I saw the original production of "Kristina från Duvemåla", and I remember this song so vividly. I was about 13 years old, very emotional, empathetic and easily touched by music, and... my name is Kristina. So, in that moment I quite literally felt as if he was singing to ME, and I was absolutely bawling, clinging to my seat and sobbing. And even though I have since listened to this song regularly for almost 30 years, and know it by heart, I still get goosebumps every single time. The part that has really gotten to me lately, though, is that I come from the very part of Sweden where this story originates, and many of my relatives, through both of my parents, emigrated. And I rather recently learned that one of them, my grandfather's younger brother, actually disappeared without a trace and they never found out what happened to him. It makes me wonder whether he might have ended up in a quiet desert grave somewhere.
It took Vilhelm Moberg 12 years to write this book series, and it's a really factual, horrible and hearwarming story. He really does not sugar coat anything.
@@234i9 Yes, the story might be from a Swedish perspective, but the experience would be almost the same from all other Eropean countries that emigrated during the mid 1800s.
@nocturne7371 ”Several of the sources for the book series are taken from the life of the Swedish woman Mina Andersson, who emigrated to the United States in 1890. She wrote an autobiography about her life, called Lifets school. She sent this biography to the author Vilhelm Moberg, who used it as a source in his novel suite.” Some info 😊
Someone else has probably explained this, but Robert (Peter Jöback’s character, little brother to Karl Oskar who is Kristina’s husband) and his best friend Arvid (who is not the brightest but is very loyal) go to dig for gold in California. What little gold they find they sell but get paid in “wild cat money” aka forged notes (there’s a song with that name) and later Arvid dies after drinking from a toxic well. Robert takes Arvid’s pocket watch with him and returns to Karl-Oskar and Kristina and this song is him explaining himself to Kristina when she sees the watch and asks where Arvid is. Karl-Oskar gets pissed at Robert when he tries to give him the fake money (R hadn’t realised they were fake). After this Robert dies
An epic moment when Peter sings "quiet grave" the music stops, its dead quiet except Peters voice. A voice and music working together to tell a story. Masterfully done.
I saw this musical in Stockholm and it was the most emotional and also combined with humoristic musical I have seen. The blend between the two was just amazing. Björn and Benny prove once again that they are geniuses!
It´s Björn and Benny, it´s Helen and Peter...that makes the magic happen! Each one blessed by a higher power, when it comes to create and interpret music. Thank you! 😍Cheers from Sweden.
Arvid was a farm hand, and also Robert's best friend. When Kristina says that God has taken her husband away from her, she refers to that a doctor has said that if she has another child it will kill her (which also happens later). Fun fact: Peter Jöback was Alladin's voice in the Swedish version of the Disney film. (Fun fact on a personal note: I used to play tango with Peter's brother Mikael:))
What a great performance, and interesting and heartbreaking story. It makes me wonder how much my ancestors from Europe suffered and maybe longed to return to their homeland. They were Germans, Swedes, Irish, English, Scottish.. all came looking for a better life. My Swedish grandfather worked in a local coal mine, I'm sure extremely hard work. Regardless, loved this singer and the story told. ❤ and ✌️ 😊
Peter Jöback is our largest export to Broadway where he played the Phantom for quite some time. God Jul 🎄🎅🏼❄️ no he is singing about his friend who joined on the Robert on his trip over to the US and also without question followed Robert to his quest to go to California to look for gold and he dies in the desert due to drinking poisoned water. Kristina's husband is Karl-Oskar
This song is heartbreaking. The song following it, called "Wildcat Money" (yes, it's called that in Swedish too), is also heartbreaking because it's what tips Robert's big brother, Karl Oscar, over the edge of never having patients with Robert again. Their relationship was strained from early on as they were so opposite each other in their ways, Karl Oskar being hardworking and responsible, and Robert being a dreamer who would wander off and forget his chores/work. So when he comes back to Minnesota from California not only with his best friend Arvid lost but also with a stack of money that is absolutely worthless, Karl Oskar has had it. The song "Wildcat Money" is essentially 4 minutes of a frustrated, embarrassed (cause he went to the local bank with the money and they told him they were nothing but worthless paper) Karl Oskar yelling at a devastated, tired, and sorrowful Robert, desperately trying to explain. It all culminates with Karl Oskar doing to Robert the thing that truly set Robert on the trail to the USA - giving him a smack over the ear, hard. The same thing that the farmer Robert was a farmhand to did to him when he was a teen, and that Karl Oskar had said to Robert when he found out "That goddamn coward shall pay for that, I will show him who he dared hit!" The two brothers did love each other once, and probably even still. After Wildcat Money, Robert has one more, short version of his first song in the musical. And he is never seen again. And to just hammer the tragedy of Robert home. He was 15 when that farmer hit him, so hard that his ear never stopped ringing. He was already at that point enamored with the idea of the US. He is very active in talking both Karl Oskar and Kristina, as well as Arvid, into going. Less than 10 years later, carrying that weight, he is gone, and how is not really up for interpretation.
You guys in the US have your, almost mythical, story of how the country came to be. In Sweden there is an opposite story. During only 50 years, 1870-1920, about 1/3 of the total population emigrated to America. This is the backstory to the musical Kristina which is based on the five books about this exodus by Wilhelm Moberg. There are almost no family in Sweden that don't have a story about this monumental period of time.
I am so glad you brought this to me. Music is such a part of my life. Yesterday you reacted to Helen Sjoholm. Years ago she sang Gabriela's Song in the film "As it is in Heaven". It is a powerful song that I specifically listen to when things get rough. If you ever want to react to it, there is a version taken from the film, with english subtitles. She is fierce!
I like your sincere reaction... When Phantom of the Opera celebrated 30 years on Broadway, Peter Jöback appeared as the Phantom specially invited by Andrew Lloyd Webber who "couldn't think of anyone else". Peter also did a fantastic Swedish dubbing of Aladdin from 1992. I'd rather watch the Swedish version and it's not usually the case that dubbings are better than the original. The song "En helt ny värld" is sung together with Myrra Malmberg and is well worth a listen.
