{"id":1947,"date":"2013-05-11T19:42:35","date_gmt":"2013-05-11T17:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/?page_id=1947"},"modified":"2022-03-06T19:01:19","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T17:01:19","slug":"pleasure-for-the-ears-in-folk-tune","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/press-clips\/reviews-older\/pleasure-for-the-ears-in-folk-tune\/","title":{"rendered":"Pleasure for the ears in folk tune"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\u00d6stg\u00f6ta<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00d6stg\u00f6ta Correspondenten 2002<\/strong><\/p>\n

By: LOLLO ASPLUND<\/p>\n

Helen Sj\u00f6holm: <\/strong>
\nVisor (2002)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The chorus singer in Benny Andersson Band takes center stage and releases her first solo album. But this time it its not about songs from the forties a la Thore Ehrling like \u201cOur last dance\u201d, instead we are treated to folk music. Together with pianist Martin \u00d6stergren, who played with Helen in Mejram, and guitarist Jojje Wadenius Helen has dug deep in the swedish musical treasure. Credit to them for working hard to surprise their audience. The success had been a sure thing if beloved Helen had performed hits by Evert Taube, Cornelis and Bj\u00f6rn&Benny. Instead she spent months looking through sheet music at the swedish ballad arcives – and struck gold.<\/p>\n

Because the 18th century ballads \u201cVid vassen av den kr\u00f6kta str\u00f6m\u201d och “Ombytlighet – v\u00e5r tids gudinna” is nothing but pure gold, at least the way they are performed here: The airy and playful arrangements makes both Helen and the musicians unleash and shed the pure and remote air that usually lingers around this kind of music.<\/p>\n

Careful Renewal<\/strong>
\nThe classic ballad \u201cHorgal\u00e5ten\u201d has also been given a spiritual string arrangement that might not appeal to the conservative musicians but it appeals to the rest of us so much more. In contrast to the more up-beat songs there is also the nuggets like Jeremias in Tr\u00f6stl\u00f6sas \u201cMan borde inte sova\u201d where Martin S\u00f6derholm adds a jazzy feeling a la Johanssons \u201cJazz p\u00e5 svenska\u201d. Music to my ears in this bright may evenings. \u201cAllt under himlens f\u00e4ste\u201d and \u201cH\u00e4r \u00e4r gudagott att vara\u201d are ballads that has lived in the hearts of people for decades and here they are given a careful renewal. It is almost amazing that \u201cKopp\u00e5ngen\u201d by Pererik Moraeus and Py B\u00e4ckman, that has been recorded by for example Anne Sofie von Otter, blends together perfectly among the other songs partly because it\u2019s contemporary and partly because its winter setting. This is, in the best sense, a pure swedish record that lifts the universal feel from the old, and often sad, lyrics. Helen Sj\u00f6holm has a perfect and natural tone and at the same time a strong empathy and flawless diction. She also has that sparkle in her voice that makes her voice warm and personal<\/p>\n

The musicians play with a carefree disposition, there are influences from jazz, world music and even art music. Keen musicians like Backa-Hans Eriksson on base or Jojje Wadenius on guitarr knows how to vary elegantly within the collective. Sometimes they forget that it\u00b4s good for the folk music with some dirt under your nails and the expression becomes too neatly.<\/p>\n

Into the soul  <\/strong>
\nThe song that most grabs is the wistful “Tusen tankar,” a broadside written by Thyra Karlson from \u00d6stersund. Previously, I enjoyed it in Emma H\u00e4rdelin and Triakels twist. Emma performs it faithfully to the time with pump organ and violin, but moves in mind to a small northern wooden church. Helen and musicians are releasing the song, placing it in the present and brings the light and space. It’s great! “Tusen tankar” is one of the finest folk songs we have. Helen will now sing it right into the Swedish soul. It\u00b4s a thought that makes me warm all the way into my heart.<\/p>\n

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\u00d6stg\u00f6ta Correspondenten 2002 By: LOLLO ASPLUND Helen Sj\u00f6holm: Visor (2002) The chorus singer in Benny Andersson Band takes center stage and releases her first solo Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1944,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1947","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1947"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1947\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/helensjoholm.nu\/_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}