GO0209

Kristian Bugge og Karl Skaarup

Karl Skaarup, med/with Kristian Bugge - Musiker/Musicians

DK/UK

En af vore ældste og stadig meget aktive spillemænd, 85 årige Karl Skaarup  fortæller her hans musikalske historie. CD’en og projektet er udviklet i samarbejde med en af vore absolut bedste unge traditionelle spillemænd, violinisten Kristian Bugge.
Karl Skaarup  er en skattet spillemand primært til dans og spiller som sådan fortsat i forskellige konstellationer bl.a.
som på denne cd i duo med Kristian Bugge.
Den 3. oktober 2008 blev Karl fejret med en stor fest på Snedsted Kro i anledning af hans 80 års jubilæum som aktiv spillemand!

Og senest den 7. marts 2009, ved Danish Music Award /Folk festen i Tønder, blev han hædret og
tildelt årets formidlingspris.

Karl Skaarup (85 years old) is one of our oldest, active and most respected traditional musicians. Together with our young and highly awarded traditional fiddler Kristian Bugge  he tells his musical stories and history.
Over the years the renown of Karl and his music has spread steadily throughout his native country and abroad. He is frequently invited to play in various local folk music circles and fiddlers’ conventions all over the country. He plays for private gatherings, common folk dancing, and proper »Thybal«
— the time-honoured dance evenings
Karl plays in different line-ups, including the duet with Kristian Bugge.

In October 2008, a grand party was thrown in his honour at the Snedsted Inn celebrating his 80th anniversary as an active folk musician! And most recently, in March 2009, Karl Skaarup was honoured at the Danish Music Awards/Folk-ceremony, where he received the annual »Mediator Award«.

Karl Skaarup: Harmonika
Kristian Bugge: Violin

1. Rask Kontra 3:49 
2. Den ny Maskerade 3:11 
3. Fandango 2:38
4. Alm. Totur suite 16:33 #
5. Den gamle ottetur på langs 4:05
6. Hamborger på langs 2:49 
7. Mellem kagel og æ væg 2:19
8. Totur i Svejtrin suite 5:54
9. Hellesens Vals 2:48
10. Trekantet Sløjfe 1:39
11. Den toppede Høne 2:10
12. Sekstur på langs 3:15
13. De små svot 9:26

Alle titler trad., arr. af / all tracks trad., arr. by Skaarup & Bugge

-Fra covertekst:

Denne musik betyder enormt meget for mig. Da jeg første gang mødte Karl og hørte ham spille, blev jeg virkelig glad og begejstret. Jeg var dengang studerende på konservatoriet i Odense og sammenlignet med at sidde og spille bag lukkede døre i et lille øvelokale, var Karls musik så meget mere virkelighed. Og den bekræftede mig endnu en gang i, hvorfor jeg havde valgt at spille traditionel folkemusik.
Man kan høre og læse mange spændende historier om hvordan den traditionelle musik har lydt; den energi og feststemning, det liv og swing, som har betaget og indfanget lyttere og dansere op gennem tiderne og frem til idag. Men det gør en kæmpe forskel at opleve den i virkeligheden. Som når Karl spiller.
Jeg ved at Karl gennem hele sit lange liv har inspireret mennesker i alle aldre og efterladt sig en mængde aftryk. Skabt god stemning til en fest, leveret den swingende musik som folk har danset til, og som mange sikkert har fundet sammen under. Han har som ung lært et unikt musikrepertoire fra Thy; i direkte, ubrudt linie fra de gamle spillemænd,
og han spiller det stadig med vildskab, saft og kraft. Det har været en kæmpe inspiration for mig at få lov at spille med
og lære af ham, og jeg kan kun ønske at jeg kan gøre det samme, når jeg når hans alder.
Dette projekt, at udgive det første studie album med Karl og hans musik, sådan at musikken kan nå ud til endnu flere, har været enormt vigtigt for mig.
Rigtig god fornøjelse!
Kristian Bugge