The background Bjorn Ulveaus outlines in the beginning, (in Swedish), is about how this character and his friend set out get rich mining gold, but the little they found they swapped for money that turned out to be counterfeit - eg. the gold turned into sand. The song tells the rest of the story: He is wracked with guilt, feeling responsible for his friend’s death, and for no good reason but a false dream.
Actually... Robert doesn't even know when he sings this song that the money is fake. He is this hearbroken all about Arvid. It's not until later when Karl-Oskar tries to use the money that it turns out that they are worhtless and that in the end Robert and Arvid didn't really manage to achive anything at all with their journey. And that's the final blow that ends Robert.
@@karinberg3572 Exactly, this song is not about the money being false. This is about how the journey and dreams of gold turned into sand because of the death of Arvid and the guilt that tore Robert apart. But to be fair the op just translated what Björn said in the video
Yeah, I just translated what Bjorn said at the beginning - he summarised the whole story, including the counterfeit money. This tv show seems to be a straight presentation of the songs, and not the whole theatrical production, which would explain why it’s interspersed with Bjorn’s brief introductions. So the dramatic chronology is probably a moot point anyway.
I remember introducing this song to friends that didn't know Swedish.. without subtitles.. and they were still in tears at the end because of all the feelings in his voice
I absolutely love the way you stop and think about what you just had listened to. Your reactions are heartfelt and honest and that is so rare among many reactors. Thank you!
I agree. Your reaction is clear, sincere… and profoundly sensed, right through the screen! ❤️ //Sven, loving the history and the story of emigration…and immigration. That is life - at its pure…❣️
This is about him seeking riches. Forcing his friend to tag along. Then said friend dies and he feels what is more important and is tormented that his selfish belief killed his friend. (but also Sweden at the time was super poor and we had famine and such in some years, so by desperation to give his wife better life he forsake his friend. He just wanted better life for everyone in his life. It is a sad story and happened not just once but several times)
You can hear the extraordinary pain in Peter's and Helen's voices in these videos. I've always preferred these live versions (from a 90's tour of Minnesota where most Swedish immigrants to the US settled) before the studio recordings for that very reason, they are simply so much rawer and emotional. Then again the studio recordings were hits in Sweden, I remember hearing them over and over on the radio as a kid. Their voices and the accompanying music (and the lyrics) takes you into the story they are telling. You hear the loss and despair in Kristina's voice when she've lost everything except her faith and even that is crumbling. And the same with Robert, Peter's character. You can hear his pain and guilt, that he's blaming himself for his friend's death, whom he feel he betrayed in the vain pursuit of gold, not only taking him with him on that last expedition but also being the main reason they emigrated in the first place. The entire musical is incredibly well done, and so are the original novels by Vilhelm Moberg.
You should react to Helen singing Gabriellas sång from the movie Så som i himmelen (Gabriellas song, As in heaven). Make sure to get the clip from the movie. She plays a woman who gets abused by he husband and the song is her saying that she's worth better.
I couldn't sing to save my life but I think Swedish is a good language for singing. I'ts a soft pitch-accent language and I think that can benefit songs like this. Two friends of mine spent a month in Florida, one night when they were waiting in line at a supermarket a man behind them tapped one of them on the shoulder and asked him; What are you singing to her?
This particular concert, with the cast from Kristina från Duvemåla, was made infront of Swedish decendants in America. The song "Du måste finnas" med Helen Sjöholm is from the same concert. In the audiens you will see Björn Ulveus and Benny Andersson (from ABBA) who wrote the musical. Björn and Benny introduced to the audiens the story and history behind the lyrics and the musical. I remember there was a tv program here in Sweden filming Björn and Bennys journey and the making of the musical. The final was this concert for Swedish decendants. On the first premiere in Malmö/Sweden was a special guest invited, "Kristina" herself (her name in the musica)l. She died in 2005.
it's heartbreaking to listen to it.. for too long.. and the musical artist peter jöback can really convey pain and sadness in his voice.. because he was abused as a child and teenager..sexually..those wounds never heal..
This is probably true of every country, but sometimes I just appreciate the waste musical treasure (in Sweden/[insert country]) that's mostly unknown to the rest of the world. It's great when these things get shared on the internet, where normal commercial platforms simple can't do the job.
Peter Jöback is one of our swedish pride and joy among many fantastic musicians. He often portrayed the Disney princes in swedish dub that I grew up with. ❤
Just as Helens performance.. so much emotion in his voice. And such a strong message. The fact that far from everyone who went to chase the dream in america succeeded.. most got it worse than what they left in Sweden.. fantastic musical.
Wrong assumption on the story, Robert was out early in the musical and worked as a farm-worker where the farm owner was not very good to his staff. He became friends with Arvid another farm-help and they went to America together with Kristina and her husband. Robert then got the idea to go to the gold fields to get rich and Arvid followed him like he was his hero. Sadly thing went south from there and it ended with them getting lost in the desert and him drinking from a bad pool of water that led to his death. Robert never quite became himself again after that blaming himself for his best friend dying.
I suggest listening to more of Björn and Bennys musical songs, especially Tommy Körbergs version of Anthem from the musical Chess, especially the one from the 80s from the studio. I cry every time I watch it. Thank you for a beautiful video 🙏
Find the book this story is originally based on by Vilhelm Moberg. Sorry, I don't know the names in English but in Swedish it is "Utvandrarna", "invandrarna" and "Nybyggarna". Written between 1949 and 1956. 1959 another connected book, storywise, came out called "Sista brevet till Sverige".
This journey of yours through the musical based on the books is fantasic to see (The emigrants, the immigrants, the settlers, The last letter to back home) based on extensive work by the author Vilhelm Moberg. Robert (the singer here) was more intelligent and aspiring than the others and wanted to find "more" by going west together with a very faithful but less intelligen friend (Arvid) who died by hardship on the way. Robert makes some money, but loses it by a lot of scams... Som he comes back to the settlers farm in Minnesota. ... The gold became sand...
The watch that Robert mentions at the end was a cherished token his friend Arvid had brought with from Sweden. After struggling to find even a little gold they left after exchanging the gold for money, money that later turned out to be fake. When Robert returned to his brother Karl-Oskar and Kristina he refused to explain why he came back alone. It wasn't until Kristina noticed Arvids watch that Robert finally told her what happened.
