Genre: Traditional Folk
About Karen Torkelson Solgård
Karen Torkelson Solgård plays the Norwegian hardingfele "Hardanger fiddle" in the traditional way, telling stories and singing songs connected to the fiddle tunes. She performs the familiar waltz, Reinlendar, and polka, and the lesser-known village dance music from deep in the mountains of Norway. Some listeners compare the constant drone of the hardingfele's sympathetic strings to bagpipes. The music is lively with fast moving rhythms, and foot tapping is an integral part of the tunes. The audience gets involved by singing, clapping, and dancing. Karen performs for festivals, school programs, and workshops, elderhostel classes, libraries, banquets, weddings, and concerts. Her performances include centuries-old dance tunes from the villages of Norway, as well as more recent gammeldans pieces that are popular in Norwegian American communities.
To learn more about Karen Solgård, please read her detailed artist description listed with her "Norse Fiddle at the Wedding" disk.
About the Norse Fiddle at the Home disk
This CD bursts with energic music, infectious tempos and rhythms. Throughout is the trancelike drone of Hardanger fiddle reminiscent of bagpipes. "Norse Fiddle at Home" is a reflection of Karen's light-hearted approach with her audiences using the old traditional tunes, arrangements and original composition to make this exotic and foreign-sounding music local.
Authentic Norsk music and creative fun listening to the ear. The music comes straight from the mountains of Norway to our living room for many hours of listening enjoyment. It is authentic Norwegian Hardangar fiddle music while at the same time original and creative with the fiddler's own interpretation woven throughout. None can rival such talent, I see this cd as a nice way to gift someone who has a Norwegian heritage or even for those who love good music. This is a keeper!"- Kristina
"Gorgeous fiddling, beautiful music! Karen Solgård really pulls some wonderful tone out of that hardanger fiddle. The fiddling is skillful, the sound quality clear and bright, and the tune arrangements make hardanger fiddle accessible to people who might not be accustomed to hearing Norwegian music. This CD is just beautiful!" - Sadie C
"Norse Fiddle at Home touches the human emotions, lifts the spirit, creates a mood of mirth, and lets you know you belong. Some tunes are whimsical and lighthearted, some sort of practical or humorous, some dark and shaded or wise, and all of them poetic." - Katherine
"This music is fun for the entire family. My two year old son enjoys the unique sound of the Hardanger fiddle. The music does brighten the mood of any home. It is an especially fine cd to spin during holiday parties. I truly do enjoy it." -Tim
1 Norwegian-American Waltz ...... 2:50
2 Grieg's Morning ...... 2:19
3 Summer Moonlight ...... 3:25
4 Bach's Musette ...... 2:50
5 The North Fjord ...... 3:53
6 Beer Barrel Polka/Pretty Good Polka/Soldier's Joy ...... 2:31
7 Steffasgård ...... 2:17
8 Mountain Man's Girl ...... 2:24
9 Maybe You Can, Then Maybe I Can ...... 1:55
10 The Horse That Carried the Dead ...... 3:02
11 Ola Was Tall ...... 4:04
12 Mountain Fantasy ...... 3:03
13 Kentucky Babe Lullaby ...... 2:23