Fredman's Epistles ''Fredmans epistlar'' (English: ''Fredman's Epistles'') is a collection of 82 poems set to music by Carl Michael Bellman, a major figure in Swedish 18th century song. Though first published in 1790, it was created over a period of twenty year ...

'' is a collection of 82 songs by the dominant figure in Swedish 18th century song,

Carl Michael Bellman Carl Michael Bellman (; 4 February 1740 – 11 February 1795) was a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, poet, and entertainer. He is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music, as wel ...

, first published in 1790. It was created over a period of twenty years from 1768 onwards. A companion volume, '' Fredman's Songs'' was published the following year. The songs in ''Fredman's Epistles'' vary widely in style and effect, from

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

-themed

pastorale Pastorale refers to something of a pastoral nature in music, whether in form or in mood. In Baroque music, a pastorale is a movement of a melody in thirds over a drone bass, recalling the Christmas music of ''pifferari'', players of the traditi ...

with a cast of gods and demigods from

classical antiquity Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural History of Europe, European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the inter ...

to laments for the effects of

Brännvin Brännvin (Swedish language, Swedish spelling; see ) is an old Nordic countries, Nordic term for distilled beverage, distilled liquor, generally from potatoes, grain, or (formerly) sawdust brandy, wood cellulose etc, and is today primarily used a ...

-drinking; lively

tavern A tavern is a type of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...

-scenes, apparent

improvisation Improvisation, often shortened to improv, is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. The origin of the word itself is in the Latin "improvisus", which literally means un-foreseen. Improvis ...

s skilfully crafted. The lyrics describe a gallery of fictional and semi-fictional characters and events taking place in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

of that era, based on the lives of actual people Bellman was aware of. Jean Fredman, an

alcoholic Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...

former watchmaker, is the central character and fictional narrator.

Ulla Winblad Ulla Winblad is a semi-fictional character in many of Carl Michael Bellman's musical works. She is at once an idealised rococo goddess and a tavern prostitute, and a key figure in Bellman's songs of '' Fredman's Epistles''. The juxtaposition of e ...

, based on one of Bellman's friends, is the chief of the fictional "

nymph A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...

s", half goddess, half prostitute, of the

demimonde is a French 19th-century term referring to women on the fringes of respectable society, and specifically to courtesans supported by wealthy lovers. The term is French for "half-world", and derives from an 1855 play called , by Alexandre Dumas ...

characters of ''Fredman's Epistles''. Many of the songs have remained culturally significant in Scandinavia, especially in Sweden. They are widely sung and recorded, by amateur choirs and professional singers alike. The ''

Orphei Drängar Sångsällskapet Orphei Drängar (OD) is a Swedish male voice choir and singing society based in Uppsala, Sweden. While best known for its high quality performances of the classical repertoire, OD sings music of all genres in many different lang ...

'' are a choir named for a phrase in Epistle 14, and set up to perform Bellman's works; they give concerts around the world. Several professional solo singers in the

Swedish ballad tradition The Scandinavian ballad tradition is the tradition of Scandinavian poetic singer-songwriters. Within the tradition, the Swedish ballad tradition has been particularly influential, but the tradition also exists in the other Scandinavian countries. ...

largely made their name in the 1960s singing Bellman, while accompanying themselves in Bellmanesque style with a guitar. They were the members of the "Storks" artistic community ("Vispråmen Storken") in Stockholm, and they include

Fred Åkerström Fred Bo Gunnar Åkerström (27 January 1937 – 9 August 1985) was a Swedish folk guitarist and singer particularly noted for his interpretations of Carl Michael Bellman's music, and his own work of the typically Swedish song segment named ''vi ...

(1937–1985) with his albums ''

Fred sjunger Bellman ''Fred sjunger Bellman'' (English: Fred sings Bellman) is an album by the Swedish folk singer-songwriter and guitar player Fred Åkerström and contains his interpretations of Carl Michael Bellman. The LP was released in 1969; it was re-released ...

'', '' Glimmande nymf'' and ''

Vila vid denna källa Vila may refer to: People *Vila (surname) Places Andorra * Vila, Andorra, a town in the parish of Encamp Brazil * Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade, a municipality in the State of Mato Grosso * Vila Boa, Goiás, a municipality in the State of ...

