What's happening in Canada? Idle No More Movement

I think this New Year will be remembered for ever in Canadian history.

Chief Theresa Spence are on day 20 in her hungerstrike with the demand to have a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and no one else. His answer is he has no time to see her.

What is happening? Please correct me if I had misunderstood something here. Of course reality if complex and this is a huge field of history through the years and politics today that I don't have enough knowledge about. But from my view sitting here in a foreigh country I try to write down the frames of it to spread the word.

Idle No More is a protest movement among The First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, and non-aboriginal supporters of the First Nations, of Canada, and partly also international.
They protest against broken treaties and unrightful laws that take their land and water resources, and keep them living in some extreeme conditions in some areas. A housing crisis where the houses has no electricity, nor plumbing. Health issues due to pollutions of nature from industries and mines. The hopelessness is causing suicide among young people. One suicide is one too much if you ask me.

A year ago it was reported in international news about the situation in Canada. Now a year later it's status quo. This is why chief Theresa Spence demand a meeting with no one else but Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a proper meeting on national level. First Nations meets Nation of Canada.


Canadian News:
CBC News

International news:
Al Jazeera on Canada

A non-native Canadian speaks about what's going on about Harpers neglect to find time to have a meeting with Chief Theresa Spence who are on hungerstrike.
The Bear Cat's blogg

Idle No More on Facebook:
Idle No More

Sign petition at Avaaz:
Chief_Theresa_Spence_help_end_her_Hunger_Strike 


Eva

Får i kål. Everyone can take a small step for the climate

Eva goes blogging about food....
I'll get back to music soon, there's so much good music I've heard lately!

But here's something that interests and concerns me much too.

With the climate change in mind we can all contribute with trying to buy food that is seasonal and not requiring too much transportation and energy for growing.
Here's a favourite dish, "Får i kål" = Sheep in cabbage. In Norway it's a national dish, many farms there have to be sheep-farms due to the landscape. Very steep hillsides is the place where the sheep spend their summers.

1 kg lambs meat, cut in cubes. I used the front part of the lamb.
1 small white cabbage
6 big carrots (my addition to the original recipie)
butter for frying
a little bit of wheet flour
salt
allspice (kryddpeppar)

Cut big pieces of white cabbage and start and end with white cabbage in the pot. In between you can mix all the other ingredients, sprinkle a little bit wheet flour and salt between layers. Add some allspice, I used them whole, not grinded.

First layer cabbage is fried in butter.

Next layers are just put on top and then it will be cooked together, not fried. So it's very easy to make this.

The cabbage contains lot of water and the main idea is to let this dish boil almost without added water. Some recipies suggest to add a little water, I didn't this time. It's the water in the vegetables that creates the nice sauce.

Boil it on low temperature for long time. 2 to 3 hours.

While it's boiling you can take a little time to join the rise for a climate change. I strongly believe we have to both change our own life style + organize together and put pressure politically. Here's a network with many good suggestions what you can do. Föräldravrålet

Bon appetit!

I promised to show pics from baking bread, christmas style. Elisabet, I curious to see the original, will you show me one day? I'm happy if I can spread some smile with showing theese two, a bit peculiar looking ones.
Long time ago there was a tradition in my family to bake a bread called julkuse (= yule horse) for christmas. This is my first try out of what I heard it looked like. I don't have the recipie and I love to make up my own recipies with ingredients I like. This time I had walnut, raisins and apricots, dough based on with dinkel + wheet flour.

Eva

Blue hour in Sweden

Half an hour before 4 o clock in the afternoon the Blue Hour is spreading over Göteborg. It's time to read and listen to music.

Why is it so hard to just do nothing?

There are many things to prepare for work in January with Irmelin, with Ahmad Al Khatib, Martin Holmlund, Roger Johansson-project, and other concerts too. It's going to be lot of rehersing time. Irmelin cd will be mixed. Travels and administrational big time job, applications as usual. I'm privileged to work with so fine musicians, and I'm again full of passion for what we do.  (During autumn I had a "close-to-hit-the-wall-experience") Each and every project I'm in makes me jump out of bed in the morning.

But I fight to not start any of that yet. Holiday first. I must take some time free, really free.

Wait.

Say no.

