, Suite A, Seattle, WA 98115, Tel. 206-784-4617, www.norway.com Libraries See Music and Fine Arts book sections; reference sections (Grove’s Dictionary of Music, Harvard Dictionary of Music, encyclopedias, etc). Check technology sources. Internet SEARCH in Norway- SEARCH norway or SEARCH norway music, for example: folk music, Edvard Grieg, Harald Sæverud, Kirsten Flagstad, Hardanger fiddle, etc. SEARCH in USA- for example: Sons of Norway, www.sofn.com; email [email protected] Hardanger Fiddle Association of America www.hfaa.org

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

GLOSSARY OF NORWEGIAN MUSICAL TERMS Bånsull - lullaby; ban (child) + sull (little melody) Etter, efter - after, or “according to the way” a certain fiddler plays a tune Gangar - Norwegian country dance, uses slow folk tune in 6/8 time Halling - dance characteristic of Hallingdal Hardanger fiddle, hardingfele - an instrument unique to Norway. The highly decorated fiddle has eight (or nine) strings, four running over the fingerboard which are played in the usual way, and four (or five) running underneath the fingerboard, which vibrate sympathetically. Joik - a monotone-like chant sung by Sami telling the story of a person or past event Kjempevise - kjempe (giant) + vise (ballad, song) Kvede; kveding - a song, poem, or chant; singing Langeleik - Norwegian zither, played on one string with several accompanying strings Lokk - a musical call to animals Lur - wooden shepherd’s horn Reinlender - dance with a polka step Rull - waltz-like folk dance or refrain of a song Seljefløyte - willow pipe Slått; slåttar - tune(s), dance(s) Springar - Norwegian folk dance in 3/4 time Stev - a short improvised folk rhymed stanza, usually four lines long

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

LISTENING REPORT FORM Norwegian Cultural Skills Program Unit 14: Music and Musicians of Norway Please keep this original form and make the necessary copies for each recording. Name _____________________________ Lodge and Location __________________________ 1. Title of recording; name(s) or performing group and/or individuals; instrument(s) used.

2. Composer(s) and work(s) performed.

3. Was there an overall theme or style of the music performed? Explain.

4. Which selections did you particularly enjoy? Explain.

5. How has this music increased your understanding of Norway’s cultural heritage?

6. Other comments about this recording:

7. How did you obtain this recording? ___ borrow from Sons of Norway ___ borrow from local or neighboring Lodge ___ borrow from individual ___ purchase for self or family 30

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

PIN REPORT FORM Norwegian Cultural Skills Program Unit 14: Music and Musicians of Norway Please keep this original form and make the necessary copies for each pin/bar application. Applicant Name____________________ Lodge Name / Number__________________________ Complete Mailing Address ________________________________________________________ Phone_________________ E-mail________________ S/N membership number_____________ I am applying for the following track (circle one): Generalist Specialist Mentor/Generalist Circle the appropriate part: Level/Part 1 Level/Part 2

Mentor/Specialist

Level/Part 3

As my required activities I chose 1 2 3 Listening Report Forms are enclosed

4

As my elective activity I chose 1 2 3 4 All requested attachments are enclosed.

5 5

6

6

7

7

8

(circle all that apply) 9 10 11

(circle one)

Have you completed cultural skills categories before? Yes No If yes, please specify______________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Signature of Applicant / Date

________________________________________ Signature of Lodge or Cultural Director / Date

______________________________________________________________________________ Telephone and mailing address of Lodge or Cultural Director IMPORTANT: Your report will not be returned to you. Please make a copy of the full report – for your own records and in the unlikely event the report gets lost in transit. Mail to: Sons of Norway, Attn.: Norwegian Cultural Skills Program 1455 West Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55408 For Sons of Norway Headquarter use only: ___________________________________ Signature of Evaluator

_______________________________________ Date of Evaluation 31

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE Norwegian Cultural Skills Program Unit 14: Music and Musicians of Norway Please keep this original form and make the necessary copies to complete your reports. Unit 14: Music and Musicians of Norway:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

(circle one)

For each question below, please check the box that most accurately fits your option. The choices are: Agree (A), Neutral (N), and Disagree (D). A N D 1. The instructions for this unit were easy to follow…………….......    2. The requirements for this unit were reasonable………………...... 

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3. There were enough different choices for required activities…....

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4. There were enough different choices for elective activities….....

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5. The activities for this Unit were interesting…………………….....

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6. The unit increased my understanding of Norwegian heritage…..

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7. The unit promoted my involvement in my lodge………………...    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• SPECIFIC COMMENTS: In the space below, please add other comments and suggestions you have with respect to this unit. Your comments will be helpful in improving the Unit and in no way affect the awarding of your completed pin/bar. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Mail to: Sons of Norway, Attn.: Norwegian Cultural Skills Program 1455 West Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55408 32

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

SONS OF NORWAY Norwegian Cultural Skills Program Specialist

Anyone who wishes to go into depth in one area, e.g. Hardanger embroidery or genealogy, etc.

Generalist

Anyone who decides to sample several skills and qualify for the basic level in each, for example: stamp collection, crafts, and Norwegian foods

Mentor

Anyone who is skilled in activities offered in the Norwegian Cultural Skills Program can do a different challenge: mentor others who need formal or informal instruction. The mentor is an extremely important person in passing on the Norwegian heritage to others.

Master of Cultural Skills

Anyone who has completed at least three levels of three different skills, or nine individual basic activities.

