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Til Ungdommen
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Wikipedia article
'Til ungdommen' (English: "To the Youth"), also known by the words of the first line 'Kringsatt av fiender' ("Surrounded by Enemies"), is a poem from 1936 by Norwegian poet and writer Nordahl Grieg (19021943) . It was set to music in 1952 by the Danish composer Otto Mortensen (19071986). The song has been recorded by various artists and has been sung at meetings held by various organizations. After the terror attacks of 22 July 2011, it was used in many memorial gatherings and services.
History
The poem was written in 1936 by Nordahl Grieg at Ny-Hellesund in Sgne for use by the Norwegian Students' Society after a request by Trond Hegna (18981992) who was a Member of Parliament. The poem is directly inspired by the Spanish civil war, which had broken out the same summer. It was set to music by composer Otto Mortensen in 1952, some nine years after Grieg's death.[https://allpoetry.com/Til-Ungdommen-(To-The-Youth) To The Youth] - English Version, Translated by Rod Sinclair
In 1988 it was recorded by Grex Vocalis. In 2000 it was orchestrated by Tormod Tvete Vik and sung by Norwegian actress and singer Herborg Krkevik in her CD titled 'Krkeviks Songbok'. Krkevik's version excludes verses 7-10.
The song has also been recorded by Danish rock musician Kim Larsen, first on his album 231045-0637 from 1979. However, on this album it was called '682 A' rather than 'Til Ungdommen', a reference to the song's listing in the Danish folk high school songbook. Kim Larsen also included the song on his live album 'Kim i Cirkus' (1985), and on the live CD and DVD (2007), on these two occasions titling it by the first line in the Danish version of the poem, 'Kringsat af Fjender'.
The song has also been recorded by Norwegian experimental band The Soundbyte. 'Til Ungdommen' was sung by Norwegian singer Torhild Ostad on 23 November 2003 in Kleinmachnow near Berlin, Germany, as the memorial stone was unveiled at the site where the poet Nordahl Grieg died when the Lancaster bomber in which he was flying as a war correspondent hit the ground on 2 December 1943.
On 24 July 2011, under enormous worldwide media coverage, the song was sung by the congregation of the Oslo Cathedral memorial service in relation to the 2011 Norway attacks. (Contains video from the service) It was also sung at Denmark's official Memorial Service at Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen on 27 July 2011.
Herborg Krkevik's 2000 version of the song was re-released in 2011 immediately after the attacks, reaching #1 on VG-lista, the official Norwegian Singles Chart, in its first week of release.
Sissel Kyrkjeb sang the song as the concluding performer during the Norwegian National Memorial Ceremony on 21 August 2011 in the Oslo Spektrum arena, which was held to remember those killed in the 2011 Norway attacks. The program was broadcast on all TV channels across Norway. Ingebjrg Bratland sang the song on 30 July 2011 in the Oslo Cathedral.
Text of the poem
'Til ungdommen' by Nordahl Grieg.
English translation
'by Solveig Tofte/Metaphor (2022):'
Faced by your enemies
faced by your time!
During a bloody storm
never resign!
Fearful your questions are,
defenseless and open
What is my armament?
What is my weapon?
Here is your battle plan
Here is your sword:
Faith in humanity,
and all that its worth
For all our futures sake
Find it, sustain it
Pay any price but:
strengthen and gain it!
Silent the weapons go
Rows upon rows,
call halt to their deadly drift,
our spirit grows!
War is contempt for life
Peace is creation
Throw all your power in,
to deaths true damnation
Love and enrich by dream
our mighty past!
Unveil new answers to
all questions asked
Water wheels still not built
Unrevealed planets
The brave and ingenuous
will make a difference!
Pure is humanity,
the world full of seed
Where there is hunger,
it is born of greed
Break all iniquity
Injustice will fall (then)
Sunrise and bread and soul
Are owned by all (men)
Then all the weapons are
truly ignored
with human dignity
Peace is restored
She who with her right
hand Carries a burden
A treasure she must protect
Cannot commit murder
Here is our solemn vow
From man to man:
Treasure our sacred
world Water and land
We will keep it close:
The beauty - affection
Like carrying an infant
with Love and protection
Song recordings
*The Norwegian duo Metaphor made an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jW6szyC9iY&t english translation and three recorded version of this song] in 2022, due to the war in Ukraine
*Kim Larsen's version (in 1979) of the song is titled "682A" a reference to its place in 'Hjskolesangbogen', the Danish Folk High School songbook
*The song was performed live in July 1988 by Kim Larsen, Bjrn Afzelius, ge Aleksandersen and Jahn Teigen, with verses alternating between Danish and Norwegian. The song was recorded and shown live on television, but never released on CD or vinyl.
*Anders Buaas has recorded his non-vocal version of a song called 'Til Ungdommen' on his musical work "The Witches of Finnmark" (2017).
In popular culture
* The instrumental song 'Closing the Circle' by Danish progressive metal band Beyond Twilight (on their 2001 album 'The Devil's Hall of Fame') contains melody snippets taken from 'Til Ungdommen'.
* The song 'Songen t Fangen' by Norwegian black metal band Vreid (on their debut album 'Kraft') uses 'Til Ungdommen' as its primary melody.
References
Other sources
* Andreassen, Jostein (1992) 'Nordahl Grieg p Srlandet: Et studieheft om forfatterskap og milj' (J. Andreassen)
* Nag, Martin (1989) 'Ung m Nordahl Grieg enn vre' (Solum)
* Hoem, Edvard (1989) 'Til ungdommen : Nordahl Griegs liv' (Oslo: Gyldendal)
Category:Norwegian poems
Category:1936 poems
Category:1952 songs
Category:Number-one singles in Norway
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