Sondre Bratland

Sondre Bratland (born 11 September 1938) is a Norwegian folk singer, song teacher and Government scholar. He has performed traditional songs from Setesdal and Telemark, collected religious folk tunes and composed music to songs by poets as Olav H. Hauge and Tarjei Vesaas. His album Pilegrimens Sangbog from 1982 earned him Spellemannprisen.[1]

Life and career

Vinje is a municipality with rich folk song traditions

Born in Vinje where his parents were his father was a shopkeeper and his mother ran a hostel, Sondre Bratland grew up in an area and in a family with strong folk song traditions, especially among women. The song style is referred to as kveding. His mother sang at home and his aunt Brita Bratland was a folk singer who recorded songs for Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.[2] While influenced by the local song traditions,[3] Bratland never studied it in his youth. He became a teacher.[4]

His interest in folk singing was revoked through listening to the NRK radio program Folkemusikkhalvtimen (English: Folk music half-hour), where he became particularly fascinated by the folk singer Ragnar Vigdal.[4] He then started studying and collecting folk tunes; among those he worked with were Brita Bratland, Ragnar Vigdal from Luster and Tallak Haslemo from Bykle.[5]

He taught Arve Moen Bergset folk music singing for eight years.[6]

In 1997, he was appointed Government scholar by the Parliament of Norway; allowing him to focusing full-time on music.[5] He also headed the folk culture study department at the Telemark University College for five years.[7]

Bratland has held concerts in more than 600 churches in Norway, but also performs in other venues and abroad.[8]

The folk singer Ingebjørg Harman Bratland is daughter of a cousin of his.[9]

Albums

Gjerpen church, where many of Bratland's albums are recorded
Church of the Nativity

Sondre Bratland released his first album Pilegrimenens Sangbog (The Pilgrims' songbook) in 1982. It was recorded in Gjerpen church, Skien, where several of his later albums also are recorded. Iver Kleive played the organ The recording was characterised by improvisations and the album has been praised for introducing a new way to perform hymns.[10] Bratland was awarded the Spellemanns Award for the album.[1]

Inn I Draumen, recorded in 1982, is a collection of lullabies. Most of them Norwegian folk tunes, but the album also included the song Gjev meg handa di which is based on an Irish folk tune (Down by the Sally Gardens) and lyrics by Bratland. Gjev meg handa di has become one of his most popular songs. The song has been recorded by other artists and is also used in funerals and weddings.[11] It was considered for inclusion in Norsk salmebok 2013, a Church of Norway hymn book, but after a debate the Church council decided against inclusion on the grounds that the song lacked an explicit religious dimension.[12]

In 1992 he released the album Rosa frå Betlehem (English: The Rose of Bethlehem). The album was recorded in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.[10] Musicians Iver Kleive, Knut Reiersrud, Paolo Vinaccia and Suheil Khoury participated in the recording along with a Palestinian choir. The album was met with general praise and has been described by reviewers as a masterpiece,[13] a classic[14] and the most beautiful Christmas album ever recorded in Norway.[15] It has sold more than 60,000 copies.[1]

The album Syng meg heim from 2005 is a country music album. It includes song by Johnny Cash and Hank Williams translated by Bratland into Norwegian, as well as Irish and Scottish folk tunes.[3]

On the 2008 album Det Er Den Draumen (English: It´s That Dream), Bratland has set melodies to poems by Olav H. Hauge. The album was recorded in Kampen church.[16]

Kirkelig Kulturverksted has been record company for all his solo albums.[8]

Awards and recognition

Discography

In addition, Bratland has participated at other albums.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bitustøyl, Kjell. "Sondre Bratland". In Godal, Anne Marit. Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Kåre Johan Mjør Brita Bratland Allkunne. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian Nynorsk)
  3. 1 2 Helge Ottesen (11 December 2009)Sondre om det vesentlige Varden. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  4. 1 2 Sanger mellom Betlehem og Vinje Agenda.316.no. Retrieved 15 December 2013
  5. 1 2 Svein Arne Myhren Tegland Sondre Bratland Allkunne.no. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian Nynorsk)
  6. ↑ Konsert i Bøler kyrkje opnar Haustkonferansen KA (Kirkelig arbeidsgiver- og interesseorganisasjon) Retrieved 15 December 2013
  7. ↑ Sondre Bratland – omtale Sondre Bratland homepage. Retrieved 15 December 2013
  8. 1 2 Sondre Bratland Kirkelig Kulturverksted. Retrieved 18 December 2013
  9. ↑ Beat for Beat (29 October 2010) Telemark mot Toten NRK. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  10. 1 2 Tomm Kristiansen (12 December 2003)Harpe og pistol – Kirkelig Kulturverksteds historie skrevet av Tomm Kristiansen Ballade.no. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  11. ↑ Camilla Berg Hansen (26 July 2011) Sangene som trøster oss Dagbladet. Retrieved 18 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  12. ↑ Jan Arild Holbek (22 September 2011) Prøysen fikk salmeplass til slutt Vårt Land. Retrieved 18 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  13. ↑ Eirik Kydland (6 December 2011) Sondre Bratland Bergens Tidende. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  14. ↑ Helge Ottesen (28 November 2011) Jul i Sondres sang Varden. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  15. ↑ Fredrik Wandrup (9 December 2011) Og god uinspirert jul til deg, Justin Bieber Dagbladet. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian)
  16. ↑ Det er den draumen Sondre Bratland Folkemusikk.no. Retrieved 15 December 2013 (Norwegian)
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