Berlin Classics puts out Vetra: My Norwegian Winter by Regnhild Hemsing

 

Berlin Classics puts out Vetra: My Norwegian Winter by Regnhild Hemsing

Label's description:

The Norwegian violinist Ragnhild Hemsing has always incorporated old, Norwegian traditions on her three previous albums for Berlin Classics. 

This is mainly due to the fact that she not only plays the modern violin, but also the traditional Hardanger fiddle. Already on her first album "Røta" (meaning roots) she played chamber music with the Hardanger fidde. The album was awarded the OPUS Klassik. On the album "Peer Gynt" she played a very original version of Grieg's drama music together with the Trondheim Soloists. And on her last album she presented violin concertos as well as Hardanger-concertos together with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Ragnhild Hemsing is thus not only an interpreter and representative of Norwegian musical tradition, but also preserves it and leads it into the modern age. In keeping with the pre-Christmas season, she dives deep into the musical tradition of her home region of Valdres on her new album "Vetra". 

Winter is the central theme in all her works. The word "Vetra" comes from the dialect spoken in Valdes and means winter. In addition, she has gathered a group of outstanding musicians around her, all of whom are also very familiar with Norwegian musical history. The album will be out on CD, VINYL, as well as on all streaming services.

Some folk melodies are old, very old indeed. In the past, melodies and especially church songs were only ever passed on from mouth to mouth. Much was lost, some was changed again and again. 

The Norwegian folk song tradition has a very long history and much has been preserved and handed down to this day. This is mainly thanks to the composer and scientist Ludvig Mathias Lindeman. He lived in Norway from 1812 to 1887 and travelled the various valleys and regions - always in search of myths and legends, melodies and verses. 

He published a twelve-volume collection of folk songs under the title "Ældre og nyere norske Fjeldmelodier". In 1884 Lindeman also came to the Valdres region and recorded 86 church songs and 83 other melodies there. In Norway, these folk melodies, songs and dances are called "slåtter". It is above all the traditions of her homeland that Ragnhild Hemsing has drawn on for her album "Vetra".

https://www.berlin-classics-music.com/en/album/88547376-vetra/