Everything new is old again for the holiday season of 2020. Everyone in the English speaking world knows the song “The Twelve Days Of Christmas,” right? Well, Norwegian accordionist Frode Haltli and his Avant Folk ensemble have a treat for us. When they were unable to present a concert in November due to coronavirus restrictions, they gathered to record “St. Morten,” a traditional Norwegian version of “The Twelve Days Of Christmas,” in a little church near Haltli’s home in Svartskog.
They’re joined by Helga Myhr on vocals in this rendition, which was arranged by Haltli using bits of the Irish traditional “The Lochaber Badger” and the Swedish polska “Back-Marits vallåt.” In addition to the video below, it’s available on digital platforms and for purchase at Bandcamp. (Let’s remember to support our artists in these times, eh?) And Haltli will release Avant Folk II in March 2021.
(Hubro, 2020)
