This year, the beloved author André Bjerke would have turned 100. He has left behind a long list of significant works and left his mark on Norwegian literary history. However, the fact that he is registered with more than 700 works in TONO is probably unknown to many.
/ 26/11/2018 / Kristian DugstadThis article was written in 2018 in connection with André Bjerke's 100th anniversary.
Poet, novelist and translator – André Bjerke is still a towering figure in Norwegian literature. Among his most famous works are the crime novel "De dødes tjern", published under the pseudonym Bernhard Borge, and the poem "Pharaoh in the Pine".
He was known for writing in a bound form with traditional rhyme and rhythm, and his lyrics are often described as highly musical. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that he is registered as the lyricist of more than 700 works in TONO, where he himself became a member in 1973.
– There is a lot of musicality in André's poetry, says Tone Bjerke. She is one of André Bjerke's three children and heirs. Some of what he wrote in his very productive career was intended for music, but most of what has been published in a musical context are musical settings of his poetry.
As heir and custodian of her father's works, she says that the inquiries she receives most often come from artists, musicians and composers who want to use his texts in the context of music.
– Many people set a melody to a poem that they want to include on their releases, among their own songs. Others release entire albums with only André's lyrics.
Composer Marcus Paus is one of those who has had good contact with Tone Bjerke. His new album will be released on November 30th. A sacred, ordinary game – Songs to poems by André Bjerke.
– I grew up with André Bjerke's lyrics, but it wasn't until my teens that I really discovered his poetry. There is an immediate musicality in his lyrics that is completely irresistible.
Paus has composed music to poems by Bjerke for the past 20 years, and the new release consists of both old and new compositions. He describes André Bjerke as directly formative in his development as a composer.
– I find that working with his poetry for so many years has had a lasting effect on how I operate as a melodist. He has been as important as, for example, the composers I have been influenced by. Reading Bjerke is simply a “musical-chemical” reaction. What is musical in a person will reveal itself through his poems.
Another well-established artist and songwriter who has invested time and effort in André Bjerke's poetry is Karoline Krüger. Like Marcus Paus, she has composed a long series of songs to poems by Bjerke. The album "De to stemmer" was released in 2004, while "Labyrinter" was released earlier this year. All the lyrics on these albums are lyrics by André Bjerke. "De to stemmer" is more adult material, while "Labyrinter" is children's poems set to music.
– One of Bjerke's main ideas was that language is more than just direct communication. It is rhythm and instinct. The rhythm in the poems emphasizes the message and creates new dimensions, beyond what is said in pure words. Children understand this completely on their own. André Bjerke understood it, and as an adult he was quite alone in it.
In connection with both of these albums, Karoline Krüger has staged the music as stage performances. She has toured "Labyrinter" as a children's show for much of 2018. In doing so, she is also bringing Bjerke's legacy to the next generation.
– I feel that I am passing on these texts. That is what is so great about such projects, that I, in my own way, can help pass on Bjerke's poetry.
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding André Bjerke in connection with his 100th birthday. According to Tone Bjerke, there have only been more and more inquiries from musicians in recent years.
– A lot has happened since his death. He has truly had his renaissance, and is more popular than ever.
Bjerke had a very productive career and great breadth, but the frequent use in music is a new dimension, added by others. Tone thinks this is great, and she thinks he would have thought the same himself.
– I think my father would really appreciate that his lyrics are being used by so many musicians. He would find it incredibly nice.