Blátt – Tórshavnar Kamarkór & Havnarkórið

Blátt

1. Faroes, my mother

Words: Poul F. Joensen
Music: Knút Olsen
Translation: Birgit Remmel

Faroes, my mother,
thy blessed name
into my heart is carved like a rune. Thy melancholy smile,
thy misty sky drew
thy son, even at sun golden beaches.
If thou wert all the brightness
I can imagine,
a flower from the beaches of paradise, a pearl compared with all in the world,
even reigned over realms and countries,
then perhaps I would sing you
a prouder tune,
a ballad of roaring surf and thunder, but I could not love thee more than I do now,
my sanctuary homeland in the north.

2. In the cage

Words: Janus Djurhuus
Music: Jógvan Waagstein
Translation: Birgit Remmel

You are moping, my little songbird, moulting in the cage,
silent went your voice beautiful and fine, now you care but little for mead and wine, my songbird,
with wings clipped in the cage.
You remember the games over the green meadows,
moulting in the cage,
remember the gullies and valleys and mountains light was your flight and your voice so shrill,
memories all
fade away in the cage.
You doze already, head under wing.
moulting in the cage,
maybe you are dreaming of the singing of birds of love games over the green meadows,
years so many-
escaped from the cage.

3. Mother’s name

Words: N. F. S. Grundtvig
Music: Henrik Rung
Translation: Birgit Remmel

Mother’s name is a heavenly sound, far reaching as the blue of the wave,
mother’s voice is the baby’s joy
and happiness when the hair turns grey,
sweet in joy and sweet in need, sweet in life and sweet in death,
sweet in the name she leaves behind.
The mother tongue is the language of our heart, but idle is all foreign talk,
it alone in mouth and book
can wake up a nation from its lethargy,
sweet in joy and sweet in need,
sweet in life and sweet in death,
sweet in the name she leaves behind.

4. Blue

Words: Steinbjørn B. Jacobsen
Music: Sunleif Rasmussen
Translation: Birgit Remmel

Sky and sea
meet in blue
the horizon
the black cliff is blue
the mountains
the grass green slopes
are behind a blue haze
sometimes.

5. St. Gregory’s Day (12th March)

Words: Regin Dahl
Music: Pauli í Sandagerði
Translation: Birgit Remmel

Now flies the Chalder over dwellings of home, and ponds glitter at the happy hour,
and waves are washing the shore and the breeze is breathing in the gentle breeze every spider’s web is swaying
Now hoofs are banging over wet fields,
and the neighing of horses is heard across the meadows, and manure and newly dug earth and seaweed smell,
a strong smell is everywhere.
Now slips the trout into a river shelter,
and bravely shoots over the humming waterfall
and small children fight and play hide-and-seek,
when beyound the mountains sinks the law of the day.
Now sleep the Chalders at the shore of home.

(Chalder = oystercatcher)

6. the words

Words: Rói Patursson
Music: Bjarni Restorff
Translation: Birgit Remmel

some words are dark
and make dim traces
some are bright
and cast no shadow
I wish them a pleasant journey
and blooming offspring
-l is vanishes in the emptiness
-love it drowns in the current.
-you it is transformed in its course.
the words which were searching for new land
turned in their flight and came back
as birds of prey with strong claws
and alien eyes
I have no word and that is how it should be
I do not understand any words and that is good
I have much to do and much to learn

7. Nothing is like a summer’s evening

Words: Christian Matras
Music: Hans Jacob Højgaard
Translation: Birgit Remmel

Nothing is like a summer’s evening by the sea shore.
White shine the edges of crayfish and limpet shells.
Men are standing on promontories and spits.
A boat is rowing along with long strokes.
The tide comes in, and you hardly notice.
There is not the slightest wave on any reef. Fair fish jump along the shore, whilst the day is folding its hands.
Softly the twilight hovers over the rocky beach.
The bait fades away before my eyes from where I am standing.
Creaking oars and fish jumping between the skerries.
Land scarcely visible between the headlands.
Along the shore over a bed of sea weed bright baits have been constantly run.
The fish no longer take the men’s bait standing on the beach.
One by one they are walking home.

8. Death! Where is now thy sting?

Words: Fríðrikur Petersen
Music: Hans Jacob Højgaard
Translation: Birgit Remmel

Death! Where is now thy sting?
Hell! Where is thy victory?
Risen again is my Saviour,
Who had been buried in the grave.
Now the Easter sun is rising over the mountains,
warms and delights every heart.
Thank Thee, God, for life!
Life is no longer a burden,
he living Jesus leadeth me.. He supports both young and old, He paves the way for them.
If only He walks with me on my way, nothing can do me any harm.
Thank Thee, God, for life!
Song is therefore carried over lands and seas about the bright Easter message. Beautifully it sounds at the open grave into the believing heart: -My Saviour has risen from the grave, death! Where is now thy sting?
Thank Thee, God, for life!

9. I want to praise my Lord

Words: Hans Thommisøn Stege
Music: arrangement by Karl Søren Klausen (traditional hymn)
Translation: Birgit Remmel

I want to praise my Lord,
Who carried all my sins. In faith my praise shall rise, for Him my heart beats.
There I shall write His name, and carry it there until my death,
all the while I here may live
He soothes my pain and sorrow.
Now I am turning to Thy grace
and deliver myself into Thy hands. Thou shalt guide me,
Thy bonds shall lead me. The short while I dwell on earth
Thy protection shall keep me alive, Thy word I carry as a shield, my yearning is for Thee.