(Alexander techique)

Wait and observe the directions.

Up tall.

Down earthed.

Front.

Back. Breath with your back side.

Relax.

One side.

The other side.

Width.

Now it's time to decide when to take action. Say no to the auto pilot. It's my decision. It's on me to drive now.

Here's some music for a so far grey day, now turning to blue hour.
Miss Li in her official video, shot in Enviken at Jonssons Fik (and other places like the main road in Enviken....) I enjoy it especially because it's made in Enviken.





Sågskära songs from the cd Apelgrå, for games around christmas, "Räven, höken och ungersven". This film was showed on television when the cd was released. Thank you Yoshiaki in Japan for finding this link on youtube!




Eva

Flight bright mood

Childrens words and painting of angels.
Made at Rannebergs school, March 2010.

Angel by Vera.

Yes there are angels, I have five, my best friends.
Linnea, 3A.

I have seen an angel. It was white like a paper,
small as a fly and strong as many construction cranes.

Angels in Göteborg at Hiroshima day, 2007.

Eva

Bingsjö christmas song, gathering for party

Nu ä dä juli tredag-kväll
å dä felar uti kaggen,
å nu ä tunnan allt förbi,
så dä når int’ opp i laggen.

Kött ost å fläsk,
å stömming därnäst,
å allt som finns uti huse’
å lite brännvin uti kruse’.

Å få vi int’ en ljusbit
i varje gål,
så bire mörkt uti huse’
å inge brännvin uti kruse’.


trad Bingsjö, Dalarna
Transcription by pastor Mats Åmark, letter at Nordiska Museet 1908

Roughly translated it's something like this, but this song is sung in very old fashioned dialect and it's definitely hard to translate verse one. Please contact me if you have suggestions, and if I'm totally misunderstanding something here.

Now is the third day of Christmas
and it's lacking in the keg (to be enough for a party).
It's over (empty) in the barrel
so it won't reach up to the griddle.

(Give us...) Meat, cheese and pork,
and herring as well,
and everything you have in the house,
and a little bit of firewater in the jar.

And if we don't get a bit of a candle
in every farm,
it will be dark in the house,
and no firewater in the jar.

But the best of all with this song is the description of how it all was organized.
Village people, old and young, even children, dressed up like mascerade in the most ridiculous clothes they could find. They formed a procession including horses pulling a pole. On this pole it was a construction where a big wheel was put in place and two men sat on the wheel, wiggeling sidewise as the horses where pulling forward. Going from farm to farm this way they sung this song and maybe other songs too while collecting food, drink and candles for the party.

This tradition ended quite long ago, maybe in the middle of the 18hundreds. When the song was found it was not in use anymore, just remembered by some old people who could tell about the peculiar details of this otherwise widespread tradition of begging for food for parties.

Drawing of bread decorations, christmas style from Bingsjö:

Today turned out to be a sunny day after a foggy morning. Time to do some errands.

Eva

Myths and songs on Boxing Day

Early in the morning of Boxing Day was a very special occasion in the old days. The traditions has roots dating back before christianity came to Sweden. It was a day when the horses were supposed to be taken to a special well of fertility, a Stephens well. Drinking the water there on this particular day the horses would be strong and healthy the coming year.

This was also a day when the young people in the village set out on begging processions, singing Stephens songs. Food was gathered for the christmas parties that followed the next days. A way of getting together during the darkest time of the year, dance and play games. It was really popular! Otherwise around the year it was so much work to do on the farms and not really time and space for making parties.

Folk & Rackare: Staffansvisa:



I spend this evening enjoying the CD Apelgrå, recorded by Sågskära. Especially the Stephen songs they sing. Eva

Good continuation

God fortsättning/Good continuation!

Snowfall and totally white landscape here! The soft snow makes everything a bit silent and peaceful, wich is exactly what I like. We do a some really warm, heartful but casual meetings today, gathering around the coffé and x-mas cakes that has been the family traditions since long.

Train between Göteborg and Falun is sometimes including a stop in Örebro. We had the pleasure to have "fika" (coffé and bread) at the cosy café next to the train station. Very good service by the man running the café.
Best hot chokolate with wipped cream, said my daugther.

