Jack Berntsen
Encyclopedia
Joakim Jan Aril "Jack" Berntsen (14 October 1940 – 5 October 2010) was a Norwegian
philologist
, songwriter
and folk singer
.
He was born in Kjøpsvik
, Tysfjord
. He grew up in Hamarøy
, and resided in Svolvær
from 1968.
Berntsen founded the Svolvær folk song club Lovisa in 1968, and the Hamarøy
music festival Troilltampen in 1973. Among his best known songs is the protest song
"Kor e hammaren, Edvard" from 1974, with text by Jahn Arill Skogholt, on the population decline
of Northern Norway. His first album was Det e håp i hænganes snøre from 1978. The album contained sixteen songs, some of which had political texts. The album Ongan i Lofoten from 1982 contained songs for children, and was a cooperation with the Cirani orchestra. His album I ly av Lofotveggen from 1984 contained self-written material, and also songs based on Petter Dass
' poems "En smuk Aftensang" and "Den nordlandske torsk". In 1986 he issued an album with texts for children, Lilla Bolla Bølla og andre boller. He published the single "Bussjåfør"/"Svolværgeita" in 1986. Among his other songs are "Moltebærvisa" and "Badestrandsballade for korpulente". He published several songbooks. Det e lys lenger frem was issued in 1976, and Sol bakom skyan was published in 1979. In 1981 he published Ongan i Lofoten, in 1986 came the songbook Lille Bolla Bølla, and his book Sanga i søkk og kav was published in 1995.
He was awarded the prize Sølvharpa in 1975 by Dag og Tid
, the county Nordland
's cultural prize in 1981, the Elias Blix Prize in 1982, and the Prøysen Prize in 1985. A statue of Berntsen is placed in Svolvær. In 2000 a cultural prize, Jack Berntsens kulturpris, was established by the municipality Vågan
.
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
philologist
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and folk singer
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
.
He was born in Kjøpsvik
Kjøpsvik
Kjøpsvik is the administrative centre of Tysfjord municipality, Norway. Its population is 960.-References:...
, Tysfjord
Tysfjord
Tysfjord or Divtasvuodna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Ofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kjøpsvik...
. He grew up in Hamarøy
Hamarøy
Hamarøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oppeid...
, and resided in Svolvær
Svolvær
-Communications:Parts of the town is built on small islands connected by bridges. There is a regional airport near the town, Svolvær Airport, Helle, and Svolvær is a port of call for Hurtigruten. There is a ferry connection Svolvær to Skutvik in Hamarøy, and express boat connections to Bodø...
from 1968.
Berntsen founded the Svolvær folk song club Lovisa in 1968, and the Hamarøy
Hamarøy
Hamarøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oppeid...
music festival Troilltampen in 1973. Among his best known songs is the protest song
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
"Kor e hammaren, Edvard" from 1974, with text by Jahn Arill Skogholt, on the population decline
Population decline
Population decline can refer to the decline in population of any organism, but this article refers to population decline in humans. It is a term usually used to describe any great reduction in a human population...
of Northern Norway. His first album was Det e håp i hænganes snøre from 1978. The album contained sixteen songs, some of which had political texts. The album Ongan i Lofoten from 1982 contained songs for children, and was a cooperation with the Cirani orchestra. His album I ly av Lofotveggen from 1984 contained self-written material, and also songs based on Petter Dass
Petter Dass
Petter Dass was a Lutheran clergyman and the foremost Norwegian poet of his generation, writing both baroque hymns and topographical poetry. -Biography:He was born at Northern Herøy , Nordland, Norway...
' poems "En smuk Aftensang" and "Den nordlandske torsk". In 1986 he issued an album with texts for children, Lilla Bolla Bølla og andre boller. He published the single "Bussjåfør"/"Svolværgeita" in 1986. Among his other songs are "Moltebærvisa" and "Badestrandsballade for korpulente". He published several songbooks. Det e lys lenger frem was issued in 1976, and Sol bakom skyan was published in 1979. In 1981 he published Ongan i Lofoten, in 1986 came the songbook Lille Bolla Bølla, and his book Sanga i søkk og kav was published in 1995.
He was awarded the prize Sølvharpa in 1975 by Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid is a national weekly newspaper in Norway that uses the Nynorsk standard of the Norwegian language. The newspaper was founded in 1962, is politically independent but editorially radical and focuses on culture and politics. The current editor is Svein Gjerdåker. Its circulation is...
, the county Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
's cultural prize in 1981, the Elias Blix Prize in 1982, and the Prøysen Prize in 1985. A statue of Berntsen is placed in Svolvær. In 2000 a cultural prize, Jack Berntsens kulturpris, was established by the municipality Vågan
Vågan
Vågan is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Lofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Svolvær....
.