nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one

Subject: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 01:42 PM

i do not see any mention of this instrument.
it is a Swedish critter-a cross between a
hurdy gurdy, a fiddle and a guitar. I am
wondering if any mud catters would refer me
to information on acquiring and learning to
play one of these key fiddles?
check here for more:
http://www.nyckelharpa.org/
http://www.nyckelharpa.com
I am hoping to get and play one!!
Laurel

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 01:55 PM

Sam Pirt just got one last year. Also, if put nyckelharpa in the Thread Title search box and set the age filter to ALL there should be 2-3 threads with more info. I think they are very *kewl*!

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 03:05 PM

i searched threads but perhaps forgot to change age filter...
did not find any mention will try again...
perhaps sam pirt could share some facts?
i'll look him up & p.m. him--thanks

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: MMario
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 03:14 PM

the first thread spelled it nickelharpa

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 04:06 PM

Haha! Sorry, MMario... **BG** the very first thread spelled it nykleharpa. There is a neat link in my first posting.

The one Sam started is I've just bought a nyckleharpa.

Laurel, a PM to Sam would probably work. I haven't seen him around in the threads a lot lately. Have fun. I love the sounds of this instrument!

kat

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: bill\sables
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 04:12 PM

I saw Sam today and am playing a ceilidh tomorrow with him. Best catch him soon as he is going to Sweden and then to Africa for Christmas and New Year. I will tell him of this post and get him to answer.
Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 05:16 PM

i sent him an e-mail and i figured it might be a spelling problem
so i spelled the name several ways and still not seeing those
threads--thanks for blickies i will investigate...

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 05:45 PM

i see i am not the only one bitten by the nyckelharp bug
i went to a workshop at the Nordic festival...fascinating..

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 06:04 PM

open mike, not the Nordic Roots Festival, in Minneapolis?

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 09:08 PM

oh yes--there all 3 days plus nyckelharpa workshop and nordic dance
workshop which kidked off the whoe event but was not very well publicized compared to the rest of the festivities...

those nyckelharpa folks are quite an active crew in that neck of the woods-have you managed to keep free of them??

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 09:33 PM

Ah, cool. :) I skipped the workshops/dance, but I was there for all the shows. Fat dude, shaved head, same seat right in the front at every concert. I wrote my lame review here, on the immortal Scandinavian Music thread.

And, yeah, the cult has tried to recruit me a couple of times. Great instrument, but I had to pass: too poor, and too clumsy. :)

Good luck with the nyckelharpa.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 10:49 PM

i went to the nordic music festival, too.
and to another similar one last year with
3 bands in Ashland Oregon also sponsored
by north side records. I wrote a review of
that one too, but it is sitting inside my
recently retired computer resting for now..
it wasd called Nordic Nights. I also went
to a Scandinavian festival in California,
Scandifest is a great cultural gathering
with food, music, dance, costumes, and
animals (norwegian elk hounds and norwegia
horses which are blonde with a black stripe
on their manes and backs--i do not know how
they tell them apart--they are like a whole
herd of identical twins...)the best part was
the viking camp where they recreated life in
long ago times and the Sami camp where they
had a re-enactment of the way the reindeer
people (a.k.a.) Lapps, which is not their
preferred name for themselves..life in the
arctic circle....

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:27 AM

I'm in the UK and I've both have one and play too - still learning but getting faster all the time.

If you drop me an email I'll take you through the process of acquiring one - if you are in the States, the same applies as Leif Alpsjo is probably the easiest way of getting one.

My email is [e-mail]

If you are in the UK me and Sam are hoping to set up a UK Nyckelharpa Society sometime very soon.

Cheers
Sarah Cheffins

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 12:37 PM

yipee!! eureka!! I have found an instrument and am negotiating
the acquisition of it presently. Here is a review of the Nordic
Roots festival in Minnesota in sept. I wrote for my local folk
music news letter:

4th Annual Nordic Roots Music Festival (and more)
by Laurel Paulson-Pierce


       The North Side Recording Studio in Minneapolis specializes in music from northern Scandinavia countries. I attended their fourth annual concert series in September. Their web site is
North Side Records.

       There were many bands from Sweden, Norway, and Finland performing at the Cedar Cultural Center, which is on the West Bank in Minneapolis. You can find their home page at:
Cedar Cultural Center , Several workshops, lectures and instrumental and vocal demonstrations were held at the music dept. of near-by University of Minnesota. Many of the instruments played were native to that part of the world including the Hardanger Fiddle, or Hardanfele from Norway, the Swedish Key Fiddle or Nyckelharpa and the smaller Morharpa and in that part of the world, a bagpipe is know as a saca pipa.

