Per Nørgård's A Choral Hymn (On Frostbound Earth) from 1983 for Mixed Choir SATBB. Based on 'Choral Hymn' and a fragment of 'The Year'. Orig. version 'Choral Hymn': WH32008 for SATB Orig. DK version 'Korsalme': WH32007 Programme note When in 1975 I had finished composing my 3rd Symphony (begun in 1973) I wrote three simple melodies for two psalm texts by Ole Sarvig “The Year” and “Choral Hymn”. One of these was later included in the Danish Hymnbook under the title “Året – Som året går” (The Year). Thesethree “Sarvig tunes” were derived from the same material as the second movement of the symphony and could be harmonized together in several different tempo relationships at the same time - like fractals. This inspired me to write several choral and instrumental works in the following decade based on these melodies for instance “Frost Psalm” “Winter Cantata” “Cycles” “Cantica” and this “A choral hymn (On frostbound earth) all coloured by the Nordic and mythic poem “The year” by Sarvig the beginning of which goes : The passing year will pass its deep So shall our mind reach winter´s sleep. And as the tree stands leafles bare Is winter´s realms: our minds aware. - Ole Sarvig (translated by Helen and Ole Sarvig) Per Nørgård
