Nivelkinn – Norwegian folk poetry made over
Comission Work
Norwegian singers Øyonn Groven Myhren and Odd Nordstoga released the album Nivelkinn earlier this year. Nivelkinn is an epic poem written by Aslaug Vaa, one of Norway’s finest traditional folk story writers. Myhren and Nordstoga wrote music to the poem on request by the Telemark festival and the performance was a great success.
Aslaug Vaa´s Nivelkinn
Nivelkinn is taken from Vaa’s book of poetry Nord i Leite. It’s about a passionate love triangle, which takes place in rural nineteen century Norway. Myhren and Nordstoga wrote soft ballads and faster pieces of traditional music inspired by the poem and made an innovating, yet traditional performance. The unusual instrumentation that included wooden harps, washboards and lyre, combined with Myhren and Nordstogas beautiful voices made for a breathtaking showcase.
Successful Project
The first performance at the Telemark festival (cultural event focusing on traditional Norwegian folk music) in 2001 blew both critics and audiences away. And even though Nivelkinn was never meant to be released on CD, the pressure from the people who had seen the show got so intense, that they felt compelled to put it out. Myhren and Nordstoga are both well-known traditional folk singers in Norway, dedicated in keeping the old Norwegian songs and lays alive.
