One of the leading operatic tenors of the 20th century, Jussi Björling sings Till Havs (English: at sea). It is originally a poem by the Finnish-Swedish poet Jonathan Reuter, with the opening words “Smokey and the ocean’s healthy wind”. In 1922, the song was set to music by the Swedish composer Gustaf Nordqvist (born 12 February 1886 in Stockholm, Sweden, dead 28 January 1949 in Stockholm, Sweden) as part of the “Three Songs” for solo voice and piano or orchestra. The song was one of Jussi Björling’s showpieces.
The video below is from Björling’s movie “Resan till dig” (English: The Journey to You), a 1953 Swedish comedy film directed by Stig Olin. It is recorded from Swedish TV, restored, and repitched. Royal Orchestra conducted by Sune Waldimir, September 27, 1953.
Gustaf Nordqvist (1886-1949) was a Swedish composer and organist. Among his works, “Till Havs” stands out as a favorite, especially during summertime in Sweden. It captures the sense of adventure and the attraction of the sea.
The song’s lyrics were penned by Jonatan Reuter, and they describe the romance and beauty of seafaring life. Over the years, “Till Havs” has been performed by various singers and remains a celebrated piece in the Swedish song repertoire.
Till Havs lyrics
Nu blåser havets friska vind ifrån sydväst
Och smeker ljuvligt sjömans kind av alla vindar
Bäst!
Till havs, till storms, du djärva jakt
Till storms, till havs, var man på vakt
Till havs!
På endlös led är livet fritt, ej trives tvång
När havet sjunger, grönt och vitt, sin höga
Frihetssång
Till havs, till storms, du djärva jakt
Till storms, till havs, var man på vakt
Till havs!
Sväll härligt, sköna segel, sväll i vindens dust
Flyg fram med fröjd mot vågens fjäll i stundens
Högsta lust!
Till havs, till storms, du djärva jakt
Till storms, till havs, var man på vakt
Till have!
English translation
Now the sea’s fresh wind blows from the southwest
And sweetly caresses the sailor’s cheek from all the winds
Best!
To sea, to storms, you bold hunt
In storms, and at sea, people were on guard
At sea!
On endless paths, life is free, coercion does not thrive
When the sea sings, green and white, it is loud
Freedom song
To sea, to the storm, thou bold hunt
In storms, and at sea, people were on guard
At sea!
Swell beautifully, beautiful sails, swell in the breeze
Fly forward with joy towards the waves of the moment
Highest desire!
To sea, to the storm, thou bold hunt
In storms, and at sea, people were on guard
At sea!
Related: Jussi Björling sings Salut, demeure
Sources
- Gustaf Nordqvist’s Till Havs lyrics on genius.com
- Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 [Yuja Wang] - October 3, 2023
- Pavarotti sings Di Quella Pira at the Madison Square Garden, New York [1987] - October 1, 2023
- Mozart: Symphony No. 35 “Haffner” [Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra] - September 30, 2023