Robert and his brother Karl-Oskar had alway had a strain relation - Karl-Oskar was a hard woking responsible one and Robert was a dreamer. Robert returned as a broken man. But at least he had the money from the gold and he gave them to Kristina, thinking it was real. Then he found out, from his furious brother, that they were false and he was acused of fooling them. It was really heartbreaking to watch Karl-Oskar hitting his little devastated brother to the ground. ABBA's Björn and Benny along with the cast made an outstanding musical of the books and movies!
The whole musical, with all the songs, is saturated with real life heavy emotion, brilliance, musicality, storytelling. The songs each have their own meaning and are unique, both contentwise and musically. I really encourage you to get the cd:s with the lyrics and translation, or somehow via Spotify, and “study” the music. The songs will be treasures for life, a smorgasbord from which you can pick songs depending on mood and life events.
I'd strongly recommend the song Hemma from this same musical and sung here during this performance in Minnesota. It's sung by Helen and it's much more light hearted but just as beautiful. 😊
Peter who’s singing is Kristinas brother, he brought his best friend to america before Kristina (du måste finnas) got there. It was Peters best friend who died in the desert. I want to tell you more about what you’re watching. This was recorded in Minnesota and all the people watching it live are swedish ancestors. Very touching to Watch ❤️
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody I can strongly recommend the movies from 1971-72 (made by Jan Troell). They are so excellent. When I think of these persons, Karl Oskar, Kristina, I see them before me as in these movies and I remember every detail. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emigrants_(film) and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Land_(1972_film). I think they are on Netflix. It is easier to see the movies than to read the books.
Most important, this man (Peter Jöback) is our ALADDIN in the disneymovie! 😍 Maybe you can react to "En helt ny värld" whith him? (A whole new world) Love ❤
Peters character Robert is the younger brother of Kristinas husband Karl-oskar and the person he is singing about was his friend Arvid who came with him from Sweden and was not relative with Robert or Karl-oskar.
The play is based on a book series of the Swedish author called Vilhelm Moberg about the emigrants/immigrants from Sweden who traveled to North America. Fantastic books!
Hi from Sweden. This is a musical from 1995 and Peter is Roberth here who is Karl- Oskars brother and Karl-Oskar is Kristinas husband . And the man he sings about is his friend Arvid that died when They sought Gold , yes Peter was Alladin in Sweden 🇸🇪 Merry Christmas and have a wonderful new year ♥️ Kristina från Duvemåla
I just realized something when hearing the line about him drinking foul water from a well and dying. That basically describes Arvid dying of dysentery on the Oregon Trail. This song came out in 1995 which was also around the peak popularity of The Oregon Trail for windows computers. Both the play and the game are even set in the mid 1800s. Just an interesting cultural parallel.
I have seen this musical live many years ago. Eventhough I was alot younger then, I still remember very much and I felt the pain. Some of the best musical artists we have in Sweden. Both Peter and Helen look so young.
Loved your reaction to this song and "Du måste finnas" by Helene. I was incredibly moved by your emotional reaction to both songs as they've been a big part of my life since I was a child. I also want to clarify one thing for you. The man who died in this song wasn't Kristina's husband, but instead the best friend of Robert, the character portraid in this song. He convinced his friend to come with them to the US from Sweden to find a better life and also convinced him to join him in his search for gold. I can totally see how you would think that it was Kristina's husband who died though, since the lyrics said "You take me from my husband" in the first song you did. But that bit of the lyrics reffered to an earilier scene in the musical. When expecting their last child she miscarriaged. It was their seventh or eight child and their doctor said that she would probably die if they ever had another child. So she knew that if she got pregnant again, which was very likely in the time before contraceptives, it might kill her and take her from her children and husband. Just wanted to clear that up for you and give you a bit more knowledge about the story. :) Hope it was helpful.
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody I'm glad I could help! The whole musical is just amazing. If you want to discover more, there are two songs I can recommend, sung by one of my all time Swedish musical favourites, Anders Ekborg. Both of them have English Subtitles and are called "Stanna" and "Vildgräs". In the musical, they are sung by Kristina's husband, Karl Oskar. Stanna is performed on the ship they take to the US, where Kristina becomes ill and her husband fears that he might loose her to the illness. Vildgräs is a song sung after they arrive. Where they celebrate the abundance of nature and the rich soil they find in their new home after the years of hard work and pain they experienced back home in Sweden. Both of them are amazing and I hope you will like them as much. The first one is waay more emotional, and the second one is more uplifting and hopeful for the future.
Other than the book, they made two excellent films about this story (The Emigrants and The New Land). They are old and in a few places a little dated, but well worth watching if you want to learn more about it
Time is short my friend, and since it`s almost X-mas... I really believe you should react to one of Luiciano Pavarotti`s Idols... The Swedish Singer Jussi Björling - "O Helga Natt"(O Holy Night).. Pavarotti said he always was listening to how Jussi had sang it before he himself started rehearsing every new song.. I don`t think you will be disappointed...// Merry X-mas and thanks for being You !! :)
I dont know how this really picks the nuances...in the story, he sort of did his friend (who was a bit...slow, and very loyal) dirty, because of hisnown dreams and ambitions. That makes it even more sad, how the gold turned into sand..
Sadly my mom didnt think this was age appropiate when i was a kid, so i missed Helene and Peter performing this live, i have seen it after the fact, but nothing measures up to this.
Listen even to Jonathan Antoine from UK. He is amazing, his voice his excellent nice soulfull voice. Listen to ”Empty chairs and empty tables” from les miserables
I envy you. Getting to hear ”Kristina from Duvemåla” for the first time. Its just… no words. So - Arvid is Roberts best friend. The one who died. In ”You must be real” when Helen sings ”You took me from my husband” (directly translated, its not you took my husband from me” - she means that she can never again lay with him because she cannot get pregnant. 🙏🏻 The anguish in her voice and also in Peters in this song. Since you like metal, you should definitely listen to ”Wild Cat Money” from this musical… Enjoy man. ❤
that was really beautiful. never thought that benny was such an intense songwriter. i am still in awe for helens performance and was a bit scared to watch this. but it was really good!
