There is a bit of a story behind Georg Buljo’s commissioned work for this year’s Olavsfestdager. Sami prisoners at the penitentiary in Trondheim in the 19th century were not allowed to use their mother tongue. They were thus largely deprived of the opportunity to communicate both with each other and the outside world. Except during the services. Here Sami was allowed – during the hymn singing. Samer was most graciously allowed to sing the hymns in his own mother tongue. Communicated secretly In this linguistic loophole, Sami prisoners developed a secret form of communication, right under the noses of the Norwegian-speaking public. The jailers believed that the foreign language that flowed from the throats of the prisoners was limited to the word of God. In reality, Sami women and men interwoven their own stories, big and small, into each other. It could be about anything from news from home to the problems of prison life. But also themes of a more intimate and personal nature. Love affairs were initiated, and children were born in captivity. Much because of the distinctive song that the Sami developed in the penitentiary at Kalvskinnet. It is this song that forms the basis of Georg Buljo’s new work “The Calfskin Song”, premiered in Nidaros Cathedral as part of the Olavfest days. Here, the contrast between hymn singing and Sami musical tradition has been given a modern and deeply personal musical expression. There is no doubt that Georg Buljo is the right man to create a new “Calfskin Song”. Georg Buljo Born 2 February 1969. Father is from Máze in Finnmark, mother is Vang in Hedmark. Norwegian-Sami artist, guitarist, producer, songwriter and composer. From his studio at Vålerenga in Oslo, he has rolled out a number of critically acclaimed and award-winning albums, as a songwriter, producer and musician. He has collaborated with people such as Odd Nordstoga, Mari Boine, Niko Valkeapää, Nils Økland and countless others. Formed the band Locomotives in the early 90s together with Kåre Vestrheim. They warmed up for bands such as The Cure, David Bowie, Supergrass and The Allman Brothers Have studied at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. As a producer, he has worked with, among others, Niko Valkeapää, Mari Boine, Lars Ánte Kuhmunen, Lars Bremnes, Johan Anders Bær, Kirsten Bråten Berg, Biret Risten Sara and Eli Storbekken. Has received several Spellemann awards, including in “Open class” together with Niko Valkeapää. His latest solo album “Jagi” (2022) is soaring electronica that depicts the passing of the seasons from his unique Norwegian-Sámi perspective. GUITAR SOLO: Georg Buljo is one of Norway’s most versatile musicians. Photo: Esben Kamstrup / Olavsfest Rich palette With “The Calfskin Song” Buljo adds new dimensions to his already rich musical palette. Based on the historical backdrop, Buljo has written and edited a bunch of texts with slightly different themes, in Northern and Southern Sami, Norwegian, English and Latin. These are dressed in a musical costume that ranges from Gregorian-inspired choral singing, via Norwegian and Sami traditional music to modern jazz, ballads and electronica. With him on the team, Buljo has four instrumentalists, the joikers Marja Mortensson and Niko Valkeapää, and not least the Nidarosdomens Oratoriekor. JOIKERE: Fv: Marja Mortensson, Georg Buljo and Niko Valkeapää. In the background: Per Willy Aaserud (trumpet) and Nidaros Oratoriekor. Photo: Esben Kamstrup / Olavsfest Buljo himself contributes with vocal improvisation in the stylistic range between jazz and joik, in addition to creative use of guitar, percussion and electronics. There was also room for a proper guitar solo with more than a touch of rock’n’roll towards the end. Lack of variety At the center of “The Calfskin Song” is the dialogue between the “ecclesiastical” choral song and the more “folk” based music with the joik as a supporting element. ECCLESIASTICAL: Nidaros’ Oratory Choir plays a central role in Georg Buljo’s “Calfskin Song”. Photo: Esben Kampstrup / Olavsfest Buljo’s chorus takes its inspiration both from early polyphonic church music and more recent composers such as Arvo Pärt and John Taverner. Here, Buljo shows a good grasp both stylistically and in terms of craftsmanship, even if the personal touch is perhaps not as clear here as in the “other” music in the work. Nidaros Oratory Choir sounds precise and balanced, under the steady direction of cantor Karen Haugom Olsen. I could still have wished for a greater musical range, with sharper contrasts between the various musical elements. A little too many of the movements cultivated the slightly slow, lingering, minor-keyed and meditative expression. For me, the highlights were some of the individual vocal performances. For example, the fourth of the songs “Il mij” (“Nothing”) with Marja Mortensson as soloist. A kind of mid-tempo soul-joik with stylish and funky accompaniment from bassist Helge Harstad and percussionist Christian Svensson. SOULFUL: Marja Mortensson was one of the highlights during Georg Buljo’s “Calfskin Song”. Photo: Esben Kamstrup / Olavsfest The fact that this song became a highlight also obviously means that Mortensson is one of the most interesting and distinctive vocalists in Norway at the moment, regardless of genre. Each and every sonorous nuance she creates with her voice is charged with meaning and intensity. But I would have liked to have heard more. It is undoubtedly a luxury to have three such strong vocal artists as Buljo, Mortensson and Valkepää on stage at the same time. But the price you pay is that none of them get to do as much as you would like. Unclear storytelling The program booklet describes “The Calfskin Song” as “a Sami love story from the Penitentiary in Nidaros”. But the connections to the events at Kalvskinnet in the 19th century become unclear to me throughout most of the work. Buljo’s texts have no clear sender or receiver, and are mostly about basic features of human life, regardless of time and place. Naturally, it is easy to imagine that the voices of the lyrics belong to people in captivity, struggling with questions related to separation, darkness, death, hope and love. But this is in no way necessary for the texts to make an impression and be perceived as relevant. Perhaps this is a strength, that the relationship to the story is more metaphorical, and that the work never tries to become a kind of prison oratorio based on true events. At the same time, these events are so strong and special that I leave the performance of the work with a feeling of unfulfilled potential. A clearer grasp of form and thematic focus could have produced a work that appeared more holistic, and which managed to illuminate to an even greater extent the incredible importance of language and music in one of the darker and more shameful chapters in Norwegian history. Performers during the performance of the “Calf Skin Song” Nidaros Cathedral’s Oratory Choir Karen Haugom Olsen – conductor Marja Mortensson – joik/vocals Niko Valkeapää – joik/vocals Georg Buljo – joik/vocals, percussion, electric guitar, electronics Petra Bjørkhaug – church organ Per Willy Aaserud – trumpet, electronics Helge Harstad – bass, baritone guitar Christian Svensson – percussion, electronics Read more of my recent reviews:
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“The calfskin song” by Georg Buljo at the Olavsfest days – Reviews and recommendations
