The Nyhus family gets together to release old slåtter and new compositions
The folk music veteran Sven Nyhus and his daughters Åshild Breie Nyhus and Ingrid Breie Nyhus, gets together on the album Tre Nyhus to release old slåtter from their family tradition and new compositions by the trios senior member. With a far beyond average musical family, it´s not too surprising that the result is of the highest standard.
Nyhus senior is himself a prominent mediator of norwegian folk music and has been an active fiddler in his hometown of Røros, formed Glåmos spellmannslag and Sven Nyhus quartet, been the former professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music, co-editor on the seven-volume work Norsk Folkemusikk and the former head of the folk music department at the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. His daughters are no less notable participants in norwegian music. Violinst and violist Åshild has a background in the Oslo Philharmonic, The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, The Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, participated on albums by, amongst others, Finn Kalvik, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Morten Harket, Marit Larsen and Jan Eggum, as well as releasing the album Edvard Grieg: Slåtter Opus 72 with her sister. Ingrid, on the other side, is a classically trained pianist, working mainly with classical, contemporary and folk music. She has won several prizes and was the first winner of The Norwegian Soloist Prize in 2005, and has laid extensive touring in Norway and Europe behind her.
The family´s roots in Røros shines brightly on the songs on the album, not least in the form the chosen slåtter, but also when it comes to instrumentation. The fiddle and the zither are the traditional instruments in the area of Røros; only the piano is new. Together Sven and his daughters paint a beautiful image of the Røros tradition through improvisation and playfulness, all bound together by high quality and a vast knowledge of the areas folk musical traditions.