Gammal Fädbodpsalm
[Old Chalet-hymn]

Actually, a "Fäbod" is a small house in the countryside, situated
at specific pasture-land where cattle was brought in the summertime.
This was common customs especially in the middle of Sweden, just 
north of Stockholm, from the 16th century.

Most of the common day-to-day work at a "fäbod" was done by women
known as "kullor" who would watch over the cattle and hence the 
culture and it's music is regarded very female. The music is built 
on a sound system that these women used to call and control their
cattle, mostly extremely high-pitched and with no vibrato, supposed
to reach out and be heard from a long distance (a style known as
kula kauka or köla). This musical style also involves playing on 
animal horns.

This is probably the oldest and most typical Swedish music. "Gammal
Fäbodpsalm" is a hymn partly written in this style, but of course
mixed up with spiritual music. Some say that you can really sense
the absolute presence of nature's spirit in this kind of music.

During the industrialization most of this culture was wiped out. There
still exist a few farmers who run this kind of agriculture, but it
mostly survives thanks to state subventions and tourists.

Linus Walleij