John Lindberg Trio is perfoming today in Övertänger, Enviken:


Have a nice and swinging day!
Eva

Winter in Dalarna - God jul - Merry Christmas

I wish you happy holidays and peace in your hearts!

Thank you for following my blog! I'll be back soon, but now some days off to just spend time with family and friends and do as little work as possible.

Eva

Love overcomes all

Found some really nice items yesterday at the local Saturday amusement where nearly the whole neighbourhood gather.
Reningsborg is a charity second hand who have many projects in communities where people with very small resourses can get help to help themselves. Reningsborg has projects in east Europe and in India. Give a poor man a fish and he's not hungry for a day. Give a poor man a fishing rod and he can feed himself. Reningsborg

I like it a lot because I can find nice things for a good price, and I know I become part of something bigger. So I allow myself to go for it, and not to forget, it's recycling. Good for the environment too.

Found a handmade embroidered wall cloth. Someone picked theese words out of all existing words and decided to embroid it together with the flowers, with all the time and skill it takes to do that.

Love overcomes all.

Beautifully tailored black coat from Holmbloms in Göteborg

This black coat has buttons of black pearl, narrow waist and width in the full length. I saw it a week ago but didn't buy. Couldn't forget it so I was very happy it was still there. I've searched the internet and it seems to be connected to Gustaf Holmbloms Coat Shop with records as early as 1902. They advertise they sell coats and promenade costumes.
Underdress from danish label Cream.

Sales at Holmbloms in 1943. Photo borrowed from Stockholms Stadsmuseum

Green glass is something that I had a dream about one night just after moving to this apartment. In this dream I was shopping vintage green glass for my new home. So I keep it as a daydream to, that I give in for. Above is two green glass holders for hyacint bulbs, both found at Reningsborg.

Below some tiny green glass from earlier "hunts" at Reningsborg. When it's partytime I like to serve chokolate mousse and indian yougurt dessert in tiny vintage glasses and cups so you can have many.
Perfume Shanghai Rose from Jonssons Fik och Butik in Enviken.

Vintage hangers are one of my favourites. It gives so much extra to it when I can hang my clothes on nice hangers.

Now my dear readers of this blogg. It's getting very close to Christmas and I wish you a realxed time. I hope you will spend the holiday just the way you wish to do so.


Eva

Jadayel, CD with Ahmad al Khatib, Youssef Hbeisch and stringquartet Bela

This is the cd that will be the soundtrack of my midwinter.

You had me at first hello.

Jadayel is an instrumental cd with musicians Ahmad Al Khatib, oud, Youssef Hbeisch, percussion, and the Bela Quartet (France). Frédéric Aurier, violin, Julien Dieudegard, violin, Julian Boutin, viola, Luc Dedreuil, cello. Compositions on the cd are made by Ahmad Al Khatib and Frédéric Aurier.

Photo by Nicolas Damuni

Jadayel is about blending together modal music with contemporary and harmonic music. It's experimental and very melodic, sometimes vivid and fast, sometimes airy.




When I started listening the very first tone hit me. Track number one, "La colombe bleue", starts with a ringing beautiful sound of the oud, struck just once. The first open chord lasts just as long as the sound is fading away and then followed buy unfolding of the beautiful piece written by Ahmad Al Khatib to his wife.

Youssef creates a world of rythm and sound from his drums. Lamento, track number 5, a piece written by Frédéric Aurier, starts with solo percussion that immediately takes me away to a place deep inside the music. Youssef has a wide range of different instruments and use them very precicely to give each piece it's soundscape of rythm.

Quartet Bela creates emotions in their music, it's story telling on high level. Their artistry to blend with the oriental melodies and scales is made with great skill. I love the way Ahmad Al Khatib's compositions add harmonies to the microtonality, and the way Quartet Bela performs this. The string quartet concept is truly an amazing art form. Cello and viola are two of my favourie instruments. The highest notes in the violin is here adding air and space to the whole creation.

One of the pieces, Quodlibet, has a atmosphere of old style renaissance music to it. I've always felt drawn to renaissance music and the way it's explored here really makes me happy. This piece starts with solo cello and then follows the whole ensemble, adding more contemporary parts. It is written by Frédéric Aurier.

