Folk music from Norway is usually in minor or modal, making a sober and haunting sound, though major key dance music forms also exist. In the last half of the 20th century, Norway, like many other countries in the world, underwent a roots revival that saw indigenous music being revived. Prior to the 1700s, there is scant record of what kind of music was played in Norway. In 1380, Norway had come under Danish rule, and thus had no royal house or nobility of its own; as a result, for 450 years, Norway did not participate in the musical development which occurred in royal circles throughout the rest of Europe. Religious and folk music probably remained popular throughout this era, though again scant records exist to document their nature. Nordic music is a generic term for the multiple genres of the Nordic nations. ... Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the people. ... Dance music is music composed, played, or both, specifically for social dancing. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... A roots revival (folk revival) is a trend which includes young performers popularizing the traditional musical styles of their ancestors. ... Events and Trends The Bonneville Slide blocks the Columbia River near the site of present-day Cascade Locks, Oregon with a land bridge 200 feet high. ... Events September 8 - Battle of Kulikovo - Russian forces under Grand Prince Dmitrii Ivanovich defeat a mixed army of Tatars and Mongols (the Golden Horde), stopping their advance at Kulikovo. ...

Classical music

The first classical composers from Norway are documented from the beginning of the 18th century, when they composed dance and chamber music, including cantatas. In 1814, Sweden entered into a union with Norway, and the Swedish royal family spent time in Norway's capital, Christiania (Oslo). At their royal court, music flourished. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Dance music is music composed, played, or both, specifically for social dancing. ... Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. ... Cantata (Italian for a song or story set to music), a vocal composition accompanied by instruments and generally containing more than one movement. ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Depending on context, Christiania can refer to: Christiania, capital of Norway – what Oslo was called from 1624 to 1877, named after King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway; subsequently, the city was called Kristiania (q. ...

The violinist Ole Bull (1810–1880) was the first major Norwegian musician. He became world-famous starting in about 1834, and was known as the Nordic Paganini. Foreign musicians began settling in Norway in large numbers in the 1840s, bringing with them musical knowledge from the rest of Europe. Following the French Revolution of 1848, Norway saw the development of a strong national consciouscness, as well as economic growth which occurred the development of music. In comparison to most other countries of this period, female Norwegian musicians were widely accepted, and were even published and given stipends by the state. The violin is a stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a perfect fifth apart. ... Ole Bull Ole Borneman Bull (February 5, 1810 – August 17, 1880) was a Norwegian violinist. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Niccolò Paganini Niccolò Paganini, (Genoa, October 27, 1782 - Nice, May 27, 1840) was a violinist and composer. ... Events and Trends First signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) on February 6, 1840 at Waitangi New Zealand. ... The period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

With Norwegian nationalism burgeoning, the musical scene throughout the country entered the Golden Age of Norwegian Music, led by Halfdan Kjerulf and organist and collector Ludvig Mathias Lindeman. The Golden Age's most prominent composers were Johan Svendsen and Edvard Grieg. These composers, inspired by Lindeman's collections and Ole Bull's Hardanger fiddling, incorporated Norwegian folk elements into their compositions. Quote: -Albert Einstein Nationalism is an ethno-political ideology that sustains the concept