Bjøro Håland is one of Norway´s most beloved and best-selling artists. December 1st, he releases the album Mine salmer where he sings his dearest hymns.
Homesickness And A Longing for Heaven
Country music has much in common with hymns.
– Many times I have included gospel song on my recordings. There is a certain kinship between country music and hymns. While country music songs are characterized by a melancholic longing for home, it’s more a matter of longig for heaven in hymns, and the longing that exists in the hymn texts have touched me, says Håland.
Mine salmer was recorded in autumn 2004 in Grindheim church, in Håland´s childhood church in Audnedal. The CD is dedicated to his 90-year-old mother, Anna, who long wanted him to record a Norwegian hymn CD. His childhood home was filled with hymns and worship songs, and heis father Arne often sang hymns when young Bjøro was with him at work in the truck.
Different Moods
The 14 hymns Bjøro Håland has, all mean something special to him. Hymns have different moods and musical expressions. – “Den fyrste song eg høyra fekk” was the first song my mother sang to me, says Håland. With text by Per Sivle and music by Lars Sørås, it is close to a singer/songwriter tune. Bernt Rune Stray and Jon Kleveland has arranged the Norwegian folk tune “Eg veit i himmelrik ei borg”, focusing on soreness and tenderness. And good, old Håland, as we know him, is to b found in David Sankey´s “Et ungdomsliv” with text by Hallvard Gunnleiksen Heggtveit. The hymns “Blott en dag” and “Leid milde ljos”, is beautifully and tenderly performed, accompanied by Per Kolstad on organ, Fredrik Sahlander on bass, Bernt Rune Stray on guitar and Karl Oluf Wennerberg on percussion. Finally, another hymn worth metioning is Petter Dass’ “Herre Gud ditt dyre navn og ære”, a mighty hymn where Dag Wolf contributes with a fairytale-like, but transparent sound. Mine salmer is produced by Jon Kleveland.
