Scandinavian Folk Music: The Best of the North
Contents
A comprehensive guide to the best Scandinavian Folk Music, featuring a collection of the genre’s most popular artists from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.
Scandinavian folk music is the traditional music of the Scandinavian countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. The genre includes a wide variety of styles, from the tuneful and light-hearted to the dark and profound.
Scandinavian folk music has its roots in the ancient Norse and Baltic cultures. Over time, it has been influenced by a variety of other traditions, including Germanic, Celtic, and Slavic music. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in Scandinavian folk music, both in the region and around the world.
The best-known Scandinavian folk musicians include:
-Gunnar Idenstam (Sweden)
-Väinö Jalkanen (Finland)
-Kari Bremnes (Norway)
-Nils Okland (Norway)
-Anja/Bjørn Eidsvåg (Norway)
-Tõnu Rahumaa (Estonia)
If you’re looking for something new to listen to, why not try out some Scandinavian folk music? This type of music is known for its beautiful melodies and harmonies. It’s the perfect music to relax to after a long day.
Norway
Norwegian folk music includes a number of different traditions and styles, both traditional and modern. The most common style of folk music is called bygdedans, which includes a wide range of subgenres including ballads, dances, and work songs.
The older ballads often tell stories of love, loss, and death, while the newer ones are more likely to be about current events or local personalities. The work songs are usually about farming or other rural activities, and often include a call-and-response format between the lead singer and the rest of the group.
Norwegian folk music has been influenced by a number of other genres over the years, including polka, waltz, rock, and jazz. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional Norwegian music, particularly among young people.
Sweden
Sweden is home to some of the best Scandinavian folk music, with a rich tradition of both vocal and instrumental music. Swedish folk music is often characterized by its use of the fiddle and nyckelharpa (a traditional Swedish string instrument), as well as its distinctive singing style. There are many different regional styles of Swedish folk music, but some of the most popular include polska, waltz, and schottische.
Denmark
The music of Denmark reflects the country’s culture and history. Denmark’s musical traditions range from the folk music of the rural areas to the more modern styles of the cities. Danish folk music includes dances and ballads, while the modern styles include rock, pop, jazz, and hip-hop.
Denmark has a long tradition of folk music, which has been passed down from generation to generation. The oldest examples of Danish folk music date back to the Middle Ages. folk music was an important part of everyday life in Denmark, and it was used for both entertainment and religious purposes.
Traditional Danish folk music is often divided into two categories: ballads and dances. Ballads are slow, sentimental songs that tell stories, while dances are faster-paced and often accompanied by instruments such as fiddles or accordions.
Danish folk musicians typically use a variety of traditional instruments, including the fiddle, accordion, pennywhistle, flute, mandolin, guitar, and drums. These days, many Danish folksingers also incorporate modern elements into their music, such as electric guitars and synthesizers.
While traditional Danish folk music is still popular in Denmark today, many young people also enjoy listening to more modern styles of music from Denmark and other countries. Rock, pop, hip-hop, and jazz are all popular genres in Denmark.
Finland
While there are many similarities between the folk music of Scandinavia, there are also some notable differences. Finland, for example, has a much longer musical tradition than Sweden or Norway, and its music is more closely related to the music of Russia and the Baltic countries.
Finnish folk music is divided into two main traditions: the older, shamanistic kantele music and the more recent, more lyrical and dance-oriented songs of the Helsinki school. The kantele is a type of zither with a long history in Finland; it was first mentioned in a poem dating from the 13th century. Kantele music was originally used for shamanistic rituals, but over time it evolved into a form of entertainment for both rural and urban audiences.
The Helsinki school arose in the late 19th century, when Finnish nationalists began to rediscover and promote the country’s musical heritage. This movement culminated in the founding of the Sibelius Academy in Turku (then Finland’s capital) in 1882. The first generation of Finnish composers trained at the academy, including Jean Sibelius himself, incorporated folk elements into their classical compositions. Today, folk music still plays an important role in Finnish culture; many Finns learn to play traditional instruments such as the kantele, and folk festivals are held regularly throughout the country.
Conclusion
After listening to a wide variety of Scandinavian folk music, it is clear that there is a great deal of diversity within the genre. While some of the music is light and airy, other songs have a more driving and intense sound. In general, Scandinavian folk music has a distinctly different feel from other types of folk music from around the world.
Despite the differences in style, there are some common elements that can be found in many of the songs. One of the most notable features is the use of harmonies between two or more voices. This gives the music a rich and full sound that is very pleasing to the ear. Another common element is the use of percussion instruments, which helps to create a lively and energetic rhythm.
If you are looking for something new and exciting to listen to, then Scandinavian folk music is definitely worth checking out. You are sure to find something that you will enjoy, no matter what your taste in music may be.
