Carl Nielsen and 358 Danske Folkedansemelodier (Bind 1)

  I am fascinated by the link between the late Nielsen sound and the music of the Danish Soil, the tradition of the ‘Spillemaend’, which, I believe, underpins all his music, but most particularly the late instrumental revelations. So there is only one thing to do, to get to grips with it. On the shelves of my father-in-law’s library in Minnesota, I found the wonderful ‘358 Danske Folkedansemelodier’. So I am studying whole thing.

Carl Nielsen grew up playing this music-his father was acclaimed on Fyn as a Spillemaend. He was less encouraging lille Carl’s first attempts at composition. Arriving late at a dance where Nielsen and his brothers were already playing, he found his 9-year son eagerly playing this A major Polka-which the composer wrote out in 1927 to be published in ‘Min Fynske Barndom’. ‘It’s impossible to dance to…’ he muttered.

Carl Nielsen-Polka Workshop recording-29th August 2011. Peter Sheppard Skaerved. Violin-Richard Duke (gut-strung) 

For more Nielsen violin writing, go to LINK

Composers! This is for you-hoping this will be wellspring of variation, improvisations, etudes, fugues, Stykker, nocturnes and habeneras…..I am moved my the example of Haydn, who was moved to arrange over 4oo Scottish and Welsh Folk Songs for G S Thomson in the last years of his life. When he was questioned as to why he was working with this material, he replied that this was the best music that he could possibly work with. For a folk tune to survive it has to be perfectly fitted to its requirements-any surplus will be trimmed away in a sort of evolutionary reductionism-the result was what Henry Moore would call ‘great and elemental simplicity.’

1. Fremad (Falster)

2. Syvspring (Vendsyssel)

3. Norsk Fjaeldmarsch(Vendsyssel)

4. Den toppede Hoene

5. Bitte mand i Knibe (Randers)

6. Korsfirtur (Randers)

7. Firetur (Varde)

8. Berlinerkontra (Horsens)

9. Gamle Berliner (Langeland) 

10. Drejlstykket (Holbaek) 

11. Hattemageren(Nordsjaelland) 

12. Joedetur (Falster)  

13. Halvfemte Tur (Frederikssund) I & II 

14. Fransk Reel (Horsens) 

15. Pirrevals (Falster) 

16. Kontradans (Vendsyssel) 

17. Matrosdans (Vendsyssel) 

18. Den lille Jydske eller Moensk Hopsa (Slagelse) 

19. Tre Mands Reel (Odsherred) 

20. .Jydsk paa Naesen -Polonaise (Horsens) 

21. Den store Hamboerger (Himmerland) 

22. Ruder Es. (Himmerland) 

23. Te ae fja’Si’e ell. Heidilti, kom herom (Himmerland) 

24. Kontrasejre (Slagelse) 

25. Kvadrille (Slagelse) 

26. De fire Hjorner (Midtssjaelland) 

27. Kedelflikkerdans (Vensyssel) 

28. Den Roede Lue (Himmerland) 

29. Trekant I-II-III {De’javeritino} (Horsens)

30. Lille Hamborger (Thisted) 

31. Kontramarsch (Vestjylland) 

32. Tospring (Tarm) 

33. Tre Trins Hopsa (Hindsholm)

34. Hukestok (Hindsholm)

35. De Kikkernaes Pigers Polka (Hindsholm)

36. Soenderhoning 1 (Fanoe)

37. Soenderhonig 2 (Fanoe)

38. Fannikafans (Fanoe)

39. Knurrifas (Han Herred)

40. Pariser Polka (Fyn)

41. Stokkermarch (Himmerland)

42. Reel (Toervedans) (Roskilde)

43.  Totur (Morsoe)

44. Tretur (Morsoe)

45.Firetur (Han Herred)

46. Femtur (Han Herred)

47. Trenderup (Han Herred)

48. Hoftur (Morsoe)

49. Sving Kontra (Ribe)

50.Blaa Flag (Amager)  

