About the album in general
This is the second common Helene Blum & Harald Haugaard album after many individual album releases. We have gathered a lot of material over the last three years. Here you will find a small selection of our work. Songs, tunes and stories from Denmark and around. DEN STORE SOMMER is about the summer – both figurative and as metaphor. DEN STORE SOMMER contains a lullaby, a love song in a garden, a medival Danish ballad, a fairytale, an homage to a destigvished winemaker from Pfalz, songs and tunes about hope, faith and light, commissions and an almost forgotten lullaby written by the great Danish composer Carl Nielsen.
Much of the material is inspired by a certain period of time in Danish arts history; DET FOLKELIGE GENNEMBRUD (The popular breakthrough) app 1900-1920 with painters, composers, writers and sculptresses such as Carl Nielsen and Anne-Marie Carl Nielsen, Anna & Fritz Syberg, Johannes V. Jensen and many more. Artists who came them self from the common life at the countryside, reflecteded everyday life as well as the big lines in arts and life. Artists for whom it was important that women and men had equal rights, possibilities, fees, etc.
DEN STORE SOMMER also reflects that Blum, Haugaard and their terrific band constantly visit different areas in music playing with symphony orchestras, various soloists, playing concerts on smaller and bigger stages and seeking the boarders from ur alte traditional music to modern experimental sound under the big umbrella we call folk music. It’s recorded in the legendary Medley studios in Copenhagen, and produced together with Søren Mikkelsen and our band. For us the joy and laughter, the dancing goes closely together with the melancholy and darkness. For life and in music. Enjoy.
Velkommen her
An old german poem says: „Wie Christi Lieb umfing die welt Der Kranz das Jahr Zusammenhält“ … This song was inspired by the poem and says: if you look into the dark, and if you walk in old foot paths look up and welcome in the light to see how things are connected and how the world goes in cycle.
Sander
Dedicated to the distinguished wine maker Stefan Sander, his family, and his staff from Mettenheim in Rheinhessen.
Blandt de skygger
“Its easier to fear the worst than to believe in the good life” is the core of this very new written song, that we made together with one of our favorite singers and songwriters: Swedens Esbjörn Hazelius. Its also a story about the fact that happiness isn’t always found where you think it should be found. It can be hidden in the small things..
Anna Læser
Anna Syberg was a female artist (painter) who lived around Faaborg (our area) 1870-1914. She struggled with her life as a mother, wife and artist and died young leaving 7 kids to her dear husband Fritz Syberg, who was also an artist. Her story is a reminder today, that the challenges between female/male energies has always been around. The tune is a tribute to her and to all female artist, that has showed the way for all of us to come after.
“Anna læser” is commissioned by Faaborg Museum as part of the work “Høj Himmel” and was premiered June 2022.
Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag
Old traditional summer song. We have taken the song back to “polska” dance feeling. In former times you would have to sing to a ball if you could not get a fiddler or other musician to play. We have several dancing songs in the Danish tradition. Fiddle and drums follow up with an energetic new Polska.
Den store sommer
After a long cold winter there is light, people community, music, life, love, and hope. But something has changed…
The garden
Tim O Brien’s beautiful love song about two people in a garden with each their story who maybe – maybe not becomes the same. We have played this song on tours the last 5 years and have got several requests to record it. Here it is with a big thank you to Tim.
Den elskedes død
An old trad folk song about a man who loses his love. He gets the message, that she Is dead, but he doesn’t believe it. He is running to his horse, and he is riding as fast as he can to the cemetery, where he ask to get the coffin opened. There she is: lifeless. He takes out golden bands and rings to give her a beautiful last travel and to give as presents to the people who helps with the grave and church bells.
Elverhøj
This movement is written as part of a bigger piece, that we wrote together to a new museum in Faaborg (Øhavsmuseet). The movement - as well as the museum - praises the nature and hidden treasures in our local area on Southern Funen. The text describes the magic of an elf mound with both words from H.C.Andersens fairytale (The Elf Mound) and words from the exhibition, that tells you, that you have to walk quiet through the bog.
Leise Sprache
We have done Christmas tours for almost twenty years and we always seek to compose and research new material for the tours. This little waltz was on the set list at the Nordic Christmas tour 2022 and is inspired by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s wonderful magic story about Nissen “DE: “Tomte”) who is going around on the farm in the bitter cold winter night and speaks to the animals in a quite language.
Sov Sødt
We are proud to call Carl Nielsen our national composer. We are highly inspired by his work and life (1865 – 1931). This melody is well known as an autumn/winter song, but in his old letters and diaries we found this text, that Nielsen did write himself as a lullaby to “little Sonja”. Perhaps the only song lyrics this great composer ever did. And perhaps the first recording of it ever.
1Velkommen her03:58
Music: Helene BlumLyrics: Helene BlumISRC: DENO2-23-10401
2Sander02:54
Music: Harald HaugaardISRC: DENO2-23-10402
3Blandt de skygger der flader03:56
Music: Helene BlumLyrics: Esbjörn HazeliusISRC: DENO2-23-10403
4Anna Læser03:37
Music: Helene BlumISRC: DENO2-23-10404
5Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag/Sommerdagen01:50
Music: Traditional Danish/Harald Haugaard & Sune RahbekLyrics: Traditional from Korsør 1862ISRC: DENO2-23-10405
6Den store sommer04:27
Music: Harald HaugaardISRC: DENO2-23-10406
7The Garden04:08
Music: Tim O’Brien/David Olney/John HadleyLyrics: Tim O’Brien/David Olney/John HadleyPublisher: Cornbread Nation/Red Lilly Music/Sony ATVISRC: DENO2-23-10407
8Den elskedes død04:35
Music: After Jens Mikkelsen, Kølvrå 1874/Helene BlumLyrics: After Jens Mikkelsen, Kølvrå 1874/Helene BlumISRC: DENO2-23-10408
9Elverhøj03:51
Music: Helene Blum/Harald HaugaardLyrics: Hans Christian Andersen from “Elverhøi”ISRC: DENO2-23-10409
10Mosen02:09
Music: Helene Blum/Harald HaugaardLyrics: Leonie PichlerISRC: DENO2-23-10410
11Leise Spreche02:40
Music: Harald HaugaardISRC: DENO2-23-10411
12Sov sødt, du lille Sonja01:54
Music: Carl NielsenLyrics: Carl NielsenISRC: DENO2-23-10412
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Concerts10/19/2023Eventhalle am Westpark Ingolstadt
10/20/2023Zehntscheuer Ravensburg
10/21/2023Dieselstrasse Esslingen
12/8/2023Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
12/9/2023Sendesaal Bremen
12/14/2023Romantik Bad Rehburg
12/15/2023Lessingtheater Wolfenbüttel
12/16/2023Stadttheater Minden
12/17/2023Evangelisch.Reformierte Kirche Göttingen