Songs We Sing

Songs We Sing is an ongoing collaboration between Alwynne Pritchard and the Norwegian early music keyboard player, Hans Knut Sveen. It began in 2018, with the simple desire to perform songs that they love. These could be pieces with strong associations, ones they had enjoyed singing and playing before, or songs they had never sung and that were, perhaps, even new to them. When the songs were written or what genre they might come from was not important. Original instrumentation (piano, harpsichord etc) and received ideas about vocal style were also not a priority. Finding a way of creating renditions with the tools at hand (Alwynne's voice and Hans Knut's harmonium) is what originally defined the project.

However, as they have worked on Songs We Sing, it has become increasingly important for Alwynne and Hans Knut to ask questions about how they could bring their own experiences into the process of sharing the songs, as well as how they might open the project up to participation from other people. As they have found themselves investigating the process of making these songs their own, they have also found themselves asking how other people might do the same – and what impact this would have on their interpretations. 

For this reason, the Songs We Sing has begun to expand, with participation from art practitioners Hild Borchgrevink, Jeremy Welsh, Roar Sletteland, Thorolf Thuestad and Tijs Ham. Alwynne and Hans Knut have also made a recording of Eden Ahbez's song Nature Boy, which they invite participants to download, rework and return to songswesing@gmail.com, so that the community can grow and the conversation around the project can expand. 

You can find out more about Songs We Sing by visiting Research Catalogue here.

With funds from Bergen kommune.

Photo: Else Olsen S.