Benny writes the music and Björn the lyrics. I find it so fantastic that the two of them still collaborate. We hear so often of old band members that can't stand each other, which is so sad.
A recommendation is the Swedish metall band Dead by April. A collaboration with Tommy Körberg who is a great self taught Swedish singer. The song is For every step, the official studio recording. Tommy has worked with Björn och Benny in the musical Chess. The second recommendation is Tommy singing Anthem from Chess, the studio recording is the best.
Another emotional reaction from you. You are in many ways right in the feelings here. The musical is written by Björn Ulveaus and Benny Andersson from ABBA. You know they have written some pretty god damn good music. It's based on a novel suite by the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg, The Emigrants. An epos of the Swedish mass migration during the late 1800's to early 1900's when nearly 1/3 of the population left Sweden for America. They were poor and years of stunted growth forced them to leave the homeland. Peters character, Robert, is, as you said the younger brother of Kristina, but the guy who died wasn't her husband. It was just Roberts best friend, a peasant! Robert were, in the novel, quite cocky when he decided to search for gold but he lost it all. He lost his best friend and scammed on the good he found. He came back as a broken man. A truly amazing novel suite and musical. Worth reading and worth seeing.
Just like you are saying.. That " pulling your Heart.." That is what Great composers do with their lyrics + music.. and..If you go back and react to ABBA, you will find that many of their songs have got the similar lyrical undertone/meaning/way of describing + looking at life, as these songs have...and I guess that also explains a bit of why "Björn and Benny" have sold approx. 500million Albums worldwide..(until modern tech/Spotify..).. They are True Legends !! :D
So, the guy who died is the little brothers friend Arvid. Kristinas husband is alive but sins he cant make love to her (there was no protection back then) she feels like god took him away to but i get how this is confusing :) There is two movies about this story thats called "Utvandrarna" and "Invandrarna". The first is about their life in Sweden and the journey to America. The second is about their life in America and all the trubbel they get into.. The story is about a hard life, an escape to "the promised land" and the real side to that dream. It gets better for them in America but its still no cake-walk :) Hope i cleared it up for you and you got my follow here from Sweden :)
If you like these kind of Operas, I can recommend reacting to anythinf From the Les Miserables 10th anniversary. How about Philip Quast singing "Stars".
This is how Robert tells Kristina what happened during the 4 years he left with Arvid, the farm hand. (It wasn't her husband, Karl-Oskar). The little gold they had they turned in and got forged notes in return. Arvid begged Robert to go back, but he refused. He so desperately wanted a better life for himself and his family. In the end, they didn't find any gold, and Arvid lost his life. Robert returns to Kristina as a broken man.
Apart from playing the Phantom on West End and Broadway before, he has also done some performances of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in West End in London this spring. He is truly a gem of a musical star and singer. Both Helen and Peter have worked with Benny and Björn on various projects over the years. B&B are generally considered to be among the greatest musical geniuses in Sweden of all time. That is a clear sign of Helen's and Peter's quality as performers. Björn and Benny wouldn't just work with anyone.
AH, so I am new to your reactions (2 one) and I understand you have a feel for songs and the feeling the singer has and make you connect to. This might be system overload - Lara Fabian Je suis malade eng.lyrics ruclips.net/video/dVvlmpo5g9k/видео.html Adagio ruclips.net/video/jKtNuLG5jAo/видео.html english . Caruso ruclips.net/video/BP2KnLemT78/видео.html Eng. and Ital. lyrics Broken vow english ruclips.net/video/FNVR0yK8Ec8/видео.html Last but not least you can see how much her fans love her. Je t´'aime ruclips.net/video/qO3b-MyyTZg/видео.html NOTICE: the pianist is following the audience. Thank you for your reactions and the courage to show your feelings and share it.
I saw the original production of "Kristina från Duvemåla", and I remember this song so vividly. I was about 13 years old, very emotional, empathetic and easily touched by music, and... my name is Kristina. So, in that moment I quite literally felt as if he was singing to ME, and I was absolutely bawling, clinging to my seat and sobbing. And even though I have since listened to this song regularly for almost 30 years, and know it by heart, I still get goosebumps every single time. The part that has really gotten to me lately, though, is that I come from the very part of Sweden where this story originates, and many of my relatives, through both of my parents, emigrated. And I rather recently learned that one of them, my grandfather's younger brother, actually disappeared without a trace and they never found out what happened to him. It makes me wonder whether he might have ended up in a quiet desert grave somewhere.
Swedish singers often have this clear pitch, I just love it ❤
It took Vilhelm Moberg 12 years to write this book series, and it's a really factual, horrible and hearwarming story. He really does not sugar coat anything.
It's a bit sad it's not more well known internationally
@@234i9 Yes, the story might be from a Swedish perspective, but the experience would be almost the same from all other Eropean countries that emigrated during the mid 1800s.
But what many people don’t know is that its a true story
@nocturne7371 ”Several of the sources for the book series are taken from the life of the Swedish woman Mina Andersson, who emigrated to the United States in 1890. She wrote an autobiography about her life, called Lifets school. She sent this biography to the author Vilhelm Moberg, who used it as a source in his novel suite.”
Some info 😊
oh thats crazy
The Abba guys did it. I went to school with Peter. He was delivered magic from when he was 6 years old.
oh thats crazy
Someone else has probably explained this, but Robert (Peter Jöback’s character, little brother to Karl Oskar who is Kristina’s husband) and his best friend Arvid (who is not the brightest but is very loyal) go to dig for gold in California. What little gold they find they sell but get paid in “wild cat money” aka forged notes (there’s a song with that name) and later Arvid dies after drinking from a toxic well. Robert takes Arvid’s pocket watch with him and returns to Karl-Oskar and Kristina and this song is him explaining himself to Kristina when she sees the watch and asks where Arvid is. Karl-Oskar gets pissed at Robert when he tries to give him the fake money (R hadn’t realised they were fake). After this Robert dies
An epic moment when Peter sings "quiet grave" the music stops, its dead quiet except Peters voice. A voice and music working together to tell a story. Masterfully done.
I saw this musical in Stockholm and it was the most emotional and also combined with humoristic musical I have seen. The blend between the two was just amazing. Björn and Benny prove once again that they are geniuses!
