Väsen at Fredricksen Library

SFMS hosted the Swedish trio Väsen on April 19, 2008.
Before their evening concert, the group gave a free presentation on traditional Swedish music and instruments at the Cleve J. Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, PA.

Väsen consists of Olov Johansson (above left) on nyckelharpa; Mikael Marin (above right) on 5-stringed viola; and Roger Tallroth (below) on 12-stringed guita.

Our chance to meet a nyckelharpa!

The American Nyckelharpa Association says: "The nyckelharpa is a traditional Swedish instrument that has been played, in one form or another as it evolved, for more than 600 years. At least four different versions of the nyckelharpa are still played today, an uncommon situation for most folk instruments.

"The modern chromatic nyckelharpa has 16 strings: 3 melody strings, one drone string, and 12 sympathetic vibration (or resonance) strings. It has about 37 wooden keys arranged to slide under the strings. Each key has a tangent that reaches up and stops (frets) a string to make a particular note. The player uses a short bow with the right hand, and pushes on the keys with the left. It has a 3 octave range (from the same low "G" as a fiddle's 4th string) and sounds something like a fiddle, only with lots more resonance. "

(Visit the American Nyckelharpa Association's website to hear it!)