I learn that Quartet Bela is reaching out far in different directions. They also explore free form improvisations and sounds to the limit of what the ear can take. But in order to break the rules you have to know the rules. It's also very encouraging to hear that musicians of this high level of skills and talent are daring to create way out and beyond the pleasing type of music we are over flooded with.


Jadayel was recorded 2012 and released by Ta'mour.


Have you seen the little animated pearl of a film, "The fourth king" by Ted Sieger? (Den fjärde kungen, Folkets Bio) The soundtrack to this film is also strings working together with oriental instruments. Maybe I got into this blend of music by seeing the film every year around christmas.

Eva

Balboa class in Göteborg

Great fun in the balboa FK dance class with our wonderful teachers Anni and Gasper!
This week I had my first glögg drink (swedish variation of glüwein) of the year in a very special way. During balboa dance class we all went to the other class (lindy) on the dance floor next to ours. Holding a tiny glass of glögg in one hand we actually danced balboa while having glögg in the middle of the lindy-class, like a little flash mob.
One of the very best things with balboa is that you have to work with your own upright posture in a very relaxed way. If there is the slightest tensions you are totally lost.
Anni and Gasper are also photo models in my book. Their photo session was magic, the way they danced there.

Now we see the very darkest season of the year, and the darkest day is today! Winter solstice, when the north pole is turned most far away from the sun.
Winter can be so beautiful. And dancing helps a lot. Plus being out in the nature. Here's some winter images from my home town:

On this lake I go skating when the ice is perfect. Here too much snow.

Arne Weisse in a candle holder:

What does balboa look like? Here's a nice clip from International Lindy Hop Championships 2010, Strictly Balboa Finals. So theese awesome people are the pro's. On the social dancefloor balboa can be more relaxed and danced in closed position, while this is obviously created to win a competition.

Föreslå min sångbok till Folk- och Världsmusik Galan

Hej!
 Om ni tycker om min bok Bröllopssånger och kärleksvisor får ni gärna föreslå den för pris i kategorin Årets Utgåva vid Folk- och Världsmusikgalan i Gävle 2013. Gå in på länken och följ anvisningarna. Tack för ert stöd! Föreslå vinnare i Galan 2013.

Den vackra formgivningen är gjord av Gabriella Persson. Vi har under minst 5 år haft väldigt kreativa och inspirerande möten om bokens foto, färg, form, dekorationer då och nu.

Alla fantastiska människor som varit inblandade, jag är så lycklig att få ta del av alla era fina kompetenser som nu gjort boken till den bok det är. Det går inte att räkna upp alla människor som på olika sätt bidragit under de 17 år jag haft processen igång. Många många telefonsamtal och möten har det varit!
Här är dock några som varit med att producera boken under det senaste årets intensiva fas: 

Foto Janne Mellqvist.
Handskrift Vendela Hellstrand.
Styling Eva Petrén
Modeller: Rebecca Järdmo, Håkan och Lena Andersson, Erik och Andreas, Annis Skoglund och Gasper Hrovat, Eva Rune och Vera Åström Rune.
Notskrift Eva Rune och Mikael Paulsson.
Utgiven av Bo Ejeby Förlag

Jag har fått ovärderlig hjälp med språk och korrektur i flertalet nordiska språk och dialekter.
Ville Söderbaum och Nils Johan Päiviö om samiska.
Kári Baek och Árni Dahl om färöiska.
Maria Helgegren om danska.
Astrid Nora Ressem om norska.
Biörn Landahl om bohuslänsk dialekt.
Jobs Lasse om Leksandsmål.

Två nya recensioner om boken:

Spelmannen 4-2012
Eva Rune är en mångsidig och skicklig sångerska som i år haft glädjen att ro ett riktigt önskeprojekt i hamn. Bröllopssånger och kärleksvisor ur nordisk folktradition (Bo Ejeby Förlag) är namnet på en sångbok där hon samlar ett antal av sina favoriter bland alla de visor som passerat förbi under hennes resor och åtaganden i de nordiska länderna. Idén till boken kom när Eva fått fler och fler uppdrag att sjunga på bröllop, ett sammanhang där folkliga kärlekssånger passar särdeles väl.

