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Halvorsen · Kvandal · Nyhus – Åshild Breie Nyhus

JOHAN HALVORSEN: Fossegrimen (arr. for piano by Ingfrid Breie Nyhus) · JOHAN KVANDAL: Quintet for Haranger fiddle and string quartet · SVEN NYHUS: Three works for Hardanger fiddlemore… solo

Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, piano · Åshild Breie Nyhus, Hardanger fiddle · Per Sæmund Bjørkum, violin · Per Kristian Skalstad, violin · Anders Rensvik, viola · Audun Sandvik, cello

The sisters Åshild and Ingfrid Breie Nyhus rekindle the mystical and mythical powers that lies hidden in the Hardanger fiddle’s long and important history, highlighting its place in the history of Norwegian art music.

kr 139

Resurrecting the mystical powers of the Hardanger fiddle.

The second album by the sisters Åshild and Ingfrid Breie Nyhus is deeply rooted in a wonderful meeting between the Norwegian folk music and art music. The Hardanger fiddle – in all its mythical glory – is at the heart of the sisters’ latest recording, an instrument which played a significant role in the nation-building of 19th century´s Norway. However, the Hardanger fiddle was not just a mere musical instrument: in the Norwegian folklore it functioned as a direct contact with the underworld. Halvorsen´s ‘Fossegrimen’, based on the story of Myllarguten – said to have been taught by the Grim himself, and paying for it with his soul – is a perfect example in this regard.

Through this work, as well as works by Sven Nyhus and Johan Kvandal, two highly prominent composers with regard to the Hardanger fiddle´s importance in the art musical world, the Nyhus-sisters perfectly evokes powerful nature images and at the same time demonstrates the highly succsessful meeting between folk music and classical music. Performed by two of the most skillful musicians in the intersection between folk music and classical music, the result is far more than beautiful – it evokes moods from the deepest reaches of the Norwegian folklore´s amazing world.

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Åshild and Ingfrid Breie Nyhus´ latest release takes place at the cross roads between Norwegian folk music and art music. With the Hardanger fiddle at the center of attention, they rekindle history in a modern context, and manages to conjure up powerful nature images and moods from the deepest reaches of Norwegian folklore.

The underworld

The mythical Hardanger fiddle was not just a musical instrument, but also functioned as a direct contact with the underworld of Norwegian folklore. Halvorsen’s ‘Fossegrimen’ is built on the myth around the fiddler Myllarguten, said to have been taught by the Grim himself, and paying for it with his soul. Drawing on her experience of interpreting Norwegian folk music on the piano for many years, Ingfrid has arranged Halvorsen’s famous suite (being published now by edition Musikk-Huset) – a bold project we can hear the highly successful result of on this album.

Modern musical idioms

Sven Nyhus has on several occasions put down a wide engagement for the Hardanger fiddle’s place in the art musical world. His ‘Three pieces for solo Hardanger fiddle’ was first and foremost a contribution to increase the awareness of the instrument in a concert setting. Equally important is Johan Kvandal’s contribution, his ‘Quintet for Hardanger fiddle and string quartet’, commissioned by the Arctic Arts Festival, which was received to great acclaim.

Breie Nyhus

Åshild Breie Nyhus (b. 1975) is a fourth generation fiddler in her family at Røros, performing as a soloist on the Hardanger fiddle with several Scandinavian symphony orchestras. Her performances of the Norwegian folk musical heritage is combined with her practice as a classical violinist and violist – in Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Ingfrid Breie Nyhus (b. 1978) has studied piano in Oslo, Helsinki and Hannover, won a range of awards – amongst them ‘The Norwegian Soloists Prize’ in 2005 – and is now preoccupied with a further specialization of
folk-inspired music. This is the second release of the Nyhus sisters for Simax Classics, following their hugely successful Edvard Grieg: Slåtter op. 72, recorded in the composer’s own livingroom.

Anders Rensvik |Åshild Breie Nyhus |Audun Sandvik |Ingfrid Breie Nyhus |Johan Halvorsen |Johan Kvandal |Per Kristian Skalstad |Per Sæmund Bjørkum |Sean Lewis |Sven Nyhus

Release date:

EAN : 7033662013333

Cat.No.: PSC1333

Priskategori : CD