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MUSIC: OLE OLSEN (1850 – 1927)
LYRICS: F. BAUDITZ (???? – ????)
TRANSLATION and COMMENTARY: DR. ALF LUNDER KNUDSEN and DR. JEFFREY R. HIGHLAND
No particulars have been found about the lyricist of this song, but it is assumed he is one of the numerous Ferdinands or Frederiksthe prominent Danish Bauditz family/clan.
The music was penned by Ole Olsen, Norwegian organist, composer, conductor and military musician born in the city of Hammerfest, in Finnmark county in the extreme northeastern part of Norway. His father, Iver Olsen, a craftsman and amateur musician, was organist at the local church. He recognized Ole’s musical talents and taught him to play both piano and violin. At the age of five the boy wrote his first composition, and at age seven he at times substituted for his father playing the organ at church services.
In 1865 he went to Trondheim as apprentice to a craftsman, but also studied composition and organ from Fredrick and Just Lindeman and sometimes substituted for the latter as organist in the Trondheim Cathedral. After five years he totally gave up his apprenticeship, moved to Leipzig, Gemany and studied at the music conservatory where he wrote his first Symphony in G major, and the beginning of his first opera Stig Hvide. His operas were influenced by German composer Richard Wagner.
Upon his return to Norway in 1874, he became a teacher and spent most of his career composing and as director of choruses, orchestras and bands in Oslo, most notably Christiania Håndverkersangforening and Akershus 2. Brigade Musikkorps among others. From 1899 to 1920 Olsen was Commander of Norway’s Military Bands with the rank of Major.
While in the military he was collecting folk tunes and was introduced to the North Norwegian Sami Joik style. These influenced the large number of marches he composed and the nationalist tradition was also represented in his stage works.
Fold dig ud, vårt gamle Mærke,
evig unge sangerflag!
Gjør de veke viljer stærke,
når du løftes for vår sak!
lær oss, seigt som eikens kviste,
folde ut med modigt bryst!
Styrk oss, styrk oss, styrk oss,
at vi aldrig miste
håpets glade sangfuglrøst.
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Unfurl, You, our old banner,
Spread out! You, our old banner,
You make the weak wills strong,
when you’re hoisted for our cause!
Tough like oak twigs, teach us
to strut our pride,
strengthen us, strengthen us, strengthen us,
so we never lose the hope
of the songbird’s song.
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Fremad over tidens bølge!
Sangens sønner svikter ei;
nattens mulm kan målet dølge,
trofast viser du oss vei.
Diktets syn med klare øyne
kløver tåkens alfe-spinn
Skjerp vårt blikk, //:skjerp vårt blikk://
når tidens løgner slører idealets tind.
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Forward across times’ surge!
Sons of song don’t fail;
the dark of night may dull the goal;
you truly show the way.
The poem’s clear eye
scatters the fog’s fairy-web.
Hone our view, //:hone our view://
when lies of time veil the ideal’s top.
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Løft da høyt vår sangerfane!
Fylk om den en ungdomsvakt!
La den stråle på vår bane
alltid kjekt og uforsagt!
Dukens rød skal til det fjerne
bringe bud som baunens brann,
bringe bud, bringe bud, at den unge slekt
vil verne frihet, konge, fedreland!
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So raise the singers’ banner high!
Build a youth-guard around it!
Let it ever shine bold and unafraid on our path
the ‘red of the cloth’ shall bring
far and wide the clue of the beacon’s fire,
bring the clue, bring the clue, that the young kin
will protect freedom, king, fatherland!
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Fold deg ut vårt gamle merke, fold deg ut!
Fold deg ut vårt gamle merke, fold deg ut,
fold deg ut, fold deg ut, fold deg ut, – etc!!
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Unfurl! You, our old banner, Unfurl!
Unfurl! You, our old banner, Unfurl,
Unfurl, Unfurl,Unfurl.
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Phonics
Foll day ooht, vortgàhmlèmèrkè,
ehveeoonghèhsàhn-ghèr-flàhg!
Yeur dee vèhkèvilyèrstèrkè,
Norr dew leftes for voresàhg!
laihrohs, saykt some èh-gènskvis-tèh!
hôllehooht meh mô-dee brürst,
Stürkoss, stürkoss, stürkoss,
ahtveealdreeh mistèh
hawpetsglahdeh sang-fool-rust
Frem-àd over teedens bul-gèh!
Sàhngènssun-nèhrsvick-tèhr ’a’;
nàht-tensmoolmkàhnmawletdul-ghè,
troh-fàhstvee-sèhr do ohsvay.
Dick-tèhtssühnmèhklah-rèhøinèh
kluh-vèhrtaw-kèhnsàhl-fèhspin
//:Shèhrpvortblick,://
nohr tee-dehnslug-nèhrsluhrèhree-dee-àhl-èhts tin
Lûhftdàhhøiht vor sàhn-ghèhr-fàh-nèh
Fühlkôm den èhnoong-dôms-vàkt!
Làh den straw-lèhpawvawrbàh-nèh
àhl-tee[d] chèktaweoo-for-sàhkt!
Dook-èhnsrøhdskàhl til dèhfier-nèh
brin-gèhboodsomebauh-nèhbrahn
//:brin-gèhbood:// –àht den oom-ghèhslèhkt
Vil vèhr-nèhfree-hèht, kohn-ghèh, fèh-drèh-làhn!
Foll day ooht, vortgàhmlèhmèrkè,
Foll day ooht, Foll day ooht,
Foll day ooht, Foll day ooht.
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