Categories: Concerts, TGIF

Johanna and Scott Hongell-Darsee

TGIF, Jan 31, 5:30pm

Let this Friday’s concert transport you to another place and time, with Johanna and Scott Hongell-Darsee playing medieval and traditional Ballads. Doors to the sanctuary open at 5:15pm and the concert begins at 5:30pm. The concert is free with donations accepted.

Program

People have sung stories since times immemorial as a way to memorize and record history and myths. 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 metamorphosed and melted into various musical traditions, weaving a world of fantasy and mystery.

 Sir Lanval

  1. Fairy Hill (Traditional melody from Sweden)
  2. Harped and Carped (Traditional melody from Denmark)
  3. The Jealous King (Traditional melody from the UK)
  4. Elven Land (Traditional melody from Norway)

Tonight’s program is inspired by a story written by the medieval author Marie de France. It is a variant of the Arthurian story of Sir Lancelot. Parallel stories can also be found in medieval and traditional ballads from Scandinavia and the British Isles. Marie de France was an author who lived in the late twelfth century. She wrote a collection of narrative poems known as The Lais of Marie de France. According to herself her stories were based on Breton and Celtic legends told by Breton minstrels.

 All lyrics compiled, translated, arranged, and adapted by Johanna Hongell-Darsee.

All music arranged by Scott and Johanna Hongell-Darsee.

Scott and Johanna Hongell-Darsee

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 since 2021. 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
  • International Folk Art Market, 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, composer) 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. 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, 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