Ola Grihamar
Hardingfele (Ta:lik, Norway)
Historic recordings by Norwegian hardangar fiddler Ola Grihamar (1910 - 1978).
Excellent historical and musicial notes in Norwegian and English
|
|
|
Tracks:
- 01 Nigarden, springar after Trond Eltun (1823–1896). Ola Grihamar tells that the name means Springar of Andris from the Lower Farm. The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar, but there is a transcription from 1947 by Arne Bjørndal after the fiddler Anfinn J. Kvam (1875–1954). There it is called “Låtten etter gamle Norlanden” (NFM Band 4, 136). Anfinn Kvam had the tune from his father, Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam (1850–1948), who was Trond Eltun’s son.
- 02 Bonde after Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam. The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 03 Legdakallen, bonde after Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam
- 04 Springar after Hansegarden. Learned from Olav Moe. Notated by Sven Nyhus after Ola Grihamar in 1977 (NFM Band 7, 566). In Øystre Slidre the tune is best known by the name “Låtten hennar Ragnhild i Rolandsgarde.”
- 05 Kvamen, halling after Anfin Olsen Kvame (1799–1886). The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 06 Skjervin, bonde after Anfinn Kvam. The tune was transcribed by Arne
- Bjørndal after Anfinn Kvam (NFM Band 1, 56). Anfinn Kvam had the tune from his father, Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam. It was also in Trond Eltun’s repertoire. The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 07 Ha takk då namnet for du var kar, bonde after Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam.
- Fiddle tuning is low bass (g.d.a.e). This was the last tune Ola Grihamar learned from Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam. The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 08 Listening tune after Olav Moe. Olav Moe(1872–1965) had this tune from Jørn Røn (1843–1911). The tune is most known as “Brurlåtten hass Jørn.”
- 09 Jentudn små som på bryggja stå, springar after Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam.
- The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 10 Bonde after Krøsshaugen. Learned from Jens Frydenlund (1885–1978), from Lærdal.
- The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 11 Hulebakklåtten, listening tune after Lars Krøsshaug. Learned from Jens Frydenlund,
- Lærdal, who had the tune from Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam. The tune is associated with the story about a bandit who lived in the mountains between Valdres and Hallingdal.
- 12 St.Thomasklokkelåtten, listening tune. One of Ola’s great tunes. The fiddle tuning is lower-tuned A-string (a.d.fiss.e). Ola learned the tune from Olav Moe, who had the tune from Ola Hamre (Brøtaguten) (1819–1896). The tune was transcribed by Arne Bjørndal in 1946 after Johan Henrik Eltun Kvam, who had the tune from his father, Trond Eltun. The tune is also found on earlier ta:lik recordings of Olav Moe (TA1) and Sigurd Eldegard (TA4).
- 13 Springar after Ivar Ringestad. Ivar Ringestad (1870–1953) learned the tune from Ola Haugset (1809– ), Vestre Slidre, in 1887. The tune is also on the ta:lik recording of Harald Fylken (TA3).
- 14 Springar after Knut Ringestad. Learned from Knut Ringestad (1905–1967), who was Ivar Ringestad’s son. Better known as “Ein av systerlåttane.” Ola Grihamar once called it “Sjåheimspringar after Knut Ringestad,” which shows that the tune at least goes back to the fiddler Knut B. Sjåheim (1849–1908).
- 15 Springar after Andris Bunde (1850–1936).
- 16 Springar after Andris Bunde. Learned from Ivar Ringestad. The tune is best known as “Nummer 1,” but was also called “Nordlanden,” even though another tune is known by that name.
- 17 Springar after Ola Søyne (1813–1902). Probably learned from Johan Henrik Eltun
- Kvam. Said to be one of the tunes Knut Nordland (1794–1877) used. The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 18 Springar after Ola Søyne. Also goes by the name “Søynisrengja.” The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
- 19 Krøsshaugens last tune, listening tune. Said to be the last tune Lars M.
- Krøsshaug (1785–1830) played, in his home, before he set out on the trip that ended in his drowning in Strandafjorden in Vang, when he was only 45 years old. This happened 21 March 1830.
- 20 Listening tune after Andris Skogstad (1812–1895). Learned from Ola Skogstad (Ole Johnsen Opdal Skogstad, 1894–1972). The tune is most likely recorded only by Ola Grihamar.
About the artist
Ola had an early interest in folk music and began to play at the age of 13. There was a living folk music milieu in the neighboring area, with many fiddlers who could teach him. Among those most available were Lars Svien, Ola og Andris Skogstad, and Arnfinn Hermundstad. Boye Skeie was a teacher in Øye for many years and a good fiddle player. He was also Ola Grihamar’s master teacher for many years. One of Boye Skeie’s fiddle teachers was Kristoffer Dæhli, who was a hotel manager at Bygdisheim. Boye Skeie was also influenced by Hallingdal fiddling. He had an excellent fiddling style, and Ola learned much from it.
Ola had many other master teachers, from Valdres as well as other places. When he was 14, he heard Ivar Ringestad play at Ola and Maria Skogstad’s wedding. This made a deep impression on him. Later he learned many tunes from Ivar Ringestad, which he interpreted very well and in his personal fashion. Ola also learned a great deal from Johan Henrik Kvam, son of the great fiddler Trond Eltun. Johan Henrik was one of the last who knew the bonde dance (the Valdres form of gangar) very well and could play many bonde tunes. In addition, Ola learned many listening tunes from Johan Henrik Kvam. After a while Olav Moe came into the picture. The tune probably most associated with Ola Grihamar’s playing, “St. Thomasklukkelåtten,” he learned from Olav Moe. He also learned many springars from him, including “Firefingslåtten,” a technically difficult springar in the tradition of Ola i Hamrisbrøto, from Vestre Slidre. But Ola had a large sphere of influence.
In Lærdal there was only one well-know fiddler during Ola’s lifetime, Jen Frydenlund. Ola learned the two Hulebakk tunes from him. They are associated with the saga about Hulebakken, who lived in the mountains between Valdres og Hemsedal. No other fiddlers in Valdres played these fine listening tunes. Ola heard much Telemark music as a matter of course and was together with the Løndal brothers, among others. Voss wasn’t far away either, and Ola had contact with both Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa and Lars Skjervheim. Ola had a much larger network of contacts than mentioned here, and he found inspiration in many places, but nevertheless the old Valdres tradition was his trademark.
Your orders are placed on a secure server, so your information is safe and private.
|
Please note!
Most CDs have been
imported from Europe or Asia.
They are not all
shrink-wrapped, and I am not
going to con you by wrapping them
here just to make you think they
have been sterilized in America.
We guarantee that the CDs and the
contents are all brand new and in
perfect condition. Whenever I
can, I use recycled shipping
materials. They may not look as
pretty on the outside, but they save
money and keep the trash dumps a
little bit emptier.
|
All content on these web pages is ©2004 FNI Multimedia/cdRoots and the individual artists.
NO reproduction of text or audio is allowed without written permission.