Karl Skaarup er født i 1924 i Koldby i Midtthy og bor stadig i sit barndomshjem. Moderen var meget musikalsk, hun sang meget og havde spillet til bal på zither og mundharpe; og allerede som fireårig spillede Karl Skaarup første gang ude til bal på en énradet harmonika, der så senere blev skiftet ud med forskellige toradede og femradede harmonikaer.
Som 16-17- årig kom han til at spille sammen med den 34 år ældre spillemand Viggo »Post« Pedersen fra Bedsted. Viggo Post spillede nogle rækkedanse, som Karl Skaarup ikke spillede dengang. Det var bl.a. Fandango, Federmikkel samt turdanse-suiten Totur og Tretur i Vals og Lars Kusks Firtur. Karl mener, at det bl.a. var af Viggo Post, han lærte spillestilen med triller og de mange fingerløb. I samme periode
kom Karl Skaarup til at spille sammen med Kristian »Balle« Larsen fra Gjersbøl. Sammen med pianisten Niels Bjerregaard spillede han hver aften seks år igennem på Restaurant Markedshallen i Thisted. Der blev der udelukkende spillet moderne repertoire som foxtrot, tango og vals.
I 1942 blev Skaarups Trio dannet.Foruden Karl på harmonika var det Tage Østergaard på violin og Marius Andersen på trommer. Trioen spillede sammen i 11 år. I 18 år spillede Karl en gang om måneden til gammeldans på Hotel Phønix i Thisted. Det var mest sammen med Aage Ryming på trommer, kontrabas eller trækbasun, men i starten var det sammen med Nikolaj Dahlgaard og Kristian Balle.
Siden 1965 har Karl mest spillet alene, hvilket har givet hans kraftige spil et særligt præg. Det har været til private og offentlige fester og i gammeldansforeninger, og i en periode spillede han til folkedans otte forskellige steder hver uge.
Fra begyndelsen af 1980’erne har der ca. 6 gange årligt været arrangeret gammeldans på Snedsted Kro, hvor Karl har spillet sammen med Jack Jacobsen og Gitte Thofte. Der har thymusikken domineret repertoiret. Karl og hans musik er blevet mere og mere kendt og efterspurgt i hele Danmark og ud over landets grænser. Han får jævnligt invitationer fra Folkemusikhuse, festivaler og spillemandsstævner i
hele landet, og han spiller både til familiefester, almindelig folkedans og decideret »Thybal« og bliver også brugt som underviser på kurser og stævner samt på folkemusiklinien på musikkonservatoriet i Odense.
For tiden tager Karl ud og spiller både alene og i tre forskellige konstellationer. I Skaarup Four med Kenneth Krak, Esben Wolf og Malene D. Beck, i Karl Skaarups Trio med Jack Jacobsen og Gitte Thofte og — som på denne cd i duo med den unge violinist Kristian Bugge. Den 3. oktober 2008 blev Karl fejret med en stor fest på Snedsted Kro i anledning af hans 80 års jubilæum som aktiv spillemand! Og senest den 7. marts 2009, ved Danish Music Awards/Folk festen i Tønder, blev han hædret og tildelt årets formidlingspris.
Som musiker er Karl Skaarup selvlært, hans spillestil er højst personlig, ornamenteret og temperamentsfuld, og spillestilen er præget af, at han startede med at spille én- og toradet diatonisk harmonika. Han spiller sine melodier forskelligt fra gang til gang. Om de improvisationer, triller og fingerløb, Karl spiller, siger han: »For mig, da svarer det ligesom peber og salt, krydderier til mad. Ligesådan er det i musik. Der skal lidt krydderi med, der er ikke den rette smag i det, og det samme med musik. Hvis ikke det krydderi kommer på, så er det uinteressant og uvedkommende.«
Bemærk Karl Skaarups hurtighed i højre hånd, altså i diskantsiden, og bemærk, hvordan han varierer melodien med improvisationer i form af triolisering og akkordbrydninger.
Anders Chr. N. Christensen

