Rolandskvadet - Norwegian Song

Vocals & arrangement by Farya Faraji, many thanks to my boy Étienne for modeling as Roland here. I call this one a quintessentially European piece: a Norwegian ballad about the French national epic whose original text was written in Anglo-Normand French about a Frankish military commander who fought the Basques, set to a Faroese melody. The Song of Roland is France’s national epic, written from the 1000’s to the 1100’s, and recounts in legendary form the Battle of Ronceveaux Pass in 778 where the Basques defeated a Carolingian army. In the Song of Roland, however, the Basques are substituted with the Muslim Saracens. In the story, the treacherous Ganelon informs the Saracens that the valiant Roland, Charlemagne’s nephew will be passing through Ronceveaux pass with his army. Roland is ambushed, and though he blows his horn Olifant many times to call Charlemagne, he and his army are wiped out. Charlemagne arrives too late and grieves the death of his most valiant