trio HARDANGER
This CD presents interpretations of Norwegian folk tunes in the manner of the legendary fiddle player Halldor Meland [1884–1972], performed by three of Norway's most accomplished soloists on the hardanger fiddle. The recording is a result of a number of musical as well as human encounters — both Frank Rolland and Åse Teigland studied with Knut Hamre during their early years; Knut Hamre himself learned the art from older fiddlers who had Meland as their principal teacher; and all three have been inspired here by the dynamic, boundless and uncompromising spirit of the older master.

In the spirit of Halldor
Taking on Halldor Meland's music is no small matter; his tunes — whether they be compositions from his own hand or older tunes that bear his characteristic stamp — are technically challenging, and place considerable demands on the performer's interpretive abilities. Knut Hamre, Åse Teigland and Frank Rolland have approached this task with respect for tradition, as well as the vitality of innovation. All the tunes on this CD — whether realized on the basis of Halldor Meland's recordings or by way of intermediate sources — are characterized by presence, drive and energy. We furthermore hear performances of tunes that the three soloists have rarely played on previous occasions.

Knut Hamre | Åse Teigland | Frank Rolland
The three performers first presented themselves for a larger audience as trio HARDANGER at the Landskappleik at Rauland in 2001. The four ensemble-tunes on this recording show the trio's ability to create simple arrangements and play polyphonically, while at the same time the performers' reliance upon one another paves the way for improvisatory passages. This approach to presenting tunes was without doubt unthinkable during Halldor's time, but reveals to us three fiddle players with great respect for the playing of folk tunes as a form of artistic expression, who are nonetheless able to adapt their playing to the demands of their own musical perception. That must surely be in the spirit of Halldor!

Stein Versto 2003
[Translation Thilo Reinhard]

DigiPak (PDF)

Rudl
Halldor Meland was one of the most important fiddlers during a time of change, when fiddle playing increasingly moved from the arena of "Gebrauchsmusik" into the concert hall. Halldor Meland was an extraordinarily creative personality. He composed new music, and built upon and extended many of the traditional dance tunes into more sizeable concert pieces. This rudl – a dance tune in simple time – is played on a bass that is tuned low, and is one of the tunes preserved in their original form. Here we have let ourselves be inspired by Halldor Melands inventiveness and imagination, and arranged the tune with an expression that is colored by our own time and musical understanding.
 

2:48

Kristi Hovden  brureslått
Halldor composed several versions of this wedding tune. Åse has frequently performed the most common of these versions, but here she plays the tune as she learned it from a recording Halldor made in 1949. The tune was named after Halldor's wife, Kristi Hovden, whom he married in 1929.
 

Folkedalen  springar
Olav Person Sekse was an excellent fiddler who lived around 1850. He was also a fine dancer, and danced for Ole Bull during the opening ceremony of Det Norske Teater (The Norwegian Theater) in Bergen. Olav Person Sekse came from Ullensvang, east of Bergen, but lived in Folkedal. Thus he became known as "Folkedalen". Frank has learned the tune from a recording that Halldor made for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) in 1938.
 

Vestmannen  springar
Halldor learned this springar from Svein Lutro. Later he added several verses to the tune and gave it its name. Anders Kjerland taught the tune to Knut. According to Anders, Halldor used this springar frequently when he played for dance events.
 

Kjømbergen  brureslått
A wedding tune after the fiddler Vrål Kjømberget [1812–1838]. "Myllarguten" – the legendary Norwegian fiddler Tarjei Augundsson – frequently visited Kjømberg on his journeys to Hardanger, and included the tune in his concert programs. Frank used a recording that Halldor made in 1912 to learn the tune.
 

Ungakoneslåtten  springar
A springar after Per Bulken from Ullensvang. It is one of the most famous and popular tunes associated with Halldor. The name relates to the wedding traditions of Hardanger. When the bride replaces her crown with a kerchief, the Ungakoneslåtten – literally: tune for a young wife – was played.
 

Apalhagen  springar
Olav Kvammen [b.1930] was a student of Halldor and is today the fiddler with the greatest expertise in Halldor's music. Åse plays Apalhagen (The Apple Orchard) as she learned it from Olav.
 

Siklebekken  springar
"The trickling stream" is a springar after the "myllargut" that Halldor learned in Telemark. He was very fond of the tune and used it in many of his concerts, recordings and radio programs. Knut has learned the tune from recordings made by Halldor between 1912 and 1916.
 

Anna Knutsdotter  springar
"I saw Anna Espe dance the springar many times. I have to admit that I have never seen a better female springar dancer. Once, when I saw her dance at a festivity, I had the idea of composing a springar that I would call Anna Knutsdotter, and this I did", says Halldor about this dance tune. Åses performance of the tune is based on a manuscript.
 

Hallingdølen  springar
A springar from Hallingdal. Halldor added two vek – brief motivic phrases or formulas – at the end of the tune, as he so frequently did. Åse learned the tune from Olav Kvammen.
 

Sivlefossen  springar
A springar by Sjur Helgeland [1858–1924]. This was one of the tunes Halldor frequently played in his concerts. Frank plays the tune based on a recording made by NRK in 1936.
 

Vestlendingen  springar
Halldor composed this tune in his youth. Later he made several additional versions, and Knut plays the last of these. The tune is typical Meland in content and style, and Knut has learned it from Anders Kjerland.
 

Moldnuten  vals
Many of Halldor's compositions are round dances. This waltz received its name from a mountain peak in the Hardangervidda, where Halldor was a shepherd in his youth.
 

Vadlandshovden  rudl       Vadlandshovden springar
These two tunes were composed by Halldor, who named them after the place where he and Kristi lived in Kvam.
 

Lengt  lydarstykke
Halldor was inspired by nature, and in Lengt, a lydarslått (a tune intended for listening, rather than dancing), his lyrical and romantic side emerges.
 

Lindehaugen  springar
A springar that Halldor learned from Ola Mosafinn [1828–1912]. In 1921 a memorial was set up for Ola Mosafinn at Lindehaugen in Voss, where the tune received its name from Halldor.
 

Bjølleslåtten  springar
Halldor Meland performed Bjølleslåtten in most of his concerts, and recorded it in 1916. He learned the tune from Ola Mosafinn, and Åse has used the 1916 recording as a basis for this CD.
 

Kongstunen  rudl
Trio Hardanger initiated their collaboration with Kongstunen during the winter of 2001. We wished to liberate the tune, and charge it with new elements and strength – just as Halldor did in his own way in his own time …