BENEDICTE MAURSETH / ÅSNE VALLAND NORDLI – Over Tones
ECM 376 8880
Benedicte Marseth (Hardanger fiddle, voice); Åsne Valland Nordli (voice)
Recorded May 2011
Another debut release for ECM, this time for two folk musicians from West Norway whose use of traditional instruments and songs from their native land produce an album of rare beauty that transcends any genre defining pigeonholing.
With an exceptionally sparse instrumentation, with no obvious chordal or harmonic support, these two exceptional musicians engage us in a journey of discovery deep into, for what many listeners will be, uncharted territory. The source material is predominantly traditional Norwegian religious and folk music that differs significantly from that of its Scandinavian neighbours, and the voice of Åsne Valland Nordli is accompanied only by the Hardanger fiddle of Benedicte Marseth. However, this unfamiliar instrumentation produces a widely varied tonal and emotional palette that is a constant delight.
The Hardanger fiddle has an ancient tradition that stretches back to the 17th century, although it is conceivable that much of the music played on it maybe be even older. Music played on the Hardanger fiddle is often metrically free and not constrained by bar lines, with a tonality that is based upon the frequent bowing of two strings thus producing a wide array of overtones and drones. An ideal instrument to perhaps investigate the possibilities of freely improvised music, which indeed the duo do on the gently undulating title track, exploratory piece of music making that examines in minute detail the textural differences and blending of voice and fiddle.
This impressively varied programme of music also allows the two musicians solo performances that are interestingly serve to show how the duo bring their individual voices to bear when playing collaboratively. Marseth’s Hardnger fiddle is heard on ‘Blåtone’ that shows the lyrical depths that can be plundered from the instrument; and the danceable rhythms produced on ‘Rameslått II’ are joyously infectious.
Åsne Valland Nordli voice is heard a cappella on two traditional religious songs, ‘Jesus gjør’ and ‘Kilden’ that have a purity of tone that has a singular beauty of its own; and in looking for a point of reference I would suggest the piece ‘Psalm’ from the 1992 album Twelve Moons by Jan Garbarek in the duet with vocalist, Agnes Buen Garnås.
It must be noted though that it is a duo that these two musicians draw us into their sound world in an album that is full of musical delights, and that this remarkable album should be ultimately judged.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
ECM 376 8880
Benedicte Marseth (Hardanger fiddle, voice); Åsne Valland Nordli (voice)
Recorded May 2011
Another debut release for ECM, this time for two folk musicians from West Norway whose use of traditional instruments and songs from their native land produce an album of rare beauty that transcends any genre defining pigeonholing.
With an exceptionally sparse instrumentation, with no obvious chordal or harmonic support, these two exceptional musicians engage us in a journey of discovery deep into, for what many listeners will be, uncharted territory. The source material is predominantly traditional Norwegian religious and folk music that differs significantly from that of its Scandinavian neighbours, and the voice of Åsne Valland Nordli is accompanied only by the Hardanger fiddle of Benedicte Marseth. However, this unfamiliar instrumentation produces a widely varied tonal and emotional palette that is a constant delight.
The Hardanger fiddle has an ancient tradition that stretches back to the 17th century, although it is conceivable that much of the music played on it maybe be even older. Music played on the Hardanger fiddle is often metrically free and not constrained by bar lines, with a tonality that is based upon the frequent bowing of two strings thus producing a wide array of overtones and drones. An ideal instrument to perhaps investigate the possibilities of freely improvised music, which indeed the duo do on the gently undulating title track, exploratory piece of music making that examines in minute detail the textural differences and blending of voice and fiddle.
This impressively varied programme of music also allows the two musicians solo performances that are interestingly serve to show how the duo bring their individual voices to bear when playing collaboratively. Marseth’s Hardnger fiddle is heard on ‘Blåtone’ that shows the lyrical depths that can be plundered from the instrument; and the danceable rhythms produced on ‘Rameslått II’ are joyously infectious.
Åsne Valland Nordli voice is heard a cappella on two traditional religious songs, ‘Jesus gjør’ and ‘Kilden’ that have a purity of tone that has a singular beauty of its own; and in looking for a point of reference I would suggest the piece ‘Psalm’ from the 1992 album Twelve Moons by Jan Garbarek in the duet with vocalist, Agnes Buen Garnås.
It must be noted though that it is a duo that these two musicians draw us into their sound world in an album that is full of musical delights, and that this remarkable album should be ultimately judged.
Reviewed by Nick Lea