51. Otte Mands Reel (Roskilde)

52. Firtur (Kallehave)

53. Kydholms Dans (Samsoe)

54. Vejrmoelle Tur (Amager)

55. Spids-Hamborger (Terndrup)

56. Skotsk (Vestjylland)

57. Loenborg Nr. 2 (Vestjylland)

58. Stille Totur (Thy)

59. Stille Tretur (Thy)

60. Stille Firtur (Thy)

61. Enkelt Kaede (Kollemorten)

62. Gamle Nr. 12 (Langeland)

63. Trekant med vals (Sydjylland)

64. Trekant Svejtrit (Ostjylland)

65. Keglekvadrille (Syd-Thy)

66. Klap-Kontra (Syd-Thy)

67. Oesterbro-Kontra (Syd-Thy)

68. Den lang Firtur (Han Herred)

69. Tolvtur (Thorning)

70. Fransoesisk Kontra (Thorning)

73.

71.Vesterbo-Kontra (Herning)

72. Tretur med Sving (Blaahoj)

73. Firtur med Sving (Blaahoj)

74. Den gamle Sekstur (Syd-og Midjylland)

75. Polsk Sekstur (Midtjylland)

76. Dobbelt Kontra (Midtjylland)

77. Oldemors Firtur (Syd-og Midtjylland)

78. Berliner (Vorbasse)

79. Vals-Firetur (Sydjylland)

80. Kontra (Malt.)

81. Kontra-Vals (Maasholm, Sydslesvig)

82. Den lille Totur (Filskov)

83. Familie Tretur (Midtjylland)

84. Rundt og ret hjem (Vejle)

85. Lette Hans (Nordfyn)

86. Klaphopsa (Fyn)

87. Tre Ting (Midtfyn)

88. Skomagerskotsk (Fyn)

89. Venstrebenet (Midtfyn)

90. Tantes Hopsa eller ‘Ryste Lopper'(Sydfyn)

91. Mads Tobak (Ostfyn)

92. Damernes Fornoejelse (Hindsholm)

93. Den Russiske (Hindsholm)

94. Grisen faldt og brak sit Laar (Hindsholm)

95. Judevals (Hindsholm)

96. Engelsk Firetur (Sydfyn)

97. Dronningens Dans (Nordfyn)

98. Reel (Nordfyn)

99. Sekstur (Nordfyn)

100. Kvadrille (Fyn)

101. Hans Rasmussens Vals (Nordfyn)

102. Skotsk paa langs (Nordfyn)

103. Hjerter To (Nordfyn)

104. Den brune Troeje (Ostfyn)

105. Oxekow (Taasinge)

106.Kvadrille (Taasinge)

107.Sekstur med Vals (Taasinge)

108. Totur (Taasinge)

109. Den Store engelske (Taasinge)

110. Ottetur (Taasinge)

111. Det blaa Flag (Aeroe)

112. Kongens Have (Aeroe)

113. Liflig Sang (Aeroe)

114. Sviren (Aeroe)

115. Den med Gabet i. (Aeroe)

116. Kontra med Mollevit (Aeroe)

117. Ny Berliner (Aeroe)

118. Vals efter Mollevit (?)

119. Mollevit (Nordfyn)

120. Mollevit (Aeroe)

121. Pigernes Aftensang (Himmerland)

122. Syvtrit (Himmerland)

123. Spansk Hopsa (Himmerland)

124. To ting-Tyroler Vals og Hopsa (Himmerland)

125. Henrik Smith (Himmerland)

126. Siskeb (Himmerland)

127. Mallebrok (Himmerland)

128.Lyboekeren (Himmerland)

129. Springforket (Himmerland)

130. Varsoviane (Himmerland)

131. Teilade Polka (Himmerland)

132. Totur (Himmerland)

133. Tretur (Himmerland)

134. Otte Mands Dans (Himmerland)

135. Kontrasejre (Hobro)

136. Feder Mikke; (Himmerland)

137. Dan gale Totur (Himmerland)

138. Firtur paa langs (Himmerland)

198. Sextur paa langs (Himmerland)

140.  Sjampa Dans (Himmerland)

141. Polka Sextur (Himmerland)

142. Den runde Sextur (Himmerland)

143. Ben ud i Haven (Fyn)

144.Polka-To (Kollemorten)

