Topic: The Theme and Dear Old Stockholm (Pianoteq)

two more Real Book recordings, both by Miles Davis.  the first is not in the original Real Book, but it does appear in a few others, and since every jazz player does it, it seemed like fair game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRhUBxui8CA

the second is Dear Old Stockholm, with composer credit in the Real Book given to Varmeland.  it turns out there is no person named Varmeland; it's actually the title of an old Swedish tune that somehow inspired Mile's performance.  i don't know if there's really any remnant of the original tune in Dear Old Stockholm, but at least it's a fun story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2vYuJAGOz4

Re: The Theme and Dear Old Stockholm (Pianoteq)

Great music is always about the arrangement & interpretation. So what can I say, incredible variations on both pieces, as always. Thank you budo 

This time I’ll concentrate on Dear old Stockholm (Miles Davis, inspired by Ack Värmeland, du sköna)

”don't know if there's really any remnant of the original tune in Dear Old Stockholm, but at least it's a fun story”
Yes, there is a bit of it…but, I’ll tell you something that might interest you…
(sorry, it can be a bit too long, but I remember that Niclas wrote some place that ”Feel free to provide some further information about the video that you feel might be of interest to the readers” and my telling lead us finally to Miles Davis

The song is best known in the English-speaking world as Dear old Stockholm  for versions by artists such as Stan Getz (in 1951), Miles Davis(in 1952 for Blue Note) and more…
The original Swedish title may be roughly translated as "Oh Värmland, You Lovely" and the song praises the historical province (landskap) Värmland.

It was Stan Getz that made the first version of the ”folksong”.
When Stan Getz toured Sweden in 1951, he took the opportunity to jazz to the Swedish folk song Ack Värmeland, du sköna. In his vintage, it was given the title Dear Old Stockholm. The song has since become something of a standard song on the jazz repertoire for many jazz lovers.

It is known that the tenor saxophonist Stan Getz was a very great friend of Sweden who played there often and happily. It was also at Lund's hospital, when he was cured of pneumonia in the 1950s, that he met a nurse named Monica Silverskjöld and who would later become his wife for more than 30 years. (It is probably through her that he got to know the music?)
In addition, he had severe substance abuse problems from everything that could be ingested. According to Monica Zetterlund's brilliant biography "Memories from a bad memory", Stan Getz lived with her for a while and was not sober for many moments.

But as a musician, Stan Getz is a legend and one of the greatest jazz musicians ever. Few can play as soft and languorous .”Stan Getz: Swedish All Stars was released on Metronome in March 1951 and contains, an absolutely fantastic version of "Ack, Värmeland du sköna". Here the song has its proper title. When Getz plays it in the USA, the old folk song has changed landscape and is called "Dear old Stockholm”.

And then Miles played it 1952 and many others played it too 

I put a link to Miles Davis’ version 1952 and to my (never got ready - version) from 2016.

Best wishes,

Stig

https://youtu.be/0VLc3PUaHCE

https://forum.modartt.com/uploads.php?f...20song.mp3

Edit:  Most of my text is from Jörgen Stafrin, record collector and blogger

Edit 2    Notice, I answered your question  "did this person do other arrangements of Bach pieces?"  in  Badinerie/Goodinery, and put 3 links where you can listen /see some books 

Last edited by Pianoteqenthusiast (04-12-2021 17:06)

Re: The Theme and Dear Old Stockholm (Pianoteq)

thanks a lot for your extensive history of this tune (and your performance of it, so i can hear what it's really supposed to sound like)!  i didn't realize that Stan Getz was originally responsible for this tune in jazz.  i updated the title on the youtube vid.  and thanks also for the references for the other Bach pieces, i never replied on the other thread.