Songs of Fredman
Encyclopedia
Songs of Fredman is a collection of 65 poems and songs published in 1791 by the Swedish poet Carl Michael Bellman
.
As a follow-up of Epistles of Fredman
from the previous year, the book contains songs from a longer period. There are bible travesties ("Gubben Noak
", "Gubben Loth och hans gamla Fru", "Joachim uti Babylon"), drinking songs ("Bacchi Proclama", "Til buteljen") and lyrical passages ("Haga (Fjäriln vingad)").
and society orders of the time, some of which Bellman himself was a member. These orders held strict ceremonials, and members were often expected to live a decent and "christian life". To be knighted in the Order of Bacchi, it was required to at least twice have been observed publicly lying stupor in the gutter. Several of the songs from these performances are collected in Songs of Fredman (songs 1–6).
were portrayed as drunken bums. The travesties became popular all over the country, being spread (anonymously) by broadsheets
and transcript
s. Some of Bellman's bible travesties offended the church authorities
. As shown in a 1768 letter from the Lund
chapter
, the church attempted to collect all prints and transcripts in circulation of the most popular song, "Gubben Noach", as well as other songs. "Gubben Noak
" and eight other biblical travesties are included in Fredmans Sånger as songs number 35–43.
Carl Michael Bellman
was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day....
.
As a follow-up of Epistles of Fredman
Epistles of Fredman
Epistles of Fredman is a collection of poems and songs by 18th century author Carl Michael Bellman. It contains 82 works created over a period of twenty years. Many of the songs have remained culturally significant in Scandinavia, especially so in Sweden...
from the previous year, the book contains songs from a longer period. There are bible travesties ("Gubben Noak
Gubben Noak
"Gubben Noak" is a traditional Swedish song, a drinking song and bible travesty written in 1766 , with text by Carl Michael Bellman...
", "Gubben Loth och hans gamla Fru", "Joachim uti Babylon"), drinking songs ("Bacchi Proclama", "Til buteljen") and lyrical passages ("Haga (Fjäriln vingad)").
The Order of Bacchi
Bellman had public performances known as the Bacchus Orden ("Order of Bacchi"). These consisted largely of travesties of the chivalricChivalric order
Chivalric orders are societies and fellowships of knights that have been created by European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades...
and society orders of the time, some of which Bellman himself was a member. These orders held strict ceremonials, and members were often expected to live a decent and "christian life". To be knighted in the Order of Bacchi, it was required to at least twice have been observed publicly lying stupor in the gutter. Several of the songs from these performances are collected in Songs of Fredman (songs 1–6).
Biblical travesties
Bellman wrote drinking songs and bible travesties, and also mixed the two genres. The holy men from the Old TestamentOld Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
were portrayed as drunken bums. The travesties became popular all over the country, being spread (anonymously) by broadsheets
Broadside (music)
A broadside is a single sheet of cheap paper printed on one side, often with a ballad, rhyme, news and sometimes with woodcut illustrations...
and transcript
Transcript
Transcript may refer to:* Transcript , a copy of a student's permanent academic record* Transcription , the process of creating an equivalent RNA copy of a sequence of DNA* Transcript , a record of all court proceedings...
s. Some of Bellman's bible travesties offended the church authorities
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
. As shown in a 1768 letter from the Lund
Diocese of Lund
-External links:* from Nordisk Familjebok, in Swedish...
chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
, the church attempted to collect all prints and transcripts in circulation of the most popular song, "Gubben Noach", as well as other songs. "Gubben Noak
Gubben Noak
"Gubben Noak" is a traditional Swedish song, a drinking song and bible travesty written in 1766 , with text by Carl Michael Bellman...
" and eight other biblical travesties are included in Fredmans Sånger as songs number 35–43.