(Curious about something mentioned? Resource links can be found at bottom of article)
Not just a blinged-up violin
You may notice this name, Hardanger fiddle, and images of this instrument, around my website. In 2020, I was a lucky recipient of a scholarship from the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America (HFAA). In this scholarship, I was awarded a loan fiddle for a period of 1-2 years so that I could learn to play.
I first learned of the Hardanger fiddle (considered the national instrument of Norway) from a college friend's posts online about her loan instrument through the same organization, the HFAA. I was mesmerized by the look of the instrument, and then completely captivated by the haunting, ethereal, imagery-inducing qualities of the music. Take a listen to the YouTube below to experience it.
At the time I first learned of the Hardanger fiddle I had an interest in folk music from Celtic regions. The music of the Hardanger fiddle felt like a natural next step, a further exploration of folk music traditions. The band Väsen also helped steer me in this direction. Although they are a Swedish band, the nyckelharpa also has sympathetic strings like a Hardanger fiddle. Hardanger fiddle music, or slåttemusikk, is from Western Norway. Tunes are passed down in traditional style, by ear. Some sheet music exists, but is not a common way to learn. As a Suzuki teacher, I felt right at home hearing this. I am always looking for ways to preserve the invaluable student-teacher relationship that is not solely reliant on written music or screens. There are countless gifts that come from spending quality, face to face time with a teacher learning by ear. The student not only listens for notes, but can absorb the details that build up someone's musical character and expression. There are many musical decisions made to play even one note that cannot be notated on paper, they must be experienced. These things about the Hardingfele music, plus the energy of the players, took a stronghold on me. I had to learn more.
The Hardanger fiddle, or hardingfele in Norwegian, comes from the Hardanger Fjord. The tradition did not spread from this region easily due to the steepness of the terrain around the fjords. Each valley in Western Norway has its own musical dialect on hardingfele, variations on playing that make each area's music unique.
Sympathetic strings, or understrings, are one component that set the Hardanger fiddle far apart from a violin. These strings run from the tailpiece through the middle of the bridge, under the fingerboard, then up to the pegs. These strings aren't played, but live in tension on the instrument to create additional vibrations and sound - the original "reverb" effect that we now can get on any guitar amp. The understrings are tuned in relationship to the main four strings above to create resonance. There are many different ways to tune the Hardanger fiddle, and some of the tunings have patterns that also show up in old-time fiddling in America. The most standard tuning is B-E-B-F# (true pitch low to high), but it can be commonly found written as A-D-A-E and then transposed up one whole step. Typically the strings are gut strings, not steel. The bridges are also flatter, allowing for easy playing of two strings at once. This technique is called double stopping, or bordunspel in Norwegian.
The more I have learned about slåttemusikk and Norwegian traditional music from the Hardanger area the less I feel I know. This tradition has a rich lineage of players and craftspeople. The music is fulfilling and rewarding to study, and I will continue to learn. As an American without an obvious family heritage in Norway, I come to the music because it affects me on a deep, spiritual level. When I play I am somewhere more connected and powerful than just my physical location. I take my lens as a trained violinist to peer into this tradition that is centuries old, and that was never moved into elite concert halls exclusively. Playing this fiddle is not competitive in the same way that classical music felt to me when I was young. From my impressions of listening to recordings and studying with a couple of teachers, character and heartfelt expression are prioritized greatly, just as I aim to do in my teaching studio. Technique is essential, but what is it without respect for something larger? Without sharing of emotions? The sharing of love, expression, diverse voices, and legacy can be found in this tradition, and I hope you find it in all of the music you enjoy.
If you live locally in Boulder, you can hear me playing solo hardingfele for traditional dance on the Second Saturday of each month Sept-May at the Avalon Ballroom.
RESOURCES
Hardanger Fiddle Association of America (HFAA) https://www.hfaa.org/Home
Väsen band: https://vasen.se/
To Be Nothing: Conversations with Knut Hamre, Hardanger Fiddle Master Terra Nova Press
Boulder Scandinavian Dancers Second Saturday Social Dance