Annbjørg Lien - Waltz with Me

Annbjørg Lien - Waltz with Me (2007)

"A heavyweight in the Norwegian folk music scene, Annbjørg Lien is an accomplished Hardanger fiddle player. The beauty of her music, combined with her international flexibility (evidenced by collaborations such as Tears of Stone with The Chieftains or the main theme from the soundtrack of the film Fargo), has meant she now enjoys world-wide popularity.

She’s also a member of the Norwegian folk band Bukkene Bruse and the international ensemble String Sisters."  (Last.fm)

01 | Riv rav ruskande (The Traveller)
02 | Sula Mountain
03 | Fela (The Fiddle)
04 | Home East
05 | Masques
06 | Waltz With Me
07 | Walking Strings
08 | Dansande ut alle år (Dancing the Years All Away)
09 | The Old Car
10 | Mother and a Son

Availability: Available on CD or in MP3 format in the U.S.

Bukkene Bruse - Den Fagraste Rosa

Bukkene Bruse - Den Fagraste Rosa (2001)

"Bukkene Bruse is a Norwegian musical group, focusing on a varied repertoire of traditional and folk-style Norwegian songs, but also including many new compositions based on various Norwegian musical traditions. The members of the group include Annbjørg Lien, a prominent Hardanger fiddle and nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle) player, fiddle player and vocalist Arve Moen Bergset, flautist Steinar Ofsdal, and pipe organist Bjørn Ole Rasch.

The group was formed in 1988 in Norway, and has travelled and performed widely in Scandinavia and elsewhere. They were selected as official Olympic Musicians for the Lillehammer Olympic Games, and performed at the closing ceremony." (Last.fm)


01 | Eit barn er født i Betlehem
02 | Lullámus
03 | Haugebonden
04 | Julefran
05 | Mit hjerte altid vanker
06 | St. Sunniva
07 | Eit lidet barn saa lystelig / I denne søde juletid
08 | Så spela far juleftan
09 | Den fagraste rosa er funni
10 | Romjulsgangar
11 | For saadan' mildheds gaver

Availability: Available used on Amazon, under both the original Norwegian title and the English "The Loveliest Rose".

Åsne Valland Nordli - Julekvad

Åsne Valland Nordli - Julekvad (1996)

"Åsne Valland Nordli is a Norwegian singer, raised in the village Norheimsund in Hardanger. She started to sing folk tunes when she was a little girl, and learned kveding from Steffen Eide, Margrete Opheim and Sondre Bratland. At only 15 years old, she started teaching at the Ole Bull Academy in Voss." (Wikipedia)

01 | Eg Synger Julekvad
02 | Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker
03 | Kling No Klokka
04 | Eg Er Så Glad Kvar Julekveld
05 | Din Herlegdom, Frelsar
06 | Her Er Det Ny, Som På Jorderik Skjedde
07 | I Denne Søte Juletid
08 | Det Lyser I Stille Grender
09 | Deilig Er Jorden
10 | Det Klimer Nå Til Julefest
11 | Guds Son Er Komen Til Oss Ned
12 | No Koma Guds Englar
13 | Den Fagraste Rosa
14 | Stille Natt

Availability: Available used or in MP3 format in the U.S.

Synnøve S. Bjørset - Slåttar

Synnøve S. Bjørset - Slåttar (2009)

"Synnøve S. Bjørset ranks among the foremost performers and interpreters of traditional Hardanger fiddle music today.  With uncommon strength and spirit, she presents a tasteful, melodious collection of little-known tunes and reinterpretations of familiar standards, playing a wide range of scordatura tunings.  Over the past few years, her performances have won her a string of awards.  She has released a number of albums, and also performs regularly with Majorstuen."  (Website)

01 | Grålysingspringar
02 | Fanitullen
03 | Seint o kveldo
04 | Sagenspringar
05 | Fanteladda, springar
06 | Purka sat fast i grindi, halling
07 | Øvrebøspringar
08 | Reishagenspringar
09 | Storren, springar
10 | Haugetspringar
11 | Solundspringar
12 | Reisetonar
13 | Gygri frå Trollebotn, springar
14 | Hesjevollspringar
15 | Valdresguten, halling
16 | Skreddarslåtten, springar
17 | Klunkespringaren
18 | Tomasklokkene

Availability: Available used or in MP3 format in the U.S.

Bukkene Bruse - Åre

Bukkene Bruse - Åre (1995)

"Bukkene Bruse is a Norwegian musical group, focusing on a varied repertoire of traditional and folk-style Norwegian songs, but also including many new compositions based on various Norwegian musical traditions. The members of the group include Annbjørg Lien, a prominent Hardanger fiddle and nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle) player, fiddle player and vocalist Arve Moen Bergset, flautist Steinar Ofsdal, and pipe organist Bjørn Ole Rasch.

The group was formed in 1988 in Norway, and has travelled and performed widely in Scandinavia and elsewhere. They were selected as official Olympic Musicians for the Lillehammer Olympic Games, and performed at the closing ceremony." (Last.fm)

01 | Norafjølls
02 | The Fair Haired Child (An Páistín Fionn)
03 | Olav Høljesen
04 | O Vis Gud
05 | Tordis
06 | Haugelåt
07 | Syng i Stille Morgonstunder
08 | Bendik og Årolilja
09 | Fenta
10 | Høstkveld
11 | Hølje Plassen
12 | Halling-Jorånn
13 | The Foggy Dew

Availability: Available used on Amazon; no MP3 available in the U.S.

Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag - Spell

Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag - Spell (1995)

"The traditional music of Norway is preserved through the efforts of the 11 musicians and five female vocalists who comprise Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag. With traditional Norwegian instruments, including fiddle, Hardanger fiddle, accordion, and Norwegian recorder, combined with saxophone, clarinet, oboe, electric bass, guitar, piano, and percussion, the group resurrects the musical spirits of Norway's past. Formed in 1994 by musicians and singers whose prior experience included stints with classical, rock, jazz, and pop groups, Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag continue to learn traditional melodies by ear and collectively work out intricate arrangements. Their first two albums, The Sweet Sunny North and The Sweet Sunny North, Vol. 2, were produced by Henry Kaiser and David Lindley. Their 1997 album, Tjuvgods, was reissued in the United States as Stolen Goods. Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag performed their debut London show in the summer of 1999. " (Allmusic.com)

01 | Forspill
02 | Faut-Marits Polska
03 | Funky Pærsen
04 | Ringereven
05 | Gamle-Guro
06 | Lars Linkerifot
07 | Visetone
08 | Sheiv Shig
09 | Kari Hagen
10 | Holtrilen
11 | Gaute og Magnhild
12 | Gubben Garberg
13  Vossatril
14 | Kulokk
15 | Huldra Mi
16 | Kjetta
17 | Lilleboa
18 | Nu Er En Dag Fremliden
19 | Heilos Trademark

Availability: Not readily available in the U.S., although used copies can be found.

Steinar Rygg - Brunnslåtten

Steinar Rygg - Brunnslåtten (2002)

Guess what? There isn't much information available about Steinar Rygg.  He's a hardingfele player, like his father Leif Rygg, and is mentioned in this article about his father.  I found a single image of the CD cover online, in the poor quality you see above (it was less than 100x100 pixels).  All but three tracks on this disc are solo hardingfele, and all tunes come from Voss, Hardanger, or Telemark.

01 | Huldrejentas lokketonar av Torkjell Haugerud (1881-1954)
02 | Brunnslåtten av Eivind Groven (1901-1977)
03 | Langedragen I etter Knut Luras (1786-1848)
04 | Nordfjorden etter Anders Kjerland
05 | Frå sova til sjø, brureslatt etter Ola Håstadbø
06 | Jentebedragaren, gangar
07 | Muraren, brureslått etter Siri Dyvik
08 | Hoyversdagen, etter Håvard Giboen
09 | Langedragen III, ganger etter Leif Rygg
10 | Myren, springar etter Ola Mosafinn
11 | Eivinds minne, av Eivind Mo
12 | Langedragen II, gangar etter Leif Rygg
13 | Gammal Vossarull etter Leif Rygg
14 | Jornvrengja, etter Ola Mosafinn
15 | Fanitullen etter Einar Mjølsnes
16 | Trotto

Availability: Not available in the U.S.  As far as I can tell, somewhat difficult to get a hold of in Norway as well.

The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc - The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc

The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc - The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc (2011)

"The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc is Olav Luksengård Mjelva, Anders Hall and Kevin Henderson who come from Norway, Sweden and the Shetland Islands respectively.  They are three of the finest young fiddlers currently working in the folk music scene and are in great demand playing in various musical constellations throughout the world.  The project is the brainchild of Anders Hall who felt that combining the three unique distinctive fiddle styles together would create a special sound." (Website)

01 | Sangenuten
02 | Un-named Shetland Reel
03 | Polska from Delsbo
04 | Da Greenland Man's Tune
05 | Jenna Reid of Quarff
06 | Maria's 27th Birthday Plattgympa
07 | Midnight on the Water / Bonaparte's Retreat
08 | Halling from Trondheim
09 | Fjellvåk
10 | Paella Grande
11 | Da Full Rigged Ship / The Rigged Ship
12 | Waltz after Lasse in Lyby

Availability: Available directly from the band's website, or in MP3 format on Amazon and iTunes.

Bukkene Bruse - Bukkene Bruse

Bukkene Bruse - Bukkene Bruse (1993)

"Bukkene Bruse is a Norwegian musical group, focusing on a varied repertoire of traditional and folk-style Norwegian songs, but also including many new compositions based on various Norwegian musical traditions. The members of the group include Annbjørg Lien, a prominent Hardanger fiddle and nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle) player, fiddle player and vocalist Arve Moen Bergset, flautist Steinar Ofsdal, and pipe organist Bjørn Ole Rasch.

The group was formed in 1988 in Norway, and has travelled and performed widely in Scandinavia and elsewhere. They were selected as official Olympic Musicians for the Lillehammer Olympic Games, and performed at the closing ceremony." (Last.fm)

01 | Til Sætersdal
02 | Seljefløyel
03 | Haslebuskane
04 | Tabhair Dom Do Lahm (Give Me Your Hand)
05 | Bøn
06 | Nåvårsetermarsjen
07 | Miriams Voggelåt
08 | Fanitullen
09 | Nu Rinner Solen Opp
10 | Målfrid Mi Fruve
11 | Bruremarsj Etter Fiskestigen
12 | Holalsbrura
13 | Rotnheims-Knut

Availability: Readily available used; does not appear to be in print or available in MP3 format in the U.S.  Supposedly it was re-issued in 2013, but Amazon has no copies.