Hästbrytarvalsen
Hästbrytarvalsen Is a well-known Swedish waltz used a lot for gammaldans.
I learned it back in 1974 on my first trip to Sweden, and heard it played at several old-time dances. However, I never knew the name.
In looking for it on the internet, I found it played on YouTube by several groups, mostly on accordion, but also on fiddle. I got the name Hästbrytarvalsen that way. It can be translated, I believe, as “Horse Wrangler Waltz”. If there is a more accurate translation, I am certain someone will let me know.
Among the recordings I found was one by Carl Jularbo, Sweden’s most famous accordionist, and prolific composer of dance tunes. Seeing his recording led me to suspect that he was also the composer.
But I also found the tune transcribed by a northern Swedish fiddlers’ group that called it “Kalle Olssons Vals”, attributing it to a fiddler from the province of Ångermanland, on the Baltic coast. To resolve it, I contacted an expert on Carl Jularbo, and he confirmed that it was recorded by Jularbo, but that it is a much older tune, probably from the early 20th century. So I am willing to accept it as a genuine Ångermanland waltz.
Here you can get a YouTube recording of Hästbrytarvalsen played by Ransäterspôjkera, one of the top old-time bands of the 1970s.
To the left is a video of me playing it, also.