Nyckelharporkestern / Nyckelharpa Orchestra cdRoots Home Page More music from Sweden More music of the nyckelharpa

Search for music Need Help?

Nyckelharporkestern (The Nyckelharpa Orchestra)
N.H.O.
$17.99

Six fiddlers, six nyckelharpas... no waiting. It just keeps getting better.

Johan Hedin
Ola Hertzberg
Olov Johansson
Anders Mattsson
Niklas Roswall
Marcus Svensson

Listen:
Andakten
Namnlösen
Trollrikepolska
Avskedsgånglåt

The artists in their own words:

Ola Hertzberg. Born in 1974. Received the Eric Sahlström scholarship in 1990.

”I started playing the nyckelharpa in the local music school when I was ten years old. Later I met Peter ”Puma” Hedlund, who has played a lot with Eric Sahlström, and I started playing with Peter. I've mostly studied Eric's playing through cassettes and videos. He had a fine and sonorous way of playing, and composed the optimal nyckelharpa tunes. By and by, I hope to be able to make my living as a nyckelharpa player. I think it should be possible...”

Johan Hedin is born in 1969 in Trekanten outside Kalmar. He started playing the nyckelharpa in 1981 and received the title of "riksspelman" in 1992.

”To me the nyckelharpa is a fascinating instrument which leaves room for experiments. It has developed through the centuries, and all the time there pop up new ideas and designs. Together with my father Lennart I have built the octave nyckelharpa, which I use on some tracks on the album "Till Eric". Eric Sahlström was an enormous source of inspiration to me when I started playing, and I collected as many recordings I could find, to listen to and to learn from.”

Olov Johansson. Born in 1966. Started playing for Curt Tallroth in 1980. "Riksspelman" in 1984. Works as a professional musician since 1989. Teaches at the university college of music and other places. Member of the folk music band Väsen. World champion of nyckelharpa in 1990.

”My strongest memory of Eric Sahlström is from a concert in 1985. Eric plays together with his daughter Sonja, and the audience sits with their hair pointing backwards, pressed back into their chairs by the music pouring over them. After every tune there is a storm of applause and shouts. Eric chuckles and starts the next tune. The audience is once more pressed against the backs of their chairs and their eyes twinkle. A folk music concert couldn't be better.”

Anders Mattsson was born in 1967 and grew up in Filsarby, a neighbouring village of Göksby (where Eric Sahlström lived). Anders started playing the nyckelharpa in 1979 with Leif Alpsjö as his teacher. "Riksspelman" in 1990. World champion of nyckelharpa in 1994.

”Eric has been the greatest source of inspiration to my playing, and a musician I've looked up to in many ways. I met Eric, Viksta-Lasse, and other players at sessions at Leif Alpsjö's place. To get to experience their drive, humour, rhythm, all the tunes and all the stories in real life has left me some fantastic memories! Eric had a nice and humble way. You were always welcome to him.”

Niklas Roswall. Received the Eric Sahlström scholarship in 1990. "Riksspelman" in 1992. World champion of nyckelharpa in 1996.

”I was born in 1972 and grew up in Norra Kverrestad outside Tomelilla. After playing the fiddle for a few years, I started playing the nyckelharpa in 1986. I've never met Eric Sahlström in person, but he has always been a great model. At the moment I'm studying to be a musician at the university college of music in Stockholm.”

Marcus Svensson was born in 1973 in Älmerud outside Vänersborg. "Riksspelman" in 1992. Presently studying to be a musician at the university college of music in Stockholm.

”I started playing the nyckelharpa when I was 12 years old, and then I studied at the upper secondary school of music in Uddevalla, with nyckelharpa as my main instrument. I had been playing for three years before I got in touch with Eric Sahlström's music. It was a great experience - fantastic compositions, which fully used the possibilities of sound of the nyckelharpa.”.