10. Song of Mary

Words: Hans Thommisøn Stege
Music: arrangement by Karl Søren Klausen (traditional hymn)
Translation: Birgit Remmel

Mary was the virgin pure and shining whom the Scriptures call the blessed. She gave birth to God’s most beloved son, He who is the greatest.
He has released the slaves from their fetters, and shed His blood,
to bring us safely home to His heaven.
Oh, I wish I could speak every language, and I wish I would never tire, and I wish I had á tongue as sharp as steel and that I could sing with angel’s voices! Then I would travel all over the country to sing Thy praise,
who was born my Saviour.

11. The message is heard from heaven now

Words: Jákup Dahl
Music: arrangement by Karl Søren Klausen (traditional hymn)
Translation: Birgit Remmel

The message is heard from heaven now: Hallelujah, hallelujah,
a Child is born here on earth. Hallelujah, hallelujah.
The Child is Jesus Christ, the Lord, God’s mercy has come to earth.
In cottage and on straw of misery there lay the King of Heaven’s Son. Never before such tidings were heard: through His poverty we become rich.
It heralds God the Father’s mercy. so deep as hell and high as heaven.
It heralds the Helper,
Who will and can help everyone.
Who dries away each tear of sorrow, Who can heal every wound of sin.
Who ends the need, Who gives pardon, Who provides security and peace of heart.
Now chime all bells aloud,
for blessed and good is Christmas Night! Now sing His praise every human voice, every joyful heart, every saved soul!
The bright star is standing high that shines through the darkness of earth.
Praised be God, for every Christmas Hallelujah, hallelujah, the Sun of life is rising anew. Hallelujah, hallelujah.

12. The Angel of Light

Words: B. S. Ingemann
Music: C. E. F. Weyse
Translation: Birgit Remmel

The Angel of Light walks with glory through the gates of heaven.
From the radiance of God’s angel all night’s black shadows flee.
The sun goes out to all the world with God’s light in its eye. Behold! Our Lord’s messenger
walks on golden clouds in the sky.
The angel is spreading all over the earth the glory of God’s heaven.
In the radiance of his cape
he embraces the happy multitude of all the world.
The sun looks into castle and corner looks on king and beggar alike,
looks on great and looks on small, kisses the child that lies in its cradle.
Our Lord loves us too, no soul will He forget.
in every sun ray God is near
and senses our happy morning song.

13. The earth’s fair sun

Words: B. S. Ingemann
Music: C. E. F. Weyse
Translation: Birgit Remmel

The earth’s fair sun went down and legions of stars are sparkling.
The splendour of a greater world now twinkles down into the darkness.
The whole world, like a huge church, behind the clouds arches above.
In the temple’s corner God’s green earth
is hidden like a leaf in the forest.
On the tiniest leaf in the biggest forest jouful creatures are at home.
Wherever life is stirring to the praise of God, not the least He will forget.
God! In Thy hand 1 large is small,
but dear to Thee is the smallest as well.
The soul of a child is well saved, which hides itself in Thy kingdom.

14. The spinning maid

Words: Hans Andreas Djurhuus
Music: Hans Jacob Højgaard
Translation: Birgit Remmel

She stood at the spinning-wheel and spun,
payed out and wound the wool on the spindle and while she counted the carded tufts, she dreamed of a husband.
They would have both horses and cows,
in the parlour a sofa, in the kitchen a stove… Oh yes, yes, indeed.
-All the good things I could wish for
of good and strong domestic utensils, of dresses and jerseys and shifts,
all that he will give to me.
And life will be so merry, yes!
No, I can’t even bear to imagine!.
Oh yes, yes, indeed.
On the hearth the fire was burning,
and brightly the sun shone in the window,
as if to comfort the maid
who dreamed of a husband.
And the cat lay purring on the bench, she dreamed only of tomcats and food. Oh yes, yes, indeed.
And the hen that walked on the floor, and the rooster that sat on the beam,
both of them thought they knew that a suitor she would get.
For they also knew the craving for love, through corn was first in their minds,
and the eggs so small.
And time so slowly passed by.
The rooster and the hen and the cat they had their daily fill-
but, she did not get a husband.
Quite a few suitors came along, a rich crowd. they greeted her, smiled – and walked along. And she stood there spinning.
On the hearth the fire was burning;
but she did not feel any heat,
so heavily she dragged her feet,
for the farm
she had hoped to get as a gift,
had turned into a hearth- and a bucket bench. Oh yes, yes, indeed.

15. In Norway brave men lived

Words: Simon Michael Zachariassen
Music: arrangement by Hans Jacob Højgaard (traditional hymn)
Translation: Birgit Remmel

In Norway brave men lived,
who well knew how to use the sword.
Golden helmets they wore on their heads, would not yield to anyone.
The dance rings forth in the hall. dance, form a ring! Gladly the Norsemen ride
To Hildar Thing.
In the cove a man grew up. Harald was his name. famous all over the land of Norway, both in need and in deed.
He swore the oath by Ása Thor: -I will not cut my hair so fair, until all the men of Norway do obey my orders!-
Free men will not be enslaved, rather they flee their country and sail across the salty sea,
despite great danger awaiting there.
They hoisted their sails.
headed westward over the sea, towards the Faroes held their course so many a brave man.
Built their homes on Faroe land, as the stories go
in freedom Norsemen lived
together with their wives and children.
The dance rings forth in the hall, dance, form a ring!
Gladly the Norsemen ride
To Hildar Thing