Live from the Norwegian Eurovision semi-finals.
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“Ulveham” is based on the medieval balled "Møya I Ulveham".
The tune of this ballad is long lost, but Gåte has giving it a new melody.
Like other historical legends and songs it carries an important moral.
The song is a story of young maiden that undergoes a series of injustices, but by upholding justice and goodness, even in the toughest trials, she triumphs over evil and breaks the curse placed upon her.
The chanting you hear in the beginning of the song is Gåte's rendering of a recording of Marit J. Lillebuen's chanting (n.1879 - d.1975). As you might have heard, this chant is also what we built Ulveham's chorus on.
This kind of chanting (lokk in Norwegian) was used on farms to call the livestock home. It is a wordless tune designed to travel far and echo between the mountains. The animals would recognise the chant belonging to their given farm and head home when called upon.
There are few recordings of this vocal tradition in Norway. And this tradition of chanting is rarely used today.
In Ulveham, a song without a tune, meets a melody without words.
We find the result is both mighty, beautiful, and striking!
- Gåte
Lyrics and Music:
Sveinung Eklo Sundli, Ronny Graff Janssen, Marit Jensen Lillebuen, Gunnhild Sundli, Magnus Børmark, and Jon Even Schärer
Video, sound and choreography - NRK.
21 янв 2024
