Almost every nation has a day of national celebration such as America’s July 4 commemoration of the Declaration of Independence and France’s July 14 Bastille Day, marking the end of the l’ancien regime. May 17 is Norway’s national day, known as Constitution Day. It marks both the country’s declaration of independence on May 17, 1814 and the triumph of constitutional government. Although Norway enjoyed 400 years as a self-governing and independent realm prior to 1319, there followed unions with Sweden and Denmark in which Norway was the lesser entity. Despite a loose union with Sweden in the early 1800s, Norway’s desire for freedom dominated and the popular-elected Assembly drafted a constitution which it adopted in May 1814, essentially re-establishing Norway as an independent realm.

To mark this holiday, we offer a selection of traditional and contemporary folk music from Norway, much of it to be found on the NorthSide record label from Minneapolis, Minn. NorthSide licenses recordings from Scandinavia and issues them in the U.S. The label, which has recently run into financial problems, remains the leading purveyor of Scandinavian music in America (www.noside.com)

My thanks to Dr. C. Grant Roti of Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, CT who assisted with research and provided a host of lutefisk humor to sprinkle throughout the program.

• Artist, "Title", Album, Label

• Bukkene Bruse, “Springar In A Major Key”, The Stone Chair, NorthSide

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• Various Artists, “Mollerens Brudevals”, “Torstein Langbein”, “St. Thomaslokkelatten”, “Reinlender”

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• Chateau Neuf, “Halling From Numedal”, “Do You Want To Make Vows To Me?”, “Roseleiken”, “The Jumper”

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• Tirilunga, “Eg aktar inkje mykje hine gutan”, “Tenarlon hja telebonden”, “Skripatten”, “Der Sto Tre Piker”

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• Anon Egelund, “The Tinker”, “North Of The Mountains”, Anon, NorthSide

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• Goose Island Ramblers, “In Heaven There Is No Beer”, “There’s No Norwegian In Dickeyville”, “Wendy’s Schottische”, “Swiss Yodel Waltz”

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• Bukkene Bruse, “Folk Tune From Sunnmere”, “Wedding March From Osterdalen”, “The Devil’s Tune”, The Stone Chair

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• Annbjorn Lien, “Iriandia”, “Inoque”, Baba Yaga, NorthSide

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• Rita Eriksen, “Wildman And Fair Magnhild”, Dublin To Dakhar, Putumayo

• Foot-Notes, “Emigrant’s Waltz”, “Henry Storhoff’s Schottische”, Iowa State Fare, Smithsonian/Folkways