'', and

Cornelis Vreeswijk Cornelis Vreeswijk (8 August 1937 – 12 November 1987) was a Dutch singer-songwriter and poet who lived and worked primarily in Sweden. Born to Dutch parents in IJmuiden, Netherlands, he emigrated to Sweden with his parents in 1949 at the age ...

with his albums '' Spring mot Ulla, spring!'' and '' Movitz! Movitz!''. Other singers such as

Sven-Bertil Taube Sven-Bertil Gunnar Evert Taube (24 November 1934 – 11 November 2022) was a Swedish singer and actor. Internationally, he was perhaps better known for his acting career. Taube played Henrik Vanger in the film ''The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'' ...

and William Clauson used the less authentic accompaniment of an ensemble; Clauson was also the first to release a recording of Bellman in English, alongside his Swedish recordings. Singers from other traditions sometimes sing Bellman; for example, the folk singer '' Sofia Karlsson'' and the popular musician Cajsa Grytt. Over 500 recordings of Bellman's ''Fredman's Epistles'' or ''Fredman's Songs'' have been placed on YouTube. Among the best known of ''Fredman's Epistles'' are: No. 2, ''

Nå skruva Fiolen Nå may refer to: * Nå, Ullensvang, a village in Ullensvang municipality, Vestland county, Norway * ''Nå'' (magazine), a Norwegian magazine published by Libertas Libertas (Latin for 'liberty' or 'freedom', ) is the Roman goddess and perso ...

'', No. 3, ''

Fader Berg i hornet stöter ''Fader Berg i hornet stöter'' (Father Berg blows his horn) is Epistle No. 3 in the Swedish poet and performer Carl Michael Bellman's 1790 song collection, '' Fredman's Epistles''. The epistle is subtitled "Till en och var av systrarna, men enka ...

'', No. 7, '' Fram med basfiolen, knäpp och skruva'', No. 12, '' Gråt Fader Berg och spela'', No. 23, '' Ach du min Moder!'', described as "the to-be-or-not-to-be of Swedish literature"; No. 28, ''

I går såg jag ditt barn, min Fröja I går såg jag ditt barn, min Fröja (Yesterday saw I your child, my Freya), is a ballad from the Swedish poet and performer Carl Michael Bellman's 1790 collection, ''Fredmans epistlar, Fredman's Epistles'', where it is No. 28. The epistle is s ...

'', No. 33, '' Stolta Stad!'', No. 35, '' Bröderna fara väl vilse ibland''; No. 36, '' Vår Ulla låg i sängen och sov'', a poem of "immeasurable artistry, balance, and subtlety of effect"; No. 40, ''

Ge rum i Bröllops-gåln din hund! General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

'', "one of the wildest weddings in Swedish literature"; No. 48, '' Solen glimmar blank och trind''; No. 63, '' Fader Bergström''; No. 71, '' Ulla! min Ulla! säj får jag dig bjuda''; No. 72, '' Glimmande nymf''; No. 80, ''

Liksom en Herdinna, högtids klädd Liksom en Herdinna, högtids klädd ("Like a Shepherdess, festively dressed"), is a song by the Swedish poet and performer Carl Michael Bellman from his 1790 collection, ''Fredmans epistlar, Fredman's Epistles'', where it is No. 80. The Epistle ...

''; No. 81, '' Märk hur vår skugga''; and No. 82, the last, '' Hvila vid denna källa''.

List of ''Fredman's Epistles''

Each of the 82 epistles is listed here with its number and its original descriptive title or dedication. The contemporary Gustavian age cast of characters is listed under "Mortals"; the classical and Nordic gods and demigods (and in one Epistle, a cast of

Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...

heroes) are listed under "Immortals".

References

Sources

* * * * * (contains the most popular Epistles and Songs, in Swedish, with sheet music) * (contains the most popular Epistles and Songs, in Swedish, with sheet music) * (with facsimiles of sheet music from first editions in 1790, 1791) * * *

External links

Bellman lyrics and reference index
Bellman.net {{Authority control Swedish poetry 1790 books Works by Carl Michael Bellman

Fredmans epistlar ''Fredmans epistlar'' (English: ''Fredman's Epistles'') is a collection of 82 poems set to music by Carl Michael Bellman, a major figure in Swedish 18th century song. Though first published in 1790, it was created over a period of twenty year ...

Lists of songs by songwriters