Through The Grove (I Riden Sa)

I have long adored the traditional musics of Scandinavia. Originating in Sweden, this song is commonly sung in a very old Norse dialect and contains many ancient symbols and references to the supernatural and pagan belief. It also features references to the Christian church and I find it fascinating that after hundreds of years, folk song can still display traces of historical social upheaval—in this case the transition from one cultural and spiritual paradigm to another.

I decided to adapt this beautiful, sad and haunting song for an English-speaking audience. Here I have re-written the lyrics (remaining faithful to the traditional storyline from a very basic English translation), and also altered the time signature.