FYKERUD'N SPELEMANNSLAG
.The Madison and Southern Wisconsin Area now has a biweekly meeting of hardanger fiddlers. We try to learn tunes by ear, although transcriptions are available. Please contact Inna Larsen for more information or email at [email protected] Please check out the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America (HFAA) web site for more resources.
Before you start on the tunes below, it may be a good idea to tune the fiddle! This is somewhat tricky and here is a link to a guide that I prepared, which will make this process easier. Hardanger Tuning Guide Here is another excellent guide on tuning, position, changing strings by Karin Code.
Note and fingering guide (Violin/Hardanger finger placement guide)
to what notes and what fingers go on which strings. Even if you prefer not to read music, this simple guide will hopefully be useful. So if I say G# on the D string, you will know that I mean the high 3rd finger. Assume the hand position has some distance between the 1st and 2nd fingers and notes like the C and G natural on the A and E strings, respectively, are indicated with L2, meaning low 2nd finger (the 2nd finger will be close to the 1st finger.
Download Asymmetronome, an actual metronome that does uneven beats of the Valdres, Telemark, Hallingal springars and Swedish polskas. Available for PC or Mac.
Calendar, we generally practice 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, from about 7-9 PM - please email Karen, for addresses of the locations. Due to COVID19, our rehearsals have been cancelled.
We can do private lessons or skype lessons for anyone who is interested.
GIGS
Before you start on the tunes below, it may be a good idea to tune the fiddle! This is somewhat tricky and here is a link to a guide that I prepared, which will make this process easier. Hardanger Tuning Guide Here is another excellent guide on tuning, position, changing strings by Karin Code.
Note and fingering guide (Violin/Hardanger finger placement guide)
to what notes and what fingers go on which strings. Even if you prefer not to read music, this simple guide will hopefully be useful. So if I say G# on the D string, you will know that I mean the high 3rd finger. Assume the hand position has some distance between the 1st and 2nd fingers and notes like the C and G natural on the A and E strings, respectively, are indicated with L2, meaning low 2nd finger (the 2nd finger will be close to the 1st finger.
Download Asymmetronome, an actual metronome that does uneven beats of the Valdres, Telemark, Hallingal springars and Swedish polskas. Available for PC or Mac.
Calendar, we generally practice 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, from about 7-9 PM - please email Karen, for addresses of the locations. Due to COVID19, our rehearsals have been cancelled.
We can do private lessons or skype lessons for anyone who is interested.
GIGS
- Syttende Mai in Stoughton, WI, 2017, 2018, 2019
| Heimfarmarsj (March) - see video below |
| Nissedans/Pariser Polka |
| Busserull |
| Kjerringa paa Tinn (Old woman from Tinn) Gangar |
| Ringnesen - Reinlender |
| Gangar/Halling |
| Vossavalsen |
| Ola Jansens Vals |
| Bruremarsj fra Vang |
| Bruremarj fra Telemark |
| Fra Maneskin til Snodrev - Reinlender from Sunnfjord |
| Homslien Gangar |
Notes to transcriptions:
Additional transcriptions can be obtained from the HFAA annual meeting sheet music (I have music from 1994-present), or the Bernt Balchen abooks available from the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America (HFAA).
- Bruremarsj fra Telemark - Simplified version above. Try playing it without the slurs and once you are comfortable with the notes, add the correct bowings
- Homslien Gangar - simplified version without most of the trills and grace notes. If you need the MP3 file, please email me. Remember this tune is in regular violin tuning GDAE, so tune down your G string.
Additional transcriptions can be obtained from the HFAA annual meeting sheet music (I have music from 1994-present), or the Bernt Balchen abooks available from the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America (HFAA).
Who is Fykerud'n? He is Lars Fykerud (1860-1902), an accomplished hardanger fiddle player at the end of the 19th century. Originally from Telemark, he toured America and paid many visits to Stoughton, WI, the home of his brother Hans Fykerud. Hans was also a fiddler and won the first Kappleik fiddle competition held in Stoughton in 1912. So it is in honor of Lars and Hans Fykerud that our local fiddle players' group (in Norwegian, a spelemannslag) is named.
Photo from the Soundpost, Fall 2002, Vol 19(4). This issue has an entire article on Lars Fykerud. Please contact the HFAA for back issues.
