MP3 HARPA - Back to the Old Country

Ancient music, new sounds; traditional melodies of Norway, Sweden, Ireland and Scotland intepreted on the folk harp and other instruments. Internationally-known artists from America travel together to the old country.

15 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Traditional Folk, WORLD: World Traditions



Details:
HARPA 06 is a talented group of American and Canadian musicians, by far mostly folk harpers, who gathered in Oslo in July, 2006. Under the leadership of Beth Kollé, the group traveled through southern Norway and Sweden, playing concerts and giving workshops. Most audience members had never seen a folk harp, never mind five on a stage at once! People were encouraged to come up after the concerts and have a mini-lesson.

HARPA's goals are to inspire their listeners with their harp playing, and to have a wonderful time seeing parts of the countries that are rarely visited by tourists. During their two-week tour in 2006 they were hosted by the generous people of Scandinavia, treated to the beauty of the countryside off the beaten track, and given a warm welcome wherever they went. This inaugural tour was a big success, and the next one is in the planning stages for 2008.

Beth Kollé, internationally known folk harper from Seattle WA, has traveled and lived in Norway and Sweden. She has a great love for the traditional music and dance that is still a part of life in these countries. The folk harp was once an important instrument for dance accompaniment in Norway and Sweden, but because of the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in the mid-1800's there is little trace of it now, especially in Norway. It is Beth's desire to bring the harp back to Scandinavia, to inspire people to listen to it, and perhaps to take up the harp and play.

With that in mind, Beth has been creating arrangements of Scandinavian folk music for the lever harp. The lever harp is a folk instrument which is not as large as the concert pedal harp. It is not known what kind of music was played on the folk harp in Scandianvia before the Industrial Revolution. Therefore Beth draws her material from the fiddle, nyckelharpa (a Swedish folk instrument), pipes and song traditions. Her arrangements are known for their beauty and simplicity, and her books are sought after in the harp world.

After the overwhelming success of the HARPA 06 concert tour, Beth has agreed to plan a second tour in 2008. The tour is open for applicants who wish to travel a bit rustically - and they need not be musicians to come along. You are warmly invited to email Beth Kollé for more information.