Hermed en lille samling af melodier, som jeg har spillet til gammeldans i 80 år. Når jeg tænker tilbage er min spillemåde og stil nok præget af dem jeg spillede sammen med, som jo for det meste var 30-40 år ældre end jeg var. De mest almindelige turdanse var Trekantet Sløjfe altid efterfulgt af Dentoppede Høne. Det er nok de to ture jeg har brugt mest i alle årene. RaskKontra ville de også have hvor jeg kom
og spillede, og den synes jeg også er en fin melodi. Et andet sikkert nummer var Almindelig Totur, som jo består af Totur, Tretur, Firetur og som regelHalvfemtetur. I mine unge dage blev de fulgt op af Femtur, Tolvtur og Dronningens Livstykke og sluttede til sidst med en hopsa. Det var almindeligt helt op til 1950-1960. Da var det tiden, hvor folkedansen begyndte i mange byer med en leder som en naturlig frontfigur, og det gik fint frem til 1990-2000, hvor det begyndte at knibe med passende tilslutning. Jeg brugte selv, som måske den eneste, De Tre Små Svot (Sorte) som bestod af 1. tur Skære Havre, 2. tur Tetop, 3. tur Peder Thomsens Kæde og sluttelig 4. tur Viborg Totur. Jeg har med fuldt overlæg holdt dem i gang i alle årene.
Flere af melodierne har næsten været glemt, såsom Totur i Svejtrin. Den tror jeg ikke andre brugte fra 1940 til 1980, men den er efterhånden blevet vældig populær over hele Danmark. I det hele taget er Thy-musik i høj kurs både på Sjælland, Fyn og i Jylland. Så er der de lange ture paa række. De var almindelige fra jeg var 14 og til jeg blev 30, men derefter gik de i glemmebogen til fordel for andre melodier fra forskellige egne, som folkedanselederne havde med. Der var syv lange ture fra Thy, som alle er med på denne cd, og det er med en vis glæde at de blev indspillet af Kristian Bugge og mig. De syv var Sekstur på Langs, Fandango, Mellem kagel og æ væg, Hellesens Vals, Den gamle ottetur på langs, Hamborger på langs og Den ny Maskerade. Det er for mig rigtig spillemandsmusik. De snirklede vendinger og de mange triller, laver en vis fylde i musikken, og det er hvad der bedst har passet til min stil. Jeg har altid prøvet efter bedste evne, at have en frihed i melodierne til at improvisere og gå uden om grundformen, men man skal jo stadigvæk vide, hvor man er. Det er mange gange impulser man får fra de dansende, der i høj grad er med til at give musikken det helt rigtige sving. De rigtig dygtige dansere har også en frihed i deres bevægelser, som jeg i høj grad nyder. Til min musik er det noget af det, der gør det let og skønt at spille, og gør en lang aften kort.
Karl Skaarup

 Krediteringer/Credits:
Harmonika/Accordion: Karl Skaarup
Violin: Kristian Bugge
Tekniker/engineer: Torben Laursen
Producer: Alan Klitgaard
Art work & cover: Gorm K. Bentsen
Photos: Ronni Kot Wenzell
Photos DMA Tønder: Jens TH
Mastering: Torben Sminge
Translations: Alan Klitgaard &
Gorm K. Bentsen
Idé/concept: Kristian Bugge
Pladeselskab/Record Label: GO’ Danish Folk Music
Indspillet på/Recorded at Vestervig Kirkemusikskole, 11. – 13. aug. 2008

