In Heaven Above (I Himmelen, I Himmelen) - Complete

Setting by Aaron David Miller from "Norwegian Folk Songs for Organ" (Augsburg Fortress). Performed by Joshua Lindgren on the 1997 Jaeckel organ. Bethany Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, Kansas. (See http://www.bethanylutheranlindsborg.c... for a history of the organs at Bethany Lutheran Church)
*Sorry about the shaking - my awesome photographer (and friend!) didn't know (nor did I! that moving on the platform where the camera was would shake the camera stand... oh well! =^)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• world
• music
• college
• student
• norwegian
• folk
• organ
• aaron
• david
• miller
• himmelen
• swedish

[bustercherry1813]

Where can I get the sheet music for this song at this tempo? I would like to use it in my wedding.

Thanks

[jolelikamgr]

The tempo is up to the performer! However, the music is found in Aaron David Miller's "Norwegian Folk Songs for Organ"

Good luck!

[ramkar]

this song should not be played this fast!!!

The beautiful melody dissapears completely when played like this!

[jolelikamgr]

Could it also be the inaccuracy of my playing and the simply awful sound quality of the recording? I think that's a big part of it.

However, I can still see your argument. At a Swedish Heritage Music Festival, I could see it being played slower - but for a postlude or as a conclusion to a concert, I think that this speed - the indicated tempo - but more polished is perfectly acceptable. Remember that this is a folk tune and open to gross interpretation. Thanks for your comment!

[ramkar]

Being a traditional folk singer myself I do know that it can be preformed in various ways.. and your version is too fast. If I should sing it in church or concert I would sing it half the speed your playing. And so would every other traditional folk singer do! But of course you are allowed to play as fast as you want. ;-)

[jolelikamgr]

As long as we both acknowledge one another's artistic freedom, we will do just fine =^)

[Leon1949Green]

I like!!! The shaking could even be received as visual tremolo! And as for interpretation and speed, I recall the extreme variation in tempi taken by different violinists through the years with Dvorak's Sonatina for violin and piano!

[davbear221]

I don't think this arrangement does anything for the text! If anything it is very inappropriate! But then again thats my opinion and i know you've heard alot of them.

[Hans021220]

@jolelikamgr I hvilken kirke e denne innspillt?Er det Kongsberg?

[karpov89]

Greetings! I think you play it very well..great! However would just like to note that I himmelen, i himmelen is a Norwegian-Swedish folk tune, with several different variations. There are two in the Swedish Book of hymns 169 A and 169 B (in the ecumenical part, the Catholic church and others sings the same). Another very nice is the one by sung by Triakel - I himmelen

[domramalaja]

If I were to sing this as a psalm (which I have done on several funerals(!) ) I would, as you point out too, 'ramkar', sing this slower, and in a free tempo.

But the way this is performed actually reminds me that psalm-tunes also was used as dance music. For instance "Välkommen, o, Jesu" (Welcome, oh, Jesus) is a wonderful waltz. If the instrument used here was not organ but fiddle or keyharp, it would be natural to dance a waltz or some type of polska to this tune.

[organpipe8]

BEAUTIFUl nice TEMPO, thanks for sharing.