What is a Hardanger fiddle? Hardingfele made by Lynn Berg
The instrument probably originated in the area around the Hardanger fjord of Norway — whence comes the English language name. The oldest known fiddle, the "Jaastad Fiddle," was made by Olav Jonsson Jaastad from Ullensvang and may date from as early as 1651. By the mid-1700s the Hardanger fiddle had become the dominant folk instrument in much of the inland south-central and western coastal areas of Norway. It is one of the few European folk music traditions that has survived the assaults of cultural change and foreign musical influences to continue nearly unchanged up to the present day. Researchers
in hardingfele music have notated over 1,000 distinct tunes,
or slåttar,
for the instrument. Each tune has a history and lineage, transmitted
as carefully as the tune itself. The folklore surrounding the
music has also been handed down for generations. Stories abound
of the
prowess of particular fiddlers or dancers, of the connection
of fiddling with the supernatural, and of the joys and sorrows
of
everyday life, all connected with the music of the Hardanger
fiddle in a living web.  Hardingfele made by Olav Vindal, showing detail of bridge and string attachments to tailpiece The primary purpose of the hardingfele is to be played for listeners, but especially for dancers. Hardingfeler can be played for gammaldans (waltz, reinlender/schottis, pols, etc.), but are most associated with Norwegian bygdedans (regional dances) such as springar and gangar. These dances are found in areas such as Hallingdal, Telemark, Setesdal, Valdres, and on the west coast of Norway in Voss, Jølster, and Sogn. We invite you to listen to audio selections of Hardanger fiddle music. |
 A non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring, strengthening and energizing the Hardanger fiddle music and dance community in North America. |
Home >
Background |