VETRA
The Norwegian violinist Ragnhild Hemsing has repeatedly incorporated old Norwegian traditions into her programs. This is mainly because she not only plays the modern violin but also the traditional Hardanger fiddle. Ragnhild Hemsing is therefore not just a performer and representative of Norwegian musical traditions but also a preserver of these traditions, bringing them into the modern age. Fitting for the winter season, her program "Vetra" delves deeply into the musical traditions of her home region, Valdres. In all the works, winter serves as the central theme. The word "Vetra" comes from the dialect spoken in Valdres and means "winter." Additionally, she has gathered outstanding fellow musicians around her, all of whom are also deeply familiar with Norwegian musical history.
Some folk melodies are old, very old indeed. In earlier times, melodies, especially hymns, were passed down orally from person to person. Much was lost, and some were repeatedly altered. The Norwegian folk song tradition has a very long history, and much has been preserved and handed down to this day. This is largely thanks to the composer and scholar Ludvig Mathias Lindeman. He lived in Norway from 1812 to 1887 and traveled across various valleys and regions, always in search of myths, legends, melodies, and verses. He published a twelve-volume collection of folk songs titled Ældre og nyere norske Fjeldmelodier ("Older and Newer Norwegian Mountain Melodies"). In 1884, Lindeman also visited the Valdres region, where he documented 86 hymns and 83 other melodies. In Norway, these folk melodies, songs, and dances are called "Slåtter." It is primarily the traditions of her homeland that Ragnhild Hemsing draws upon for her program "Vetra."
In addition, selected folk melodies with roots in hymns are included. Particularly with hymns, the transmission of tradition is not always clear. Often, only the sung text was documented, but not the melody. As a result, entirely different interpretations often developed for the same text. Thanks to Ludvig M. Lindeman, many melodies were finally written down and preserved. For example, during his travels, he heard and documented the melody for "The Eighth Commandment from Sinai" (Det ottande bud på Sinai), played by the fiddler Anders Nilsen Pelesteinsbakken from Hedalen, who happens to be Ragnhild Hemsing's great-great-great-grandfather. A fascinating development on the side: later, Edvard Grieg borrowed this melody and used it in his Ballade in G minor, Op. 24, and the composer Sigurd Islandsmoen, also born in Valdres, incorporated it into his choral work Requiem, Op. 42. In this way, many traditions were preserved and further developed.
On top of that, Ragnhild Hemsing has also composed three new Slåtter, which she will now perform live: Vetrahalling, Bånsull, and Vinterstemning. With these, she joins the ranks of many musicians and composers who are exploring new paths and opening new horizons. "For me, this has been an exciting musical journey, during which the melodies were artistically reworked. This reworking of our invaluable heritage is an entirely new endeavor."