Här finns alltså Evas personliga favoriter av nordiska sånger, koraler, bordsvisor och visor till dans. Fina bilder och personliga kommentarer gör detta till en vacker bok man gärna bläddrar i.

Och så finns det alltså mer än hundra vackra sånger att dela på.

Peter Ahlbom.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Kuriren 12 december 2012:
Kärleken är störst av dem alla och bröllopet har genom tiderna setts som livets höjdpunkt. Detta gäller på det personliga likaväl som på ett allmännare, samhälleligt plan. Det är alltså inget obetydligt ämne vissångerskan Eva Rune har tagit sig an som redaktör för boken Bröllopssånger och kärleksvisor.

Detta är mera en samling än en bok. Materialet är visor från Norden och det "bokliga" inskränker sig till introduktioner och små anteckningar. Detta är inte nödvändigtvis ett minus. Vi talar här om traditionsmusik och det betyder ju att var och en lär sig visan, gör den till sin egen - och för denna nya visa vidare till följande lyssnare.

Det här materialet är mångsidigt. Så är ju också kärleken - och minsann alla krokar och ritualer kring bröllopet! Bokens layout och tryck är framförallt klart och lättläst. Vid sidan av detta ger anteckningarna, källförteckningen och diskografin god hjälp för den som vill söka sig vidare. En högst behändig samling som än en gång bekräftar hur mycket vi har gemensamt på det här området.

Åke Grandell. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Min bok har hög koncentration på Dalarna för att vara en nordisk sångbok. Så jag bläddrade igenom och kollade hur många visor som egentligen har traditionsbärare med Dalarna som ursprung. 33 av bokens 125 sånger kommer från Dalarna! Och boken innehåller visor från Sverige, Norge, Finland, Danmark, Färöarna, Estland och en från Ukraina. Så det är nog ganska tydligt var jag har min musikaliska hemvist :-)

Brudens fråga, Enviken
En gång i bredd med mig, Enviken
Nu börjar den vackraste tiden på året, Enviken, melodi av Eva
Vi segla ut på livets hav, Enviken
Vill du hålla mig kär, Enviken
Ja kärleken i världen, Enviken
Tycker du om mej, Enviken

En älskelig vän, Leksand
Leksands brudmarsch, Leksand
Orren han kuttrar, Leksand
I denna ljuva sommartid, Leksand
När rågen blir mogen, Leksand

Friarvisa från Dala-Floda
Ja vem skall denna skålen tillhöra, Dala-Floda
Jag står på ett hus, Dala-Floda

Si godafton och godkväll, Älvdalen
Min vän är min, Älvdalen

Jag kan ej giva eder guld och silver, Gagnef
Bruddans, Gagnef

Å våran värd, Malung
Säll o lökklä, Malung

Var du som jag munter och glad. Rättvik
En gång när jag bliver gift, Boda
Annas brudmarsch, skriven av Eva
Brudgummen och bruden, Grangärde
Lilla vackra flicka, Djura
Kristallen den fina, Skattungbyn
Var är den vän som överallt jag söker, Mora
Dryckesvisa, Falun
Kringkring-låt, Bjursås
Lycklig den flicka som fått en spelman, By
En liten fågel, Särna
När rågen blir mogen, Gråda


Eva

A capella inspiration: Voice Squad singing Parting Glass

Here's a vocal trio from Ireland I really like! The Voice Squad:



Members in Voice Squad is Gerry Cullen, Phil Callery and Fran McPhail.
They have made three albums:

Many's The Foolish Youth, 1987, Tara, TARACD4004
Holly Wood, 1992, TARA 4013
Good People All, 1993

The Parting glass is a farewell song sung in Ireland, Scotland and Newfoundland with records found as early as in the 16-hundreds.

Of all the money e'er I had,
I spent it in good company.
And all the harm I've ever done,
Alas! it was to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit
To mem'ry now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be to you all.

If I had money enough to spend,
And leisure time to sit awhile,
There is a fair maid in this town,
That sorely has my heart beguiled.
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips,
I own she has my heart in thrall,
So fill to me the parting glass,
Good night and joy be with you all.

Oh, all the comrades e'er I had,
They're sorry for my going away,
And all the sweethearts e'er I had,
They'd wish me one more day to stay,
But since it falls unto my lot,
That I should rise and you should not,
I gently rise and softly call,
Good night and joy be to you all.





