Sordølen (Slåtter Og Slåttestev Fra Setesdal)

EM16 / 2004

TRADITIONAL MUSIC FROM THE SOUTH OF NORWAY

Vidar Lande from Setesdal, is one of Norway’s foremost folk musicians today. Since he was a young man, he systematically collected folk music from his home area. He learnt to play the music, and since the early 1970s, he was an active folk music performer in the Scandinavian countries as well as in U.S.A. All the music on the present CDs is taken from recent recordings. Most of the music is little known, even in Setesdal, and has not been published before. Less than half of the recorded music is presented here.

In 2003 Vidar Lande became professor in traditional arts, the first one in Europe in this field. His working place is Telemark University College, Rauland. For the CD-project, he has also given an overview over the music history in Setesdal, – a whole book. He has also illustrated his exposition with pictures he collected through the years,- pictures of fiddlers, places and instruments that have been of importance for the musical devel- opment in Setesdal.

On the CDs, Gunhild Tømmerås is guest artist, singing folksongs and texts that are connected to some of the fiddle tunes. She grew up in Birkenes, South Norway, and learnt to sing songs in the Setesdal tradition from the famous folk singer, Torbjørg Aamli Paus. Being one of our formost folk singers today,- having won the National Competion in vocal folk music four times,- Gunhild masters the Setesdal style better than anybody else.

In the CD-book, Vidar Lande also presents historical facts as well as legends connected to the known Setesdal tune, “The Sordal’s Man”. Behind this term there is a bloody history that made a deep impact in the local culture in Setesdal. Several fiddle tunes are connected to the tragic fate of the Sordal’s Man. Vidar plays five different tunes called “The Sordal’s Man”, and Gunhild contributes with texts.