Produced by The Salvation Army >> USA Eastern Territory >> Music Department 

Tuesday, May 24 - Sodertalje , Sweden

 

By Bob Watson

 

 

  Just before our host, Nils, bid us farewell and mounted his bicycle for his morning commute, my good billet partner, Pete, and I began our Tuesday with a breakfast of pancakes, Swedish meatballs, Wasa with cheese and lingonberry jam, loving thoughts of families, and much more. We then met the rest of the band at the Fralsningsarmen, a "small but strong" corps of Salvationists positioned for warfare in a historic "castle" structure in the midst of Kristinehamn. The big news in the local paper referenced the movement of sheep-stealing wolves through the area.

 

  Our ride to Sodertalje began with Chris Ward's devotional question, "What sort of worship does God like?" We were drawn to the Ephesians 5 call for Spirit-filled worshipers who - in whatever form - lift Jesus up from the heart and commit to encouraging others.

 

  The bus journey was marked by Rook battle cries and alternating views of vast farm fields, trotting horses, goldenrod patches contrasting with fresh springtime greens, and scattered solar illuminations of the mysterious recesses of pine and birch forests.

 

  Our tour briefs had heartened us with word that red tunics would be cleaned on this day, but our glee was momentarily ruffled, upon arrival, as we saw the whole bag of tunics "pressed" under the right front tire of the bus. No harm done, though - the uniforms seem to possess some secret power of resistance - and we continue to be awed by the miraculous maneuvering and tireless work of our driver, "Boo."

 

  We were hosted for a lunch of salmon and parsnips by the Mayor who told us that Sodertalje is an enthusiastic sports town known for its hockey, soccer and basketball teams, and also home to Saab and a major pharmaceutical company. Bjorn Borg grew up in Sodertalje , and the garage door of his home still bears the scars of his relentless tennis practice as a boy.

 

  We then marched from the corps to the intersection of Garvaregatan and Storgatan for a gospel concert. A large number of people gathered around to listen as the band played, among other items, arrangements of "Deep and Wide" and "Amazing Grace," and Chris Ward played a cornet solo arrangement of Joy Webb's "Share My Yoke."

 

  After an hour for walking and another wonderful meal, the Staff Band returned to the corps and was greeted by the playing of the corps band outside the entrance. The Sodertalje band is a multi-generational group traditionally known as one of the finer corps bands in the territory.

 

  We were set up alongside this band on this change-of-pace evening for what had been billed "Pretzel Night." Back in the late 1800s, women from Sodertalje used to sell pretzels on the trains, and the town became famous for this kringlan . It is a sweeter pretzel than the saltier version we would buy on the corner of 14 th and 6 th in Manhattan , and Dorothy felt it was shaped much like a Celtic knot. On this occasion, the pretzel was taken as a link between Sodertalje and New York and served to all who gathered around tables in a café atmosphere.

 

  The Staff Band entered the hall to Sinatra's " New York , New York ," and a marathon of fun and light-hearted wackiness kicked off. Major Goran Larsson, responsible at IHQ for European Union Affairs, served as humorous host and entertained everyone with his juggling of malfunctioning microphones.

 

  Only a few highlights can be mentioned. Both bands combined on "Stars & Stripes" and "Under Blagul Fana," and Deputy B/M Gordon Ward teamed up with local B/M Goran Lundberg in a sparkling interpretation of the cornet duet, "Quicksilver." Trombone slides jabbed and jived all night, from the smooth, jazzy praise of the Vasa Bone Unit (from the Vasa Corps in Stockholm ) to a line-up of twenty-one trombonists in "Seventy-Six Trombones."

  Phil Ferreira summoned forward six local Star Lake Musicamp alumni whose attendance at the camp ranged from 1944 through 2004, and quizzed each one on the Pep Song. We all stood on our chairs, and no one was thrown into the lake. Executive Officer "Jill Reindeer' performed strange gyrations as he helped everyone sing in a lost Swedish dialect, "flegal-flugal-skurny-purny-purny-pu-yumpin-yiminy-bork-bork-bork."

 

  B/M Ron Waiksnoris stunned the crowd with his range and suction in performing the Blue Danube Waltz on the ancient palms instrument, and received the Honorary Pretzel Award for his handiwork.

 

  The climax of the night, perhaps, was Norm Garcia's rendition of "Silver Threads" on the C Saw, accompanied by the NYSB. An unfortunate complaint, in his introduction, about the irritating whine of the soprano cornet escalated into cacophonous attempts by the soprano player to steal the show, finally deteriorating into a brawl and the innovative use of the saw to sever the bell of the challenger's cornet.

 

  Any chaos in the air was resolved when Jeff Barrington assured us from Ecclesiastes that God means for us to know a deep, indestructible joy in Him and a delight and satisfaction in our living. The evening was a bit of an encore of "7-Up Night" at Stockholm VII during the 1982 NYSB tour through this region. One wonders what sort of crazy night the next tour here might bring???