Ge Mig En Dag

Ge Mig En Dag is a traditional folk melody from Sweden. The subtitle “Song of the Österlan” means it is the “song of the way east” (loose translation). The song stems from the feeling of wanting one more day to enjoy the environs of the Österlen Valley and hearing the Nightengales sing. I was inspired by the sense of longing and feeling of loss when one grows up.

For this setting, I have stated the first two stanzas plainly starting with a clarinet solo followed by a trumpet solo featured in the second stanza. The third stanza starts with an eight measure introduction that intentionally plays with time and harmony. The effect is a more ethereal sound that obscures the melody as a choir of angels in heaven. The fourth and final time through is a restatement of the original stanza and includes a coda that wraps up the music nicely.