 Karl Skaarup – Musician

Karl Skaarup — Musician. That’s what it says on the door plate on Karl’s house in Koldby, Thy in north-western Denmark.
Short and to the point. It could just as well have said traditional musician, folk musician, source musician etc., but quite honestly I have yet to meet source singers or musicians, who regard themselves as »transmitters of a musical tradition« and their music as »folk music« or »traditional music«, and Karl is no exception. It’s not that the older musicians don’t know that they possess a body of music both old and rare - and rarely heard - but few of them go further than distinguishing between»the old« and »the new« music. They play both with equal pleasure, and actually it is my impression that Karl may be slightly inclined towards the new, which in his case includes quite a lot of the popular music of the 20th century; a repertoire both natural and necessary for a professional musician of his time.
Having said that, I nevertheless find it quite legitimate and natural that it is the other, the traditional, part of Karl’s repertoire that has attracted the younger musicians. The part that has been handed down from generation to generation and that reflects the unique music and dance traditions of his native Thy.
For after all, he is a source musician, and an important one at that, and I don’t mind admitting that when we recorded the music for this CD in our makeshift studio in the School of Church Music in Vestervig, Thy, my (only slightly) hidden agenda was to have Karl play as many of the great Thy-contra dances as he could remember, even though it meant leaving out La Paloma, Capri and the classic accordion pieces that he loves to play.
Actually I had no problems persuading him, but it may have been the reason for him wanting Kristian Bugge and his fiddle by his side throughout the session. I imagine there may have been times where Karl has wondered why the old music was all that interesting to so many, but nevertheless he has passed it on to new generations with both patience and pleasure. The door of his home in Koldby has always been open to those who have come to see him and learn from him, and you sense that the joy and the enrichment has been a two-way affair, when you hear Karl and Lilly tell about the many visits from young musicians. Lilly, yes, of course I haven’t forgotten that the door
plate bears her name as well. The life of a musician is a hard life. It was then and it is now. Having a wife like Lilly — energetic, cheerful and full of life — makes it a whole
lot easier.
Karl Skaarup is 85. I think he is the oldest musician I’ve ever worked with, but I’msure he is by far the easiest. No complaints when we asked him to play another take,
and then another, and no wavering in tempo nor rhythm — not even when his right hand from time to time took its»grand tour« from the top of the keyboard to the bottom. That was where the skill of the experienced dance musician showed through.
Yes, Karl Skaarup – Musician. No doubt about that!
Alan Klitgaard

The music on this album means very, very much to me. When I first met Karl and heard him play, it made me both happy and enthusiastic. At that time I was a student at the academy of music in Odense, and against a background of playing behind closed doors in a small practice room, Karl’s music was certainly the real thing. Once again I was convinced that I had made the right choice, when I took up traditional music. Much has been written and many exciting stories have been told about the sound of traditional music, full of energy and festiveness, of life and swing, qualities which have charmed and captured listeners and dancers to this day. But still, what a difference it makes
to actually be there when it happens, like listening to Karl when he is playing his music.
I know that throughout his long life Karl has been an inspiration to people of all ages, and made a deep impression on them. Turning up the heat at parties with music that made people want to dance, he has, without doubt, brought many people together.
As a young man he learned the traditional music of his native Thy, and thus helped to preserve a unique body of music handed down from generation to generation. Still he plays it with ferocity, vigour and vitality.
What an inspiration it has been for me to learn from him and to play with him, and how I wish I can do what he does now, when I reach his age.
This project, to release the first studio album of Karl’s music, and thus to make it accessible to more people, is very important to me.
I hope you will enjoy it!
Kristian Bugge