Eva

Irmelin adventures this year

We are so happy for all increadible meetings this year, with audience, with musicians we've made music with.

January: New York, APAP: Global Performing Arts Marketplace and Conference.

April: Finland. Meetings with singers in group Kiehinä and concerts in Perinne Arkku and church. We are so much looking forward to go back in April 2013 and continue our beautiful sharing with Kiehinä + making more concerts.

Sweden, many places like Gryt Kammarmusikfestival, Stockholm Musikmuseet, Orsa, Rättvik, Sölvesborg.

September: Augusta Raurica outside Basel, Switzerland.
A new collaboration has begun between Hornroh and Irmelin. On the picture is local alphorn players from Basel.This meeting around mountain music, kulning, herding calls, hornmusic on traditional instruments, has really started off something beautiful and we hope to soon reunite.

October: Recording next album. North sea stories is in pipeline. Tomorrow is first mixing day.....whee haa! So this week is really focusing on the mixing. Karin, Maria and I have been listening on our own and writing down notes and thoughts, and discussed how to proceed. Tomorrow we are meeting with sound engineer Petter at Studio Epidemien.

Have a beautiful day out there! Eva

Svenska Kammarkören singing "Stjärnan" by Susanne Rosenberg

What a joy, very special for me to sit and listen to this beautiful concert Sunday 16th of Dec in Christinae church in Göteborg.

Svenska Kammarkören (Swedish Chamber Choir) conducted by Simon Phipps.

A program of christmas songs and as a very special event they performed for the very first time a piece written by Susanne Rosenberg, "Stjärnan" (The star). Susanne is my former teacher from the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. I appreciated her piece very much, it was performed with elegance by the choir. It's based on various folk traditions like the old "star-songs" that I have written about in my blogg recently + religious hymns sung in the villages in the old days. Susannes mastery of this art is famous not only in Sweden but abroad. Susanne has a unique knowledge how to create multi-part singing out of the techniques provided in folk music.

Among my top favourites in their concert was Praetorius Det är en ros utsprungen in a beautiful arrangement by J. Sandström.
I favour Susanne's piece because I'm so deeply attached to her music and my long history hearing her artistery in music. Plus I love to hear when choirs perform newly written music in addition to the classical pieces.
I also enjoyed very much hearing Ding dong merrily the sky. Just because Simon Phipps has his background in english choir tradition and he really made something light and extra out of this wellknown song.

Simon Phipps with parts of Svenska Kammarkören.

Svenska kammarkören is one of the top choirs, and they are capable of diverse styles and complicated choir pieces. Hearing them do a piece by Susanne was really interesting. They bring out some deep qualities in her song Stjärnan. Because I'm familiar with folk music I also know what a singer can do if you are trained in the style. I can imagine that there are more to explore for Svenska Kammarkören, especially in the field of rythmical singing, the very small details in how to make the music bounce. What they did now was beautiful, I'm not talking about right or wrong, it's just that there are so many levels to explore.

Karin Ståhl, to the left on the bottom row, sang the beautiful solo-part by the end of Susanne's piece "Stjärnan".

Let's face it, we are in the time of holy madness of christmas concerts.....



I wish you all a very good week! Eva

Two films about shoveling snow

My brother with Belos. Hey, I really admire him! This old machine Belos is covered with snow, and starts instantly!





Equal and sustainable:


Hållbar jämställdhet - SNÖRÖJNING from Hållbar Stad on Vimeo.


Eva

Groa i Wassbo, sommarminnen om vandringsmusik

 Minnen från en sommarkonsert 2010....

På hemväg från konsert en sen sommarkväll. Sagan om de två tornen..... gruvlave vid Falu gruva, världsarvet.
På scen i växthuset, Groa i Wassbo. Min banjo poserar glatt i sin goa fåtölj.

Svävande mikrofonstativ.



Det är tredje året jag sjunger hos Kate och Per-Åke Andreasson i Vassbo, alltid en underbar upplevelse att uppleva smakerna av hemodlat i fikat, se pelargoner och makalösa blommor.





Äntligen en till som jag, som älskar att se former och färger på termosar från förr.





Eva