Following a series of military and economic defeats in the early 19th century, an enterprising group of teachers, pastors and writers set about to revive the Danish national spirit. Out of this environment the unique Danish tradition of the folkehøjskole (“Folk High School”) was born. The lofty goal of these institutions was to provide life-long popular education, a sense of national pride and civic responsibility for the common person. The movement’s chief architect, the poet, philosopher, and pastor, N.F.S. Grundtvig knew full well the value of singing for creating a sense of community, so naturally, a new demand for Danish songs was created. In 1894, the first Højskolesangbogen (High School Songbook) was published. A substantial revised edition was published in 1922, including many melodies by the famous composer Carl Nielsen. Today the collection includes 572 songs with 2.4 million copies sold and is the most popular songbook in the country to this day.

The natural choice for performing this Treasury of Danish Song is the internationally acclaimed Danish National Vocal Ensemble, the elite choir of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR). With two Grammy nominations and the prestigious German ECHO Award for the CD The Nightingale (recorded with recorder virtuoso Michala Petri), the French Diapason d’Or de l’année, in addition to a host of other national and international accolades, their luminous sound provides the perfect frame for these simple, heartfelt expressions of the Danish soul.

Contents:

Spring
1. Vandring i skoven
- H.C. Andersen/Trad. langelandsk melodi
2. Nu lyser løv i lunde
- Johannes Jørgensen/Carl Nielsen
3. Det er i dag et vejr
- Ludvig Holstein/Poul Schierbeck
4. Den blå anemone
- Kaj Munk/Egil Harder
5. Den kedsom vinter
- Ambrosius Stub/ Henrik Rung
6. Vintergæk er brudt af mulden
- Johannes V. Jensen/Knud Jeppesen
7. For alle de små blomster (Opvåvni)
- Mads Hansen/Hans Hansen

Summer
8. Jeg ser de bøgelyse øer
- Laurits Christian Nielsen/Thorvald Aagaard
9. En yndig og frydefuld sommertid (Kærlighedsrosen)
- Trad. dansk folkevise
10. Se dig ud en sommerdag
- Jeppe Aakjær/Carl Nielsen
11. Nu går midsommer ind (Midsommersang)
- Leo Estvad/Svend S. Schultz
12. Yndigt dufter Danmark
- Ulf Hoffmann/Svend S. Schultz
13. Hvor smiler fager
- Johannes V. Jensen/Oluf Ring
14. Hvor sødt i sommer-aftenstunden
- Adam Oehlenschläger/Carl Nielsen
15. Danmark, nu blunder den lyse nat
- Thøger Larsen/Oluf Ring
16. Stille, hjerte, sol går ned
- Jeppe Aakjær/Thomas Laub

Autumn
17. Det lysner over agres felt
- Ludvig Holstein/H. Balslev
18. Det løvfald, som vi kom så altfor nær
- Frank Jæger/Tony Vejslev
19. Septembers himmel er så blå
- Alex Garff/Otto Mortensen
20. Blæsten går frisk over Limfjordens vande
- Erik Bertelsen/Povl Hamburger
21. Sig nærmer tiden
- Steen Steensen Blicher/Oluf Ring
22. Hvor klart dog stjernen ses i nat
- Poul la Cour/Povl Hamburger

Winter
23 Der er ingenting i verden så stille som sne (I)
- Helge Rode/Thomas Laub
24. Vintertid
- Lisbet Torp/Kurt Larsen
25. Spurven sidder stum bag kvist
- Jeppe Aakjær/Thorvald Aagaard
26. Det er hvidt herude
- Steen Steensen Blicher/Thomas Laub
27. Sneflokke kommer vrimlende
- Jeppe Aakjær/Thorvald Aagaard
28. Der er ingenting i verden … (II)
- Helge Rode/Povl Hamburger