It´s Björn and Benny, it´s Helen and Peter...that makes the magic happen! Each one blessed by a higher power, when it comes to create and interpret music. Thank you! 😍Cheers from Sweden.
Arvid was a farm hand, and also Robert's best friend. When Kristina says that God has taken her husband away from her, she refers to that a doctor has said that if she has another child it will kill her (which also happens later).
Fun fact: Peter Jöback was Alladin's voice in the Swedish version of the Disney film. (Fun fact on a personal note: I used to play tango with Peter's brother Mikael:))
Yeah, he does both the speaking and singing in the Swedish version.
Let’s face it, you’re Swedish now. We do heavy emotions at next level here. ❤
lol I'm going to do my ancestry. I bet there is some swedish in me lol
What a great performance, and interesting and heartbreaking story. It makes me wonder how much my ancestors from Europe suffered and maybe longed to return to their homeland.
They were Germans, Swedes, Irish, English, Scottish.. all came looking for a better life. My Swedish grandfather worked in a local coal mine, I'm sure extremely hard work. Regardless, loved this singer and the story told. ❤ and ✌️ 😊
Peter Jöback is our largest export to Broadway where he played the Phantom for quite some time. God Jul 🎄🎅🏼❄️ no he is singing about his friend who joined on the Robert on his trip over to the US and also without question followed Robert to his quest to go to California to look for gold and he dies in the desert due to drinking poisoned water. Kristina's husband is Karl-Oskar
This song is heartbreaking. The song following it, called "Wildcat Money" (yes, it's called that in Swedish too), is also heartbreaking because it's what tips Robert's big brother, Karl Oscar, over the edge of never having patients with Robert again. Their relationship was strained from early on as they were so opposite each other in their ways, Karl Oskar being hardworking and responsible, and Robert being a dreamer who would wander off and forget his chores/work. So when he comes back to Minnesota from California not only with his best friend Arvid lost but also with a stack of money that is absolutely worthless, Karl Oskar has had it. The song "Wildcat Money" is essentially 4 minutes of a frustrated, embarrassed (cause he went to the local bank with the money and they told him they were nothing but worthless paper) Karl Oskar yelling at a devastated, tired, and sorrowful Robert, desperately trying to explain. It all culminates with Karl Oskar doing to Robert the thing that truly set Robert on the trail to the USA - giving him a smack over the ear, hard. The same thing that the farmer Robert was a farmhand to did to him when he was a teen, and that Karl Oskar had said to Robert when he found out "That goddamn coward shall pay for that, I will show him who he dared hit!" The two brothers did love each other once, and probably even still.
After Wildcat Money, Robert has one more, short version of his first song in the musical. And he is never seen again.
And to just hammer the tragedy of Robert home. He was 15 when that farmer hit him, so hard that his ear never stopped ringing. He was already at that point enamored with the idea of the US. He is very active in talking both Karl Oskar and Kristina, as well as Arvid, into going. Less than 10 years later, carrying that weight, he is gone, and how is not really up for interpretation.
You guys in the US have your, almost mythical, story of how the country came to be. In Sweden there is an opposite story. During only 50 years, 1870-1920, about 1/3 of the total population emigrated to America. This is the backstory to the musical Kristina which is based on the five books about this exodus by Wilhelm Moberg. There are almost no family in Sweden that don't have a story about this monumental period of time.
I am so glad you brought this to me. Music is such a part of my life. Yesterday you reacted to Helen Sjoholm. Years ago she sang Gabriela's Song in the film "As it is in Heaven". It is a powerful song that I specifically listen to when things get rough. If you ever want to react to it, there is a version taken from the film, with english subtitles. She is fierce!
i want to see it, too!
Me 2
Go for it, that song is pure power!
I like your sincere reaction... When Phantom of the Opera celebrated 30 years on Broadway, Peter Jöback appeared as the Phantom specially invited by Andrew Lloyd Webber who "couldn't think of anyone else". Peter also did a fantastic Swedish dubbing of Aladdin from 1992. I'd rather watch the Swedish version and it's not usually the case that dubbings are better than the original. The song "En helt ny värld" is sung together with Myrra Malmberg and is well worth a listen.
The background Bjorn Ulveaus outlines in the beginning, (in Swedish), is about how this character and his friend set out get rich mining gold, but the little they found they swapped for money that turned out to be counterfeit - eg. the gold turned into sand. The song tells the rest of the story: He is wracked with guilt, feeling responsible for his friend’s death, and for no good reason but a false dream.
Actually... Robert doesn't even know when he sings this song that the money is fake. He is this hearbroken all about Arvid. It's not until later when Karl-Oskar tries to use the money that it turns out that they are worhtless and that in the end Robert and Arvid didn't really manage to achive anything at all with their journey. And that's the final blow that ends Robert.
@@karinberg3572 Exactly, this song is not about the money being false. This is about how the journey and dreams of gold turned into sand because of the death of Arvid and the guilt that tore Robert apart.
But to be fair the op just translated what Björn said in the video
Yeah, I just translated what Bjorn said at the beginning - he summarised the whole story, including the counterfeit money.
This tv show seems to be a straight presentation of the songs, and not the whole theatrical production, which would explain why it’s interspersed with Bjorn’s brief introductions. So the dramatic chronology is probably a moot point anyway.
I remember introducing this song to friends that didn't know Swedish.. without subtitles.. and they were still in tears at the end because of all the feelings in his voice
I absolutely love the way you stop and think about what you just had listened to. Your reactions are heartfelt and honest and that is so rare among many reactors. Thank you!
really appreciate the kind words.
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody just telling the truth.
I agree. Your reaction is clear, sincere… and profoundly sensed, right through the screen! ❤️
//Sven, loving the history and the story of emigration…and immigration. That is life - at its pure…❣️
The absolute power of music..
This is about him seeking riches. Forcing his friend to tag along. Then said friend dies and he feels what is more important and is tormented that his selfish belief killed his friend.