1. TRADITIONAL NORWEGIAN COOKING Level 1 Your Favorites Level 2 Baked Goods and Desserts Level 3 Meat or Fish Dishes 2. READING NORWEGIAN AND NORWEGIAN-NORTH AMERICAN AUTHORS Level 1 Your Favorites Level 2 Fiction Level 3 Non-fiction 3. COLLECTING NORWEGIAN AND NORTH AMERICAN STAMPS Level 1 Collect General Norwegian and North American Stamps Level 2 Specialize Your Stamp Collection Level 3 Complete a Collection of a Ten-Year Period 4. NORWEGIAN ROSEMALING Level 1 Basic Strokes, Flower Form and Scroll Level 2 Complete Design Level 3 Create an Original Design 5. GENEALOGY-FAMILY HISTORY Level 1 Complete people 1-7 on a four-generation ancestor chart, etc. Level 2 Complete four more people on the ancestor, family group chart and document Level 3 Complete all information for 15 people on the charts-document and write an essay 33

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway 6.

HAND-KNITTING Level 1 The Basics Level 2 Knit with Two Colors Level 3 Create a two or multicolored sweater (based on Norwegian designs)

7. NORWEGIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE Level 1 The Basics of Norwegian Language Level 2 A Sampling of Norwegian Culture Level 3 A topic from Norwegian Language or Norwegian Culture 8. HARDANGER EMBROIDERY Level 1 The Basics Level 2 Complete a Larger Item Level 3 Using Your Skills in Creative Ways 9. FIGURE CARVING Level 1 The Basics Level 2 Complete a Detailed Carving Level 3 Complete an Original Carving 10. WEAVING Track I Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

The Basics-Make a Sampler Inkle or Card Weaving or Rigid Heddle—Complete a Project Create an Original Design

Track II—Floor or Table Loom Weaving Level 1 Produce a Sampler Level 2 Make a Finished Project Level 3 Create an Original Design 11. ORNAMENTAL WOODCARVING Level 1 The Basics Level 2 Flatskurd Level 3 Carve the Acanthus 12. CHIP CARVING Level 1 The Basics Level 2 Carve Borders Level 3 Carve Rosettes 13. FOLK DANCING Level 1 Easy Dances Level 2 Intermediate Dances Level 3 Advanced Dances 14. MUSIC AND MUSICIANS OF NORWAY Level 1 Folk Music: Roots of Norwegian Music Level 2 The 19th Century: Edvard Grieg & Contemporaries Level 3 The 20th and 21st Centuries: Composers, Performers, Conductors 34

Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

MENTOR Many people are already skilled in the activities offered in the Norwegian Cultural Skills Program. To those, a different challenge is available: Become a mentor. A mentor is a person who becomes a formal or informal teacher, leading other individuals along the generalist or specialist tracks. A mentor is an extremely important person as he/she plays a key role in passing on the Norwegian heritage to others. Example 1 Meet John. He has spent a lifetime doing beautiful wood carving. He decides to become a mentor in his lodge by teaching relief carving. When he has taught a minimum of five people the basics of relief carving and they have completed level one* of that activity, John applies for the specialist pin (he intends to continue teaching relief carving). He receives the specialist pin and three bars: Mentor, Relief Carving and level one. When at least three of his students have qualified for level two*, John receives his level two bar. If John can assist at least one* student all the way to the top, John is awarded the level three bar. See illustration. *Note that these people must send in their reports to the Norwegian Cultural Skills Program.

Example 2 Irene is cultural director of her lodge. She decides to get a number of cultural skills activities going. She starts a crafts club. She encourages the group to try knitting, Hardanger embroidery, and rosemaling. Irene’s strongest skill is rosemaling, but she knows enough about Hardanger embroidery and knitting to instruct her fellow members in the basics. Irene is on her way to becoming a mentor on the generalist track. When at least five of her fellow club members qualify for part one of Hardanger embroidery, Irene receives the generalist pin with two bars: Mentor and Hardanger. When five more of the participants qualify for part one of Knitting, Irene receives one bar: Knitting, and when yet five others qualify for part one of Rosemaling, Irene receives another bar: Rosemaling. See illustration.

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Cultural Skills: Unit 14 - Music and Musicians of Norway

NORWEGIAN CULTURAL SKILLS PROGRAM PINS Revised Policy (May 1999) SPECIALIST* The specialist pin is earned by people who wish to go into some depth in one of the specific skills. The specialist pin was designed by Marilyn Olin, a Vesterheim Gold Medalist in Rosemaling. Example Kari decides, after completing the first part of Hardanger embroidery, that this is a skill she really enjoys. She requests the specialist pin and receives the pin with two bars attached, one Hardanger and one designated for level one(one white stripe). She continues with level two of the requirements, and when these are completed, she is awarded the second level bar (one white and one red stripe). Upon completing the last level of the guidelines for Hardanger embroidery, she receives the level three bar with one white, one red and one blue stripe. See illustration. GENERALIST The generalist pin is awarded to any person who decides to sample several skills and qualify for the basic level (e.g. in stamp collecting, genealogy, music and a number of crafts), or any one part of the following units: Traditional Norwegian Foods, Reading Norwegian and NorwegianNorth American Authors, Norwegian Language and Culture. The design of the pin is based on the Selbu rose, chosen to honor the founding fathers of Sons of Norway who hailed from Selbu. It was designed by Krista Lauritzen and Liv Dahl. Example Let’s say that Norman has completed the first level of Collecting Norwegian and North American Stamps. He receives the generalist pin and a bar marked Stamps. He now wants to try Traditional Norwegian Cooking. Being a fisherman and hunter, he chooses part three, Fish and Meat. Upon completion of the guidelines, he is awarded the bar marked Cooking. Now he decides to try his hand at rosemaling. He signs up for a beginning course and completes level one, thereby having earned the bar Rosemaling. See illustration. *Please note: Only one specialist pin is given per participant. Bars will be awarded to be affixed to the original pin. Thus one pin may reflect one or several activities. 36