MAJORSTUEN

Norwegian fiddlers rule the world, and this CD is solid proof. This is vital stuff, brilliant performances, beautifully recorded and altogether essential listening for anyone with a love of the Nordic fiddle sound. These recordings were all made live, recorded in a church near Oslo, so the ambiance of the performances and the aural space are really wonderful!

Cliff Furnald, cdRoots, December 2002


"this song invented itself – it just came drifting along" – a humble attempt to convey the meaning of a line from a Norwegian folk tune. Perhaps this is an expression of a lack of self-awareness among folk musicians in previous times? The recordings on this CD have certainly not invented themselves! They are the result of the oral traditional of teaching and learning folk songs, of a fruitful collaboration and many hours’ hard work – and not least they are the result of intense creativity, which respect the musical traditions, while at the same time represent a will to renew it. And although the music didn’t "come drifting along", the arrangements were in fact made without any notation through a collective creative process – far removed from my musical background where composers and arrangers are used to sitting aloof and alone bent over their PC screen or sheets of manuscript paper.

As musical consultant to this project, it has been exciting to take part in and follow the creative process behind the production. Here there are impulses, traditions – all carried out with artistic energy and a high adrenaline level. I hope it’s catching!

Trond H. F. Kverno, November 2002


In between the worlds of folklore and classical, where pulsating energetic monody meets the polyphonic, polytonal and rhythmically intricate melody we encounter the Norwegian group MAJORSTUEN. This young and creative ensemble succeeds in utilizing the totality of artistic ingredients within the Norwegian musical heritage, thus producing breathtaking new perspectives. We get it all: From melancholic inspired fiddle-tunes, good-natured folk dance parodies to astonishingly pointed and vital new compositions. MAJORSTUEN – a must in your CD collection!

Wolfgang Plagge, December 2002


The musicians in MAJORSTUEN are connected thru their scholarship at Norges Musikkhøgskole (Norwegian State Academy of Music). The academy is situated in the west-end township of Oslo called Majorstuen - Hence the name of the ensemble. Their emphasis is on the urban meeting of traditional elements.

The titles on the CD
are all made by Majorstuen; In the meaning that some tunes originally have other names, but we have given new names to the arrangements. Most titles are puns, and describe both the music and its origin. Sometimes puns can be difficult translating into other languages, but we'll give it a try and leave an explanation where the title for some reason seems "insane"...

1. majorstu-x = "The cross-roads of Majorstuen" (a busy traffic-machine in Oslo)

2. busk = "Bush" (We have a term, "buskspel", meaning playing in the bushes... It's a kind of informal jamming that often takes place under open air. One of the group-members learned this tune while jamming like this!)

3. trippar = "Triper" or "Fidgeter" (Trippar is the name of a norwegian folk-dance and the tunes played when dancing this type of dance. Its name origins from the verb "to trip" or "to fidget". But in this case, the verb has transformed into a noun. Therefore the verb "trippe" becomes the noun "trippar" in norwegian).

4. vemod = "Sadness"

5. bjørn, ulv, gaupe = "Bear, Wolf, Felis Lynx" (Some endangered animals quite common in Østerdalen, where these tunes also originate from)

6. rett vest med eric øst = "Straight westwards with Eric Øst" (Eric Øst was a famous fiddler from Sweden, whose last name also means "East")

7. slør = "Veil" or "Mist"

8. zzz... = "zzz..." (as in sleep or snore...)

9. fra elise = "from Elise" (Elise is a girls name, and also the name of a previos group-member who gave us these tunes)

10. ja! = "Yes!" (The expected answer from the potensial bride to be)

11. tøger = "Tøger" (A good word (!) and a man's name. The name of a fiddler who played this tune...)

12. sorgens ø = "The Island of Sorrow" (Phrase taken from the original lullaby)

13. salt i såret = "Salt in the Wound" (As in "rub salt into your wounds")

14. havella = "Havella" (The name of many waltzes inspired by the bird "Havella")

15. frenetisk = "Frenetic" (a tune from the small place Fræna)


”å denne visa ha’ gjort seg sjøl - ho kom no rekandes på ei fjøl” heter det i et nystev.  Et uttrykk for folkemusikkutøveres manglende selvbevissthet i tidligere tider? Innspillingene på denne CD'en har i et hvert fall ikke ”gjort seg sjøl”. De er et resultat av overlevering, godt samarbeid, mange timers hardt arbeid – og dessuten høy kreativitet med både respekt for tradisjonen og en rak vilje til fornyelse. Og i den grad stykkene er kommet ”rekandes på ei fjøl” er det bare sant i den grad det er selve strykeinstrumentet som er ”fjøla”. For alle arrangementene er spilt til uten noter i en slags kollektiv skaperprosess jeg fra min bakgrunn ikke er vant til, der komponister og arrangører tvert imot er vant til å sitte i opphøyet ensomhet med et notepapir eller en PC.

Det har vært veldig spennende – som gruppas veileder - å følge tilblivelsen og innspillingen av denne produksjonen. Her finnes rikelig av impuls så vel som tradisjon, alt gjennomført med kunstnerisk driv og høy adrenalinfaktor. Måtte det smitte !

Trond H. F. Kverno, november 2002


I brytningsfeltet mellom folkemusikkens energiske rytmiske enstemmighet og den klassiske musikkens mangestemmige, flertonale og flerrytmiske sangbarhet finner vi den norske gruppen ”Majorstuen”. Dette unge og nyskapende ensemblet makter å smelte sammen hele den norske musikalske arvemassen til et rent ut besettende nytt klangbilde. Her møter vi alt fra melankolsk drømmende slåtteinspirasjon via godmodig gammaldansironi til forbløffende skarpt poengtert og vital nykomponert kunstmusikk. ”Majorstuen” - en nødvendighet i enhver CD-samling!

Wolfgang Plagge, desember 2002

 

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