(but also Sweden at the time was super poor and we had famine and such in some years, so by desperation to give his wife better life he forsake his friend. He just wanted better life for everyone in his life. It is a sad story and happened not just once but several times)
You can hear the extraordinary pain in Peter's and Helen's voices in these videos. I've always preferred these live versions (from a 90's tour of Minnesota where most Swedish immigrants to the US settled) before the studio recordings for that very reason, they are simply so much rawer and emotional. Then again the studio recordings were hits in Sweden, I remember hearing them over and over on the radio as a kid. Their voices and the accompanying music (and the lyrics) takes you into the story they are telling. You hear the loss and despair in Kristina's voice when she've lost everything except her faith and even that is crumbling. And the same with Robert, Peter's character. You can hear his pain and guilt, that he's blaming himself for his friend's death, whom he feel he betrayed in the vain pursuit of gold, not only taking him with him on that last expedition but also being the main reason they emigrated in the first place.
The entire musical is incredibly well done, and so are the original novels by Vilhelm Moberg.
This is heartbreaking. That damn ABBA- Ulvaeus with his lyrics clubbing you down :)
Given Bjorn’s native language is not English, his lyric writing is even more remarkable.
@@andredarin8966 Yes I agree!
You should react to Helen singing Gabriellas sång from the movie Så som i himmelen (Gabriellas song, As in heaven). Make sure to get the clip from the movie. She plays a woman who gets abused by he husband and the song is her saying that she's worth better.
I couldn't sing to save my life but I think Swedish is a good language for singing. I'ts a soft pitch-accent language and I think that can benefit songs like this. Two friends of mine spent a month in Florida, one night when they were waiting in line at a supermarket a man behind them tapped one of them on the shoulder and asked him; What are you singing to her?
Fun fact: he’s also the voice of the Swedish Aladdin ☺️
Dude thats so cool!
This particular concert, with the cast from Kristina från Duvemåla, was made infront of Swedish decendants in America. The song "Du måste finnas" med Helen Sjöholm is from the same concert. In the audiens you will see Björn Ulveus and Benny Andersson (from ABBA) who wrote the musical. Björn and Benny introduced to the audiens the story and history behind the lyrics and the musical. I remember there was a tv program here in Sweden filming Björn and Bennys journey and the making of the musical. The final was this concert for Swedish decendants.
On the first premiere in Malmö/Sweden was a special guest invited, "Kristina" herself (her name in the musica)l. She died in 2005.
it's heartbreaking to listen to it.. for too long..
and the musical artist peter jöback can really convey pain and sadness in his voice.. because he was abused as a child and teenager..sexually..those wounds never heal..
It’s cool to see you delve in to Swedish music my man! ❤
Dude I love em!!!
This is probably true of every country, but sometimes I just appreciate the waste musical treasure (in Sweden/[insert country]) that's mostly unknown to the rest of the world. It's great when these things get shared on the internet, where normal commercial platforms simple can't do the job.
Peter Jöback is one of our swedish pride and joy among many fantastic musicians. He often portrayed the Disney princes in swedish dub that I grew up with. ❤
Peter Jöback does the swedish voice and singing of Aladdin in Disney Animated Movie Aladdin (1992).
Just as Helens performance.. so much emotion in his voice. And such a strong message. The fact that far from everyone who went to chase the dream in america succeeded.. most got it worse than what they left in Sweden.. fantastic musical.
Wrong assumption on the story, Robert was out early in the musical and worked as a farm-worker where the farm owner was not very good to his staff. He became friends with Arvid another farm-help and they went to America together with Kristina and her husband. Robert then got the idea to go to the gold fields to get rich and Arvid followed him like he was his hero. Sadly thing went south from there and it ended with them getting lost in the desert and him drinking from a bad pool of water that led to his death. Robert never quite became himself again after that blaming himself for his best friend dying.
Wow 😮 just wow ......
Indeed
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody I've missed ya, need to catch up on videos ! Btw give me some live Florence 😭
"Guys i dont know what to say", Well Your face says it all :)
Peter Jöbecks presence is amazing. When he did phantom of the opera in Stockholm, i watched it several times. It was a magical experience. ❤
I will check it out
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody
I just did a new post recommending it again.. totally forgot that I had posted this earlier today apparently 😅
ruclips.net/video/3OlberStiv4/видео.htmlsi=X20q1Jzf3zHpXpIw
Here's one suggestion. This is not from the show though but a separate number..
I suggest listening to more of Björn and Bennys musical songs, especially Tommy Körbergs version of Anthem from the musical Chess, especially the one from the 80s from the studio. I cry every time I watch it. Thank you for a beautiful video 🙏
Find the book this story is originally based on by Vilhelm Moberg. Sorry, I don't know the names in English but in Swedish it is "Utvandrarna", "invandrarna" and "Nybyggarna". Written between 1949 and 1956. 1959 another connected book, storywise, came out called "Sista brevet till Sverige".
Not something I would usually listen to but this was sad and beautiful all at once. I can see why people would enjoy opera,it is moving indeed.
This is not opera, it’s a musical.
This journey of yours through the musical based on the books is fantasic to see (The emigrants, the immigrants, the settlers, The last letter to back home) based on extensive work by the author Vilhelm Moberg. Robert (the singer here) was more intelligent and aspiring than the others and wanted to find "more" by going west together with a very faithful but less intelligen friend (Arvid) who died by hardship on the way. Robert makes some money, but loses it by a lot of scams... Som he comes back to the settlers farm in Minnesota. ... The gold became sand...
This was so amazing and moving
The watch that Robert mentions at the end was a cherished token his friend Arvid had brought with from Sweden. After struggling to find even a little gold they left after exchanging the gold for money, money that later turned out to be fake. When Robert returned to his brother Karl-Oskar and Kristina he refused to explain why he came back alone. It wasn't until Kristina noticed Arvids watch that Robert finally told her what happened.
That reached in and hurt my heart. The emotion, the pain in this song, and this man's beautiful voice! Like you, Tommy, I have no words.
after listening to Helen sing...I had to hear this ASAP
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody I am so glad you did.
Peter was the Phantom in New York.
Robert and his brother Karl-Oskar had alway had a strain relation - Karl-Oskar was a hard woking responsible one and Robert was a dreamer.
Robert returned as a broken man. But at least he had the money from the gold and he gave them to Kristina, thinking it was real.