       The weekend of festivities started off with a community dance with music provided by Elika Frisell on her viola. She is a member of the band Filarfolket, known as the Swedish Fairport Convention. She played a
solo concert on friday evening, and following her performance was the group V*a*sen (I don't have an "umlot" pucntuation on my keyboard), who played a guitar, viola and an ancient Swedish instrument, the nyckelharpa, which is similar to a hurdy gurdy (for those of you who have heard the Butte Folk Music Society concerts by Pint and Dale and Ad Vielle Que Pourra) in that it is an instrument with two sets of strings, one which is played and one which resonates from sympathetic vibrations caused by the played strings. The notes are formed by keys (it is also called the key fiddle) which determine the length of the vibrating portion of the string as the fingers do on an instrument with a finger board or fret board.

       You may find a better explanation of the nyckelharpa on this site: American Nyckelharpa Associationwhere you can find the A. N. A.-a picture is worth a thousand words....where the hurdy gurdy strings are played with a wheel which is turned with a crank, the Nyckel-harpa is played with a bow. Both are held horizontally in front of the torso, not held under the chin like a violin. I attended the workshop given by Olov Johansson on this instrument and fell in love with the sound of the "Key Fiddle".

       Another group who performed was called Harv. These were younger, wilder musicians in their 20's. They are from western Sweden, and played music from Nordic tradition, but with an added kick.

       Our next musical treat was from an experimental project composed of hurdy gurdys with sound loops, samples, and electronic effects reminiscient of Jimi Hendrix and some of the musical adventures from the 60's. The Hurdy Gurdy Project was a very imaginative performance--one hard to describe.

       On Saturday evening the music was a mix of ancient and medieval music and modern interpretations. The group, Garmarna had the added sound of a female lead vocalist to add flavor to their presentation.

       A trio of mandolins was served up during the Sunday afternoon session. The Helsinki Mandoliners, from Finland, played a variety of music from traditional tunes to tunes with a south American flair, and others with a gypsy feeling. They have started a trend and now there are two other Finnish "mandobands" following in their footsteps.

       The final show was from Wimme, (pronounced Vee-may) whose people come from closer to the arctic circle than any of the other performers. He is from the Sami culture, often referred to as the Lapps. This term is now considered derogatory. Their tribal, reindeer herding lifestyle is experiencing a resurgence, and their art and music are growing. One of their singing techniques is the Yoik, which is a chanting style similar to Native American music, and with a vocal sound similar to Tuvan Throat singing...this Yoik is based on the sounds of nature and often imitates bird and animal calls, and can transport the listener to eerie places as his voice ranges from thundering bass tones to high falsetto. This man is a shaman of sound and an ambassador of his traditional, indigenous Sami poeple. He wears the traditional dress of the Sami with decorative woven braid.

       It was a great experience to be able to hear such a variety of music from a part of the world not often represented in music we find today.

       Every September in Turlock, between Sacramento and Fresno, there is a Scandinavian festival, Skandi-Fest where these cultures can be experienced--from Viking and Sami camps, to crafts both ancient and modern, food and music from these northern European countries. There is also an organization which is focused on Scandinavian folk music in the northern California area- the Spelsmanslag. Here is how to find them: Northern California Spelsmanslag

       Many of the tunes we heard at the Nordic Roots Festival were polskas--not the same as a polka (or waltz). These tunes have 3 beats to a measure, and the third and first beats are emphasized, often by the player tapping out the rhythm with their feet. I hope we will be able to hear some music from the Nordic countries live in the north state in the near future!!

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 05:48 AM

Congrats,

Hope the sale comes off. I think there are some DVDs available on how to learn - I think they may even be in English. All I need now is a DVD player. I've got the fingering of the tunes worked out OK now - see piano, reversed and upside-down (also jump vertically from row to row).

I now have to learn how to do chords.

Best to learn without looking and trusting your fingers to find where to go by touch. If you play standing you will not be able to see your keyboard anyway, just the movement of the tangents.

On a different note - the traditional bows don't have any bounce in them. Leif Alpsjo has developed a cut-down fiddle bow for the harpa which works much better for those who already play fiddle. Both Sam and another harpa friend have or are thinking of getting one of these soon after playing with mine.

Learning this is fun, but watch your neck - it's a very heavy instrument.

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: Allan C.
Date: 06 Feb 03 - 12:25 AM

Now I finally know what one of these things sounds like! I just heard/saw one on a TV world music show. It was played by a member of a Swedish group called VÄSEN. Soundbytes are available at their site. I am very much impressed by the sound of the instrument and by VÄSEN.

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: open mike
Date: 06 Feb 03 - 12:30 AM

another player, asa jinder has a web site too.
i plan to come to the bay area for scandia nest week and to seattle for the scandia fest up ther in april. i got my nyckelharpa in teh mail just
last week!! still trying to figutre out how to tune it!!
i am a member of nor cal spelmanslag,and amer. nyckelharpa association

Subject: RE: nyckelharpa-any one have one or play one
From: Alice
Date: 29 Dec 09 - 11:31 AM

refresh