We enjoyed a couple of great concerts the last two weekends – Baltic Crossing last Sunday (after the Northern Streams festival) and Väsen at a Queen’s Hall 40th anniversary concert last night.
Weekend concerts
Category: Chromatic nyckelharpa
Northern Streams 2019
Many thanks to TMSA and Bleu Hope for the photo.
The Northern Streams festival was last weekend – a great time had by all as ever. I really enjoyed the concerts with Caolmhar from Sweden, the Jocelyn Pettit trio from Canada, Norway and the USA, and the amazing Kata singers from the Faroe islands.
The workshops were great too, and we held the Edinburgh Scandi Session there on Sunday afternoon as part of the event. Great to see friends from all over at the festival.
There is video linked from the TMSA Facebook page, and more photos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/TMSAEdinburghandLothians/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2129767887119317
Many thanks to Fiona Campbell and all the other TMSA helpers for putting this together.
Sunny Easter!
We had a great week in Dumfries and Galloway over Easter, with glorious weather. The wicker horse was decorating Kirkcudbright centre, I fitted in a couple of bike rides in the sunshine, we visited MacLellan’s Castle, the savings bank museum and kirkyard in Ruthwell, and I had my first sea swim of the season (cold water though, only about 9C I think!). I also found a rather glorious mediaeval goblet in the shop at MacLellan’s Castle! And of course I forgot to add when I first put this up – we went to the lovely session at the Steam Packet Inn in Isle of Whithorn, where the nyckelharpa had a great time as always (joined by the fiddle on this occasion!).
Continue readingNyckelharpa performance
Troll Kärrings Låten
This is a tune I have recently come across, from Phil Lyon at the Edinburgh Scandi Session. I really loved it so decided I had to learn it; then for a recording I wanted to add a harmony, so transcribed it as well. Phil learned it from Anders Hall at the Nordic Fiddlers’ Bloc fiddle camp in Røros, Norway in 2018.
Here’s the same thing with video …
New tune
When I was recording the Brudmarsch efter Axel Inge after Halsway, a tune came to me. I finally got round to recording it.
More dots for tunes!
This has just arrived from Sweden – many thanks Olov Johansson of Väsen – posted on 1 October and arrived today. I had transcribed Gudda some time ago as I couldn’t wait – it’s great to see the original intention, with ornamentation indications. Lots of fun to be had! It’s available on the Väsen website.
Masonic Arms Session
We were through in Gatehouse and went to the Masonic Arms for their regular Thursday evening session. We had been once or twice before but not found anyone there – this time some great musicians turned up, singers, guitars, a bass (electric with small amp), moothie, bodhran, tea chest – great stuff with a fine mix of songs and tunes.
Edinburgh Scandi Session
An absolutely great session today, with a lovely mix of instruments. When I stopped playing to listen it sounded great
Halsway 2018
Early September means the annual Halsway nyckelharpa meeting. This year Marwyn attended as a non-participant (i.e. groupie!) and enjoyed the concert and sessions (and catching up with her Swedish). I enjoyed the workshops and wished I could have been at all of them – the guest musicians were Josefina Paulson and Torbjörn Näsbom, with Vicki Swan also teaching some fascinating stuff (as well as organising the whole thing).
One feature was the increased number of gammelharpor (old style instruments) and their relations – not from the original period, but built recently (including my kontrabasharpa). The photo of Vicki’s Moraharpa (I thought it was Scott’s – they come from the same maker!) is one of several (along with measurements) I took – now I wonder what a future project could possibly be?