Then he found out, from his furious brother, that they were false and he was acused of fooling them.
It was really heartbreaking to watch Karl-Oskar hitting his little devastated brother to the ground.
ABBA's Björn and Benny along with the cast made an outstanding musical of the books and movies!
The whole musical, with all the songs, is saturated with real life heavy emotion, brilliance, musicality, storytelling. The songs each have their own meaning and are unique, both contentwise and musically. I really encourage you to get the cd:s with the lyrics and translation, or somehow via Spotify, and “study” the music. The songs will be treasures for life, a smorgasbord from which you can pick songs depending on mood and life events.
I'd strongly recommend the song Hemma from this same musical and sung here during this performance in Minnesota. It's sung by Helen and it's much more light hearted but just as beautiful. 😊
You got it
Peter who’s singing is Kristinas brother, he brought his best friend to america before Kristina (du måste finnas) got there. It was Peters best friend who died in the desert.
I want to tell you more about what you’re watching.
This was recorded in Minnesota and all the people watching it live are swedish ancestors.
Very touching to Watch ❤️
OHhhh thank you for clarifying! I've loved this so much! I'm going to look up the whole play and watch it.
Robert, who Peter plays, is Kristina's brother-in-law.
Robert (Peter J) is younger brother to Karl Oskar, Kristina's husband, not to Kristina.
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody I can strongly recommend the movies from 1971-72 (made by Jan Troell). They are so excellent. When I think of these persons, Karl Oskar, Kristina, I see them before me as in these movies and I remember every detail. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emigrants_(film) and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Land_(1972_film). I think they are on Netflix. It is easier to see the movies than to read the books.
Most important, this man (Peter Jöback) is our ALADDIN in the disneymovie! 😍 Maybe you can react to "En helt ny värld" whith him? (A whole new world) Love ❤
Peters character Robert is the younger brother of Kristinas husband Karl-oskar and the person he is singing about was his friend Arvid who came with him from Sweden and was not relative with Robert or Karl-oskar.
Peter Jöback also played in Miss Saigon 🩷
The play is based on a book series of the Swedish author called Vilhelm Moberg about the emigrants/immigrants from Sweden who traveled to North America. Fantastic books!
many comments are also a sign for an interesting video, right?
Hi from Sweden. This is a musical from 1995 and Peter is Roberth here who is Karl- Oskars brother and Karl-Oskar is Kristinas husband . And the man he sings about is his friend Arvid that died when They sought Gold , yes Peter was Alladin in Sweden 🇸🇪 Merry Christmas and have a wonderful new year ♥️ Kristina från Duvemåla
I'm not a fan of pop music but I understand ABBA's music very well. When they also want to make a musical, they deliver. My favorite is SOS.
I just realized something when hearing the line about him drinking foul water from a well and dying. That basically describes Arvid dying of dysentery on the Oregon Trail. This song came out in 1995 which was also around the peak popularity of The Oregon Trail for windows computers. Both the play and the game are even set in the mid 1800s. Just an interesting cultural parallel.
Oh gosh I remember that game so much!
Dude, imagine being there listening to this live
Beautiful reaction! Even we men has feelings, maybe we show them to rarely =)
I have seen this musical live many years ago. Eventhough I was alot younger then, I still remember very much and I felt the pain. Some of the best musical artists we have in Sweden. Both Peter and Helen look so young.
Why is im crying.... bless you man...oh fucking im high
Loved your reaction to this song and "Du måste finnas" by Helene. I was incredibly moved by your emotional reaction to both songs as they've been a big part of my life since I was a child.
I also want to clarify one thing for you. The man who died in this song wasn't Kristina's husband, but instead the best friend of Robert, the character portraid in this song. He convinced his friend to come with them to the US from Sweden to find a better life and also convinced him to join him in his search for gold.
I can totally see how you would think that it was Kristina's husband who died though, since the lyrics said "You take me from my husband" in the first song you did. But that bit of the lyrics reffered to an earilier scene in the musical. When expecting their last child she miscarriaged. It was their seventh or eight child and their doctor said that she would probably die if they ever had another child. So she knew that if she got pregnant again, which was very likely in the time before contraceptives, it might kill her and take her from her children and husband.
Just wanted to clear that up for you and give you a bit more knowledge about the story. :) Hope it was helpful.
ohhhh thanks for clearing that up. I really appreciate it so much!
@@TheWolffAndTheMelody I'm glad I could help! The whole musical is just amazing. If you want to discover more, there are two songs I can recommend, sung by one of my all time Swedish musical favourites, Anders Ekborg.
Both of them have English Subtitles and are called "Stanna" and "Vildgräs". In the musical, they are sung by Kristina's husband, Karl Oskar.
Stanna is performed on the ship they take to the US, where Kristina becomes ill and her husband fears that he might loose her to the illness.
Vildgräs is a song sung after they arrive. Where they celebrate the abundance of nature and the rich soil they find in their new home after the years of hard work and pain they experienced back home in Sweden.
Both of them are amazing and I hope you will like them as much. The first one is waay more emotional, and the second one is more uplifting and hopeful for the future.
Other than the book, they made two excellent films about this story (The Emigrants and The New Land). They are old and in a few places a little dated, but well worth watching if you want to learn more about it
Its now annouced he will reapt this perfomance, tickets will be booked
I just love the sound and shape of the ö in 'över', 'ökenvinden' and 'höljd'. A little bit more than the rest of the song that is.
Hi, In the beginning you just saw Bjorn of ABBA. And the singer is Peter Jöback of Sweden....
Peter have been the Phantom in london and in the Usa
Fan vad bra du är!
Time is short my friend, and since it`s almost X-mas... I really believe you should react to one of Luiciano Pavarotti`s Idols... The Swedish Singer Jussi Björling - "O Helga Natt"(O Holy Night).. Pavarotti said he always was listening to how Jussi had sang it before he himself started rehearsing every new song.. I don`t think you will be disappointed...// Merry X-mas and thanks for being You !! :)
I dont know how this really picks the nuances...in the story, he sort of did his friend (who was a bit...slow, and very loyal) dirty, because of hisnown dreams and ambitions. That makes it even more sad, how the gold turned into sand..