145. Ungkaa’els Dans (Vejlegnen)

146. Kaedevals (Sydjylland)

147. Moelleturn (Midt og OstJylland)

148. Trekantet Sloejfe (Thy)

149. Gamle Else (Blaahoj)

150. Tre gang seks (Sexstur fra Midtjylland)

151. Drille Hopsa (Lolland)

152. Den lille Vendelbo (Vestlolland)

153. Halvtredjetur (Vestlolland)

154. Degnedansen (Vestjolland)

155. Langelands-Havtur (Vestlolland)

156. Fire klapper rundt (Ostjylland)

157. Kontrasejre (Ostlolland)

158. Degnen fra Rorbaek (Ostlolland)

159. Rygturen (Ostlolland)

160. Syngestykket. (Ostlolland)

161. Totur (Falster)

162. Tretur (Falster)

163. Totur (Ostlolland)

164. Tretur (Ostlolland)

165.Firetur (Falster)

166. Snurrepisken (Ostlolland)

167. Menuet med Pisk (Ostlolland)

168.Boehmerdans ‘det sorte Lam’ (Lolland Falster)

169. Vaeverdansen (Lolland-Falsten)

170 Fandango (Ostlolland)

171. Lang-Menuet (Falster)

172. Ruder Es. (Mors)

173. Tyroler Hamborger (Mors)

174. Totur (Mors)

175. Tretur (Mors)

176. Firetur (Mors)

177. Fire Mands Reel (Mors)

178. Gue Venner (Mors)

179. Kobenhavns Sekstur (Mors)

180. Ny sekstur (Mors)

181. Galop Kontra (Mors)

182. Jens Madsnes Livstykke (Mors)

183. Joedetur (Mors)

184. Totur (Mors)

185. Tretur (Mors)

186. Firetur (Mors)

187. Halvfemtetur (Mors)

188. Dronningens Livstykke (Mors)

189. Put i Hul (Mors)

190. Den toppede Hoene (Thy)

191. Sekstur paa langs (Thy)

192. Fandango (Thy)

193. Mellam Kagel ae Vaeg (Thy)

194. Hellesens Vals (Thy)

195. Den Gamle Otte paa langs (Thy)

196. Hamborger paa langs (Tre Ryk og Spark) (Thy)

197. Den Ny Maskerdade (Thy)

198. Dronningedans (Moen)

199. Prinsesens Polka (Moen)

200. Skraedderns Hopsa (Moen)

201. Bumpe-Skotsk (Moen)

202 Sekstur (Moen)

203. Firspring.(Moen)

 204. Cylinder-Kontra (Møn)

205. Møns-Kontra (Møn)

206. Kontra otte

207 Kontrasajre (Møn)

208. Hoftur (Møn)

209. Skærsommernats-Drøm

210. Den Dobbelte Kied (Jage Hanen ned)(Møn)

211. Totur 1(Præstø)

212. Totur 2 (Præstø)

213. Taekkemanden Tretur (Præstø)

349. Kronprinsend March

350. March fra Fyn

351. Bonaparte-march

352. Vals fra Anker

Danske Spillemaend-melodier (from 358 Danske-Folkedansemelodier)-Bind II
Turtur (Odsherrred) – Otte Mands Reel II (Roskildeegnen) – Ruder Es (Randersegnen) – Den Romerke Vals (Norfyn) – Vals (Lolland) – Tante Lett (Bornholm) – Kontrasejre II (Alsynderup)

Peter Sheppard Skaerved-Violin
Outtakes 23 4 16 (St John the Baptist Aldbury)
Engineer-Jonathan Haskell

Sky over St John the Baptist, Aldbury, after recording the Danish Country Dances

LINK to THE FOG IS LIFTING

Spillemand, spil paa Strænge,/Barmen er mig trang,/Hvo kan savne længe

Barnets simple Sang?/Ride, ride Ranke!/Flyv afsted min Tanke,/

Flyv hen over Bjerg og Elv,/Hjertet bliver først sig selv I sin Barneverden! (H C Andersen)

For more nordic fiddle music, go to LINK