VIVALDI IN VALDRES
On this album, Norwegian violinist Ragnhild Hemsing, together with the early music ensemble Barokkanerne, delves into Antonio Vivaldi's (1678–1741) famous Four Seasons, transforming them into "The Norwegian Seasons" – a unique sound experience that highlights far more similarities than contrasts.
Ragnhild Hemsing has built an impressive career over the years. She is recognized across Europe as a sensitive and refined violinist and is now also considered the expert in traditional Norwegian music. This reputation stems in part from her frequent use of the Hardanger fiddle on her four albums released with Berlin Classics. The Hardanger fiddle, Norway's national instrument, was invented in the Hardanger region in the mid-17th century. It has a distinctive sound created by five sympathetic strings that resonate as the main strings are played.
Vivaldi's The Four Seasons from 1723 is one of the most famous and frequently performed works in music history. Hemsing has played these concertos many times on a standard violin. However, rooted in both classical and folk music traditions, she wondered: "How would these popular concertos sound if played on a Hardanger fiddle?" During her research and reflections, she discovered many parallels between Vivaldi's music and the folk music of Valdres, her home region, where she still lives with her family. "There are these rich ornaments and improvisations everywhere, beautiful melodies, and rhythmic drive," she explains, adding: *"With my Vivaldi recording, I want to offer a new musical approach to *The Four Seasons* by using the Hardanger fiddle as a Baroque instrument and incorporating ornaments and specific trills from my own folk music tradition in Valdres, which has existed alongside the Baroque tradition for centuries."*
For this project, as with her previous recordings, Hemsing collaborated with composer Tormod Tvete Vik to adapt the violin part from Vivaldi's original score. The orchestral accompaniment was similarly reworked by the ensemble Barokkanerne. This task turned out to be less challenging than expected, as Vivaldi himself drew inspiration from folk music – in his case, Italian folk traditions – when composing Le quattro stagioni. The similarities to Norwegian folk music are often striking. "For instance, I am convinced that research will reveal a close connection between the Hardanger fiddle and the viola d’amore," Hemsing explains. "I would even go so far as to say that the Hardanger fiddle, despite being a folk instrument, with its sympathetic strings and unique sound, is Norway's 'own' Baroque instrument."
To further emphasize these Baroque connections, Hemsing included additional compositions on the album. One example is the Prelude from the third act of Alcione, an opera by French Baroque composer Marin Marais (1656–1728). Here, the Hardanger fiddle takes on the role of the viola da gamba, beautifully ornamenting and imitating vocal forms. In contrast, the album also features three traditional folk melodies from the Valdres region: a Lydarlått (listening tune) from Sør-Aurdal, a Springar titled "Fanteladda" in 3/4 time, and a Halling called "Røyskatten" (The Weasel) in 2/4 or 6/8 time.
To bring a modern element to the recording, Hemsing commissioned a work from Norwegian composer Agnes Ida Pettersen, born in 1981. The piece, titled Fantasi, was composed in 2022 specifically for Hemsing and Barokkanerne for the Oslo Early Music Festival. Here, as throughout the album, the fusion of the Hardanger fiddle and the ensemble creates an exciting blend of past and present. While the instruments and playing style are centuries old, Pettersen's imaginative composition opens up new possibilities.
For the recording, Hemsing used three different Hardanger fiddles. The most renowned is the original instrument of Norwegian violinist and composer Ole Bull (1810–1880), often called the "Paganini of the North" by his contemporaries. This fiddle was crafted by the legendary luthier Erik Johnsen Helland specifically for Bull. "It was later played by several local violinists and is now owned by the Dextra Musica Foundation, which generously allows me to use it on long-term loan," Hemsing proudly shares. "The other two fiddles I play are more recent. Both were built by Anders Aasen, Norway's leading violin maker of the 20th century – one in 1976 and the other in 1980."
This thrilling encounter between Italian Baroque music and Norwegian folk music results in a program that is unparalleled in music history.