Sadly my mom didnt think this was age appropiate when i was a kid, so i missed Helene and Peter performing this live, i have seen it after the fact, but nothing measures up to this.
Thank you for your genuine reactions.
So beautiful, both music, lyrics and story. Fantastic!
Listen even to Jonathan Antoine from UK. He is amazing, his voice his excellent nice soulfull voice. Listen to ”Empty chairs and empty tables” from les miserables
I envy you. Getting to hear ”Kristina from Duvemåla” for the first time. Its just… no words.
So - Arvid is Roberts best friend. The one who died.
In ”You must be real” when Helen sings ”You took me from my husband” (directly translated, its not you took my husband from me” - she means that she can never again lay with him because she cannot get pregnant. 🙏🏻 The anguish in her voice and also in Peters in this song.
Since you like metal, you should definitely listen to ”Wild Cat Money” from this musical… Enjoy man. ❤
❤❤❤ fantastiskt
They performed a concert version of the show in english at Carnegie Hall in 2009.
that was really beautiful. never thought that benny was such an intense songwriter. i am still in awe for helens performance and was a bit scared to watch this. but it was really good!
Benny writes the music and Björn the lyrics. I find it so fantastic that the two of them still collaborate. We hear so often of old band members that can't stand each other, which is so sad.
A recommendation is the Swedish metall band Dead by April. A collaboration with Tommy Körberg who is a great self taught Swedish singer. The song is For every step, the official studio recording.
Tommy has worked with Björn och Benny in the musical Chess. The second recommendation is Tommy singing Anthem from Chess, the studio recording is the best.
That’s Aladdin’s voice for the Swedish dub of the animated disney film, makes for some incredible versions of the songs in that movie.
Thank for this. It is so beautiful ❤ I get emotionel every time I listen.
I saw number 3. In Malmö.
Another emotional reaction from you. You are in many ways right in the feelings here.
The musical is written by Björn Ulveaus and Benny Andersson from ABBA. You know they have written some pretty god damn good music. It's based on a novel suite by the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg, The Emigrants. An epos of the Swedish mass migration during the late 1800's to early 1900's when nearly 1/3 of the population left Sweden for America. They were poor and years of stunted growth forced them to leave the homeland.
Peters character, Robert, is, as you said the younger brother of Kristina, but the guy who died wasn't her husband. It was just Roberts best friend, a peasant!
Robert were, in the novel, quite cocky when he decided to search for gold but he lost it all. He lost his best friend and scammed on the good he found. He came back as a broken man.
A truly amazing novel suite and musical. Worth reading and worth seeing.
Peter is the voice of disneys Aladin (fun fact)
FOR REAL!? Thats wild!
How can you not cry. Dyingng her..
Swedens Aladdin and Helene Sjöholm provides the voice for Anastasia ❤😊
Wow thatz so cool!
Peter also made the voice for the swedish version of disney 1992 aladdan. you can search for the swedish song versions with him.
absolutly sub. your channel . Thank you for your responsiveness ,best regards from Sweden
Just like you are saying.. That " pulling your Heart.." That is what Great composers do with their lyrics + music.. and..If you go back and react to ABBA, you will find that many of their songs have got the similar lyrical undertone/meaning/way of describing + looking at life, as these songs have...and I guess that also explains a bit of why "Björn and Benny" have sold approx. 500million Albums worldwide..(until modern tech/Spotify..).. They are True Legends !! :D
So, the guy who died is the little brothers friend Arvid. Kristinas husband is alive but sins he cant make love to her (there was no protection back then) she feels like god took him away to but i get how this is confusing :) There is two movies about this story thats called "Utvandrarna" and "Invandrarna". The first is about their life in Sweden and the journey to America. The second is about their life in America and all the trubbel they get into.. The story is about a hard life, an escape to "the promised land" and the real side to that dream. It gets better for them in America but its still no cake-walk :) Hope i cleared it up for you and you got my follow here from Sweden :)
Peter Jörback has performed in the US too. The phantom of the opera for instance.
The best voice together with Tommy Karevik👍
A real voice whit lots of difference not just the whaling top note screaming shit.
You should watch "vildgräs" and "aldrig" from the musical with the other two main characters. Björn and Benny with these singers are making magic!
If you like these kind of Operas, I can recommend reacting to anythinf From the Les Miserables 10th anniversary. How about Philip Quast singing "Stars".
❤💯
❤️❤️
This is how Robert tells Kristina what happened during the 4 years he left with Arvid, the farm hand. (It wasn't her husband, Karl-Oskar). The little gold they had they turned in and got forged notes in return. Arvid begged Robert to go back, but he refused. He so desperately wanted a better life for himself and his family. In the end, they didn't find any gold, and Arvid lost his life. Robert returns to Kristina as a broken man.
Apart from playing the Phantom on West End and Broadway before, he has also done some performances of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in West End in London this spring. He is truly a gem of a musical star and singer.
Both Helen and Peter have worked with Benny and Björn on various projects over the years. B&B are generally considered to be among the greatest musical geniuses in Sweden of all time. That is a clear sign of Helen's and Peter's quality as performers. Björn and Benny wouldn't just work with anyone.
The song is about Robert and his best friend not Kristinas husband. His name is Karl Oskar. Karl Oskar and Robert are siblings.
You should check out "Sabaton - En livstid i krig"
He is singing about his best friend Arvid, not his brother Karl-Oskar, Kristina's husband.
Yea I learned that. Thanks friend.
We just heard Swedens Alladin (disney cartoon) voice actor
AH, so I am new to your reactions (2 one) and I understand you have a feel for songs and the feeling the singer has and make you connect to. This might be system overload - Lara Fabian Je suis malade eng.lyrics ruclips.net/video/dVvlmpo5g9k/видео.html Adagio ruclips.net/video/jKtNuLG5jAo/видео.html english . Caruso ruclips.net/video/BP2KnLemT78/видео.html Eng. and Ital. lyrics Broken vow english ruclips.net/video/FNVR0yK8Ec8/видео.html Last but not least you can see how much her fans love her. Je t´'aime ruclips.net/video/qO3b-MyyTZg/видео.html NOTICE: the pianist is following the audience. Thank you for your reactions and the courage to show your feelings and share it.