Categories: Archives 2024, Concerts

Scott and Johanna

TGIF, Jan 12, 5:30pm

Scott and Johanna Hongell-Darsee, a duo that has performed all over the US and Europe, mesmerize us with Medieval and Traditional Folk Ballads at our Friday TGIF concert. Sanctuary doors open at 5:15 pm, and the concert begins at 5:30. The concert is free with donations accepted.

Program

Medieval and Traditional Ballads

People have sung stories since times immemorial as a way to memorize and record history and myths, a kind of stone age data base. The songs we today call medieval and traditional ballads have their roots among Nordic epic sagas, French romantic lays, Celtic lore and World mythology. As these songs traveled, they have metamorphosed and melted into various musical traditions, weaving a world of fantasy and mystery.

The Famous Flower of Serving Men/Kerstin Stalledräng

This series of songs are versions of a story told in ballad form in Scandinavia, the British Isles, and the US.

A young woman has to flee her home. She dresses up as a boy and rides to the king’s court where she enters into service as a stable boy. The king’s son falls in love with her, and they meet in secret. One day the king’s son rides out to hunt. He chases a mysterious hind that leads him to a lonely grave. There a dove comes and tells him about who the young stable boy really is.

Meanwhile the young woman gives birth to their child.

The king’s son and the young woman marry, and she becomes the queen.

All music, lyrics and translations arranged by Scott and Johanna Hongell-Darsee

The Artists

Scott and Johanna are a duo who perform early traditional Scandinavian/Celtic ballads and tales.

Their wanderings have led them from Finland and Iowa respectively—through Europe, Scandinavia, India, and the US. On the way they have picked up tales and songs that they perform together with the stories behind them, in particular exploring the links between Scandinavian, Celtic, North American, and other story singing traditions.

Their performances have been described as magical, inspiring, haunting, mesmerizing …

“… the Hongell-Darsees summon ancient characters from the depths of our collective unconscious and bid you take leave of the modern world and join your ancestors, huddled together in a hut around a fire as the storyteller makes the hair on your arms stand straight up.” (Mel Minter, Musically Speaking, Albuquerque, NM)

Their recordings have been nominated for 3 New Mexico Music Awards. They are currently in and have had multiple hits on The Top 40 World Music Charts by Ethnocloud consecutively for 12 months. Their songs can also be found on several traditional music compilations.

After relocating to New Mexico from Scandinavia in 2001, Scott and Johanna have performed all over the U.S. and in Europe at festivals, theatres, arts councils, universities, schools, libraries, and live broadcasts including:

  • The Spice of Life Soho, London, England
  • La Parfumerie, Geneve, Switzerland
  • Metronomen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Mix Musik, Malmö, Sweden
  • Provincetown Playhouse and Scandinavia House, NYC
  • Outpost Performance Space with AMP Concerts, Albuquerque, NM
  • Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, NM
  • Renaissance Faires: Medieval Fair of Norman, OK; Midsummers Fairytale Celtic Ren Fair, CA; Albuquerque Renaissance Faire, NM; Renaissance Celtic Faire, NM; Cavern City Renaissance Festival, NM
  • Folk/Celtic Festivals: Traditional Music Society, Los Angeles, CA; Albuquerque Folk Festival, NM; Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival, NM
  • Scandinavian Festivals of Estes Park, CO; Atlanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; Thousand Oaks, CA; Lindsborg, KS; Albuquerque, NM
  • Storytelling Festivals of Los Angeles, CA; Four Corners, NM; Taos, NM; Albuquerque, NM
  • Universities: NYU; UNM, ENMU, San Juan College and College of Santa Fe, NM; UA; Coe College, IA
  • NPR Affiliates, KUNM, KSFR, WFHB
  • TV 2KASA Morning Show
  • New Mexico Humanities Council – Inducted as scholars since 2005

Johanna (vocals, woodwinds, stringed instruments, arrangements) was born in Finland. Apart from music she has a background in theater and dance. She studied theater in France and Bharata Natyam dance in India. She has worked as a performing artist for over 40 years in Scandinavia, Europe, India, and USA and led the dance and theater company Teater Bava in Sweden for 10 years.

Scott (stringed instruments, arrangements, composer) was born in USA. Since 2000 Scott has performed music throughout the US from New York to California. Before relocating to New Mexico, he spent 16 years in Europe, where parallel to his artistic work he worked with ballet companies such as Dance Theatre of Harlem, London Festival Ballet, English National Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet and Hamburg Ballet.

Links

Link to videos: http://www.hongelldarsee.com/gallery

Link to website: http://www.hongelldarsee.com/

Link to Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Scott-and-Johanna-Hongell-Darsee-186240984740838/

Gale Wright