With projections of beautiful violin and piano notes, it was once again ready for a concert in the artists’ home. On the date three months after Jakob Zethner’s passing, it was once again the music that played the main role. Norsjø chamber music festival organized the fifth concert in this year’s festival. The lunchtime concert at Villa Lunde on Saturday lasted just over an hour.
– It was a fantastic concert, says Elisabeth de Lunde, who is now alone again. Beyond that, she won’t say much more.
Find a new rhythm
But she appreciated the concert, which was organized by Norsjø Chamber Music Festival, and hopes for further collaboration.
She announced this on social media:
– Villa Lunde has meant a lot to many people, not least to myself. I want Villa Lunde to pass, and to find a new form and rhythm that suits the fact that I am now alone behind the project while I look after the children. I have a number of wonderful people around me who want to contribute on all levels, so that there will once again be concerts and events here. Together we will make it, when the time is right.
Before the concert, she went up to the podium and thanked everyone who made this concert possible.
– It is you who give Villa Lunde life and content. Jakob and I had a dream, which came true. We got to share this dream for eight years. I want to take Villa Lunde into the future, and I have Jakob with me here, she said and pointed to her heart.
This is the tenth year that Norsjø Chamber Music Festival has collaborated with Villa Lunde.
– They have created a very nice tradition, which we were very happy about, and which we are grateful to be part of, she said.
Do what they can
In the meantime, Villa Lunde’s friends’ association and the supporters are doing what they can to ensure that the concert venue lives on.
– We want it to live on in one form or another. But it is not up to us to lay down guidelines for it, but it would be very nice if it lives on. It is an important place, which many feel strongly about, says Karin Kjeldal in Lunde trade stand, which is behind a joint.
– It seems as if Elisabeth is more determined that she will be able to continue, Else Sæterdal believes.
Now close to NOK 90,000 has come in for the splice, which at the time of writing lasts for another seven days. The goal is to raise NOK 100,000.
– There has been a great willingness to give, and not least there have been many touching greetings. It is very strong, says Sæterdal.
Elisabeth de Lunde will not comment on the split.
Coffee and snacks
Inside, the friends’ association provides food service, a selection of coffee and drinks and help with splicing.
Anne Marit Pedersen receives expert guidance and is happy to contribute.
– I threw in an extra fiver note. I always do.
This is a concert venue she would like to support, and which she has visited many times.
– It is extremely important. We need more than TikTok. We need it in this life.
She was very pleased with the concert, and the Norsjø chamber music festival is a draw for her.
– It was absolutely fantastic and absolutely enormous. It was a real experience.
TA’s representative can sign it. There were seven quality features, and the ending with “Gabriel’s oboe” was a sure winner. It was almost impossible to find an empty chair, and 90 listeners were in place.
Concertgoers are used to high quality at Villa Lunde, and they still get that. Although Jakob Zethner is gone.
Went out of the world
TA has not previously written anything about the cause of death, but the family was open about it in the obituary, and it is also described in the splice as follows:
“The 27th. In January, Jakob chose to step out of time. A great loss for so many, the village, cultural life, students at the cultural school and of course his family in Denmark and here in Norway.
Jakob and Elisabeth have over several years built up one of Lunde’s great prides, Villa Lunde. Here, together with big and small artists, they created magical moments to the delight of guests from far and wide. Unique surroundings, a hospitality and warmth it was impossible not to be struck by.
What will be the way forward for the family who have so suddenly lost their father, husband and a mainstay in their life’s work, only they themselves have to find out. But there are several of us who have had a desire to be able to contribute with a little “breathing space”. A little less worry, a little peace and time to find out which path they should tread on.”
Karin Kjeldal has written the text and signed it with a greeting from friends and supporters of the family. All the money collected goes directly to Elisabeth and the boys as a contribution during a difficult time.
Geir Solerød in Villa Lunde’s friends association believes that the concert could be the start of something new.
– It is not certain how it will proceed. It is very much up to Elisabeth, but also up to someone else. We in the association of friends will do our part to ensure that the concert venue continues to exist. The question is also to what extent, so we aim to contribute, but it is clear that Jakob had competence, strength and contacts that will not be easily replaced. We can help with some of the things, but not in all areas.
A lot of people
Jon Rørmark, who was emcee at the concert, would like the Norsjø chamber music festival to continue at Villa Lunde.
– We would like to see that we can have one of our concerts here, as it has been for all years. It would have been great.
He also greatly appreciated the turnout.
– It was a full hall and a lot of people. It was so nice. After corona, we have struggled a bit. There has not been top audience access at all concerts, but now it seems to have loosened up, he tells TA.
Rørmark took on the conference host role that was usually assigned to Jakob Zethner.
Before the concert, he thanked for the opportunity.
– We are very happy that we can return to Villa Lunde, Elisabeth. That we are allowed to continue this tradition of playing a festival concert here. Even without Jakob on the podium. In many ways, he was a draw and a source of security for the music-loving public who came here. People have been able to trust that they had nice and fun experiences, and not least of high quality with Jakob as captain, as you can call him in that context, he said.
Rørmark pointed out that Zethner was a performer of rank, and not least a fantastic communicator.
– He led us through these concerts here, with great insight and understanding of the art form that this festival represents. He was always very well prepared, and shared his knowledge with the audience, and he put the listening experience into a context, historically and musically, so that we as an audience could join in with the known, but also the unknown musical expressions that this festival some times have taken this podium with them. I have taken on the role of presenter. As Jakob would have done, but it won’t be the same food. Because only he could do that.