 Karl Skaarup was born in 1924 in Koldby, Thy, in the north-western part of Denmark, and that is where he still lives.
His mother was very musical; she sang a lot and had played zither and harmonica for dances. At the early age of four Karl played his first gig on his one-row button accordion. He later progressed to two-row and five-row accordions.
At the age of 16 Karl played with Viggo»Post« Pedersen, 34 years his senior and from nearby Bedsted. Viggo Post played a number of contra dances, which Karl didn’t know at that time, like Fandango, Federmikkel and the setdance-suite Totur, Tretur i Vals and Lars Kusk’s Firtur. It is Karl’s own opinion that most of his own style, like the use of lots of triplets and ornamentation, comes from the playing of Viggo Post.
Karl also worked with other local musicians like Poul Auby, Kristian»Balle« Larsen from Gjersbøl — as well as pianist Niels Bjerregaard, with whom he played foxtrots, tangoes and waltzes every night for six years in a restaurant in Thisted.
In 1942 Skaarup’s Trio was formed. Karl Skaarup played accordion, Tage Østergaard fiddle, and Marius Andersen drums. The trio stayed together for 11 years.
For 18 years Karl played for traditional dancing once a month, with Aage Ryming, drums, bass or trombone, taking over from Nikolaj Dahlgaard and Kristian Balle.
Since 1965 Karl has mostly performed solo, which has had an added influence on his powerful style. He has played for private or public gatherings and for traditional dancing. At one time he played for dancing in eight different places every week.
From the early 1980’s onward Karl has played every other month alongside Jack Jacobsen and Gitte Thofte at traditional dance evenings at the Snedsted Inn. At such occasions the repertoire consists mainly of tunes from the Thy area. Over the years the renown of Karl and his music has spread steadily throughout his native country and abroad. He is frequently invited to play in various local folk music circles and fiddlers’ conventions all over the country. He plays for private gatherings, common folk dancing, and proper »Thybal«— the time-honored dance evenings with traditional tunes from Thy. As an instructor he is used at workshops and conventions, as well as at the Folk
Musik Programme at The Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in Odense.
These days, when not gigging on his own, Karl plays in one of three lineups: in Skaarup Four alongside Kenneth Krak, Esben Wolf, and Malene D. Beck; in Karl Skaarup’s Trio with Jack Jacobsen and Gitte Thofte; or, as in the tracks on this CD, in duet with the young fiddler, Kristian Bugge.
In October 2008, a grand party was thrown in his honor at the Snedsted Inn celebrating his 80th anniversary as an active folk musician! And most recently, in March 2009, Karl Skaarup was honored at the Danish Music Awards/Folk-ceremony, where he received the annual »Mediator Award«.
As a musician Karl is self-taught. His style is highly personal, richly ornamented and dynamic and still shows traces of his starting out playing one- and two-row diatonic accordions.
Karl varies his tunes each time he plays them, and of his use of improvisations, triplets and runs, he says: »To me it‘s like pepper and salt, like adding spices to food. It’s the same with music, it needs some seasoning to be tasty. If not, it’s uninteresting and irrelevant«.
Anders Chr. N. Christensen

This is a small selection of tunes which I have played for dancing for more than 80 years. Looking back I realize that my technique and my style are unmistakeably influenced by the musicians I have played with, most of them thirty or forty years older than me. The most popular sets, and the ones I have played most frequently, have been Trekantet Sløjfe, followed by Dentoppede Høne. Another fine tune, Rask Kontra, was equally popular wherever I was invited to play, as was AlmindeligTotur, a set consisting of Totur, tretur, Firetur and usually the Halvfemtetur as well.
In my young days they were followed by Femtur, Tolvtur and Dronningens Livstykke, and the set ended in a Hopsa. That was common practice up until the 1950s or 60s actually. At that time folk dancing with a caller had become common in many towns. That set-up worked well until 1990- 2000, when the attendance started to dwindle.
I may well have been the only one to use the set known as De Små Svot, consisting of four figures: Skære Havre, Tetop, Peder Thomsens Kæde and Viborg Totur, and I have deliberately kept these old sets going through all the years. An old set like Totur i Svejtrin was almost forgotten, and I was probably the only one playing it between 1940 and
1980. Nowadays it is very popular all over Denmark, as is the old music from Thy generally. I remember the long contra dances being very popular during the thirties and forties, but since then they have been more or less forgotten in favour of other dances from different parts of the country, introduced to the dancers by the callers. There were seven long sets from Thy. You will find them all on this CD, and it has been a great pleasure for me to record them with Kristian Bugge.
They are Sekstur på langs, Fandango, Mellem kagel og æ væg, Hellesens Vals, Den gamle ottetur på langs,Hamborger på langs and Den NyMaskerade. That to me is genuine
traditional dance music.
The intricate ornamentation and the many triplets provide the music with a certain body, and that, I think, is what suits my style of playing best. I have always made an effort to keep room for improvisation and for»playing round« the basic tune, though, of course, at the same time being careful not to forget exactly where in the music I was.
The incentive to give the music exactly the right »swing« very often comes from the dancers. Skilful dancers have a freedom in their movements that I really appreciate. To me that is one of the things that makes it easy and great to play music, and makes a long night feel short.
Karl Skaarup

 More info at www.myspace.com/karlskaarup