The tunes and songs:
1. Hambo in the Snow written by Andrea Hoag, 2005
2. Joulukirkkoon (Going to Church on Christmas Morning) see below
3. Julottan (Christmas Morning Service) written by Mats Wallman, 1986
4. Jeg gikk meg over sjø og land (I Traveled over Sea and Land) see below
5. Nu er det jul igjen (Now it’s Christmas Again) trad.
6. Nu har vi ljus (Now We Have Light) written by Johanna Ölander 1895
All of these tunes and songs, except for the second one, come from the 2006 album Hambo in the Snow released by Andrea Hoag, Loretta Kelley and Charlie Pilzer.According to their website they have performed at concerts and dances across the U.S. and in Europe for over 25 years. The album was nominated for that year’s Best Traditional World Music Album Grammy award. Andrea plays fiddle; so does Loretta, but hers is a hardingfele (a traditional style of Norwegian fiddle with sympathetic strings); and Charley plays bass (and is a professional recording engineer.)
The second selection, Joulukirkkoon, is from the album Can We Have Christmas Now. It is a North American release with English translation of a 1993 album by sisters Mari and Sari Kaasinen that had been recorded in Finland called Joko Joulun Alkaa Saa. I found it in a thrift store in Minnesota.
The lyrics of the song were originally written in 1898 by Immi Hellé as a poem. The setting was composed in 1911 by Finnish composer Berndt Sarlin under the pen name R. Raala. This appears to be his most famous composition. The liner notes describe it as one of the most frequently-sung Finnish carols. In it the family is going to church in a horse-drawn sleigh to attend the traditional pre-dawn Julottan Christmas morning service. All around is deep snow. People have stuck torches in the snow to help guide their neighbours’ way, and two candles burn in the windows of each cottage.
The last four selections here are a medley from that the Hambo in the Snow album. It begins with a tune about the early morning church service. The second song in their medley (and the 4th in mine) is sung by Becca and Rachel Arbacher. According to the liner notes: “Nearly every child in Norway has at one time or another sung Jeg gikk meg over sjø og landwhile holding hands with family and friends, dancing around the lighted Christmas tree.”
The lyrics translate as:
I traveled across the land and sea, then met and old manHe asked me “Where do you belong?”I belong in Stomping LandAnd everyone who stomps belongs in Stomping Land
(2nd verse Pointing Land; 3rd verse Limping Land)
