NSAA – Norwegian Singers Association of America Norwegian Singers Association of America

Old Norway
David Monrad Johnasen

Old Norway, northernmost in neighborhoods, is our ancestral land.
There are seas which totally as one play around the long shoreline.
There are bays and peninsulas and islands, thousands of fjords and thousands of mountains,
snowy where the snow rarely melts, valleys where the enormous waterfalls fall.

Nasty indeed are the long winters, yet green our spruce forests stand,
and when the foliage on the hills shoots forth, beautiful colors reach our neighborhood.
Great days and short nights pass gently around the bright earth; coast and fjord and mountains
and mountain farms bask in sunlight from south and north.

The children of those who built the land are still on the foundations;
the farms stand on old locales built and repaired as the farmer desires.
Accustomed to difficulty more than to affectionateness, the sound-song plays on land and sea.
May they be granted (to) sing with dignity and to enjoy steadfastness on a foundation in safety and peace.

Old Norway, northernmost in neighborhoods, is our very own ancestral land.
Old Norway, northernmost in neighborhoods, is our very own ancestral land.

Ole Olson

Unfold yourself, our old emblem, eternally young Singers Flag!
Make the weak wills strong, Whenever you are raised for our cause!
Train us strictly like the oak’s branch (to) endure with courageous chest.
Strengthen us, strengthen us, strengthen us,
that we may never lose Hope’s joyful songbird voice.

Lift high, then, our singers’ banner! Array around it a guard of youth!
Let it shine upon our path, always cheerful and undismayed.
To the far-off (its) red cloth shall bring a message like (the) fire of a beacon.
Bring a message, bring a message,
that the young generation will protect freedom, king, (and) fatherland
Unfold yourself, our old emblem. Unfold yourself.

Even Now only a Glimpse
Agathe Backer-Grøndahl

Even now only a glimpse from the sun, even now only a breeze from the sea,
Even now only a smile from my beloved, come, therefore, death.
Even now a glance from my friend,
Even now a squeeze of his hand, even now a sound of the familiar footstep!
Come, therefore, come thou better land! Even now an inward prayer to Christ
that He will guide me while I am wandering up toward that golden path.
Come, therefore, come! Eternity.

Denmark’s Garden
Oskar Gyldmark

1. Now hangs high above Denmark’s garden, like a bell hidden in the plain dawn,
the bell-like larks and blissfully chimes the early choir beneath a golden cloud.
With singing it blesses the hours of the day that they may proceed with singing anew.

4. But, you who hear on Denmark’s garden your burden of despondency with bowed back,
bathe yourself in the morning’s clear water when the marsh sprite has finished its brewing,
its beautiful clarity frees your forehead; with singing it blesses you well and safe.

arr. Edvard Grieg

(This might be described as a child’s fun song. Låt can mean “(noisy), fun, gaiety”.
Imagine a child at bedtime with dad providing sound effects to this song.)

Brumbraskön i Bumba, Brumbraskön i Bumba.
(Refers to a bear growling.)
Katten slaer uppå Trumma,
The cat is beating on the drum
o firö Mysa dei gå i Dans,
and four mice are dancing
so heilö Jore ho dundra.
so the whole earth trembles.

Katta, Katta, Katta.

Katta sat uppå Take,
The cat was sitting up on the roof,
Tala te sine Dötta,
talking to its daughters,
Kor sko me o Veten vera,
“If we should become wet,
me frjösö på vore Föta
we’ll freeze on our feet.”

Rejsö, rejsö, rejsö, rejsö.

Me sko rejsö te Danemark
“We shall travel to Denmark
o kjöpö Sko för ei heilö Mark,
and buy shoes for a while mark.”
Trine, trine, trine, trine Pepar o Ködn.
Step, step, step.
(The last line defies translation.
It may refer to “going to bed”)

(Translation by Donald Berg)

C.H. Rinck

Sunset warm and glowing smiles and sounds all cease
Nature is bestowing silent, holy peace.

But the brooklet’s billow murmur on and on;
There ‘mong break and willow, day is never done.

Evening never bringeth, less’ning in its pace.
Curfew never ringeth ending in its race.

So my heart is beating in unending love
Until, death defeating, I find peace above.

(English by Siver Serumgard)

(an alternate translation)

Evening sun smiles on the earth below
And nature rest silent in holy peace.

Only the brook’s waves ripple gently
Through the field and woods forward it throws itself.

No evening brings standstill to its flow
No bells ring it to quiet and peace.

So my heart stops in its love,
Until I one day sleep in an eternal peace.

(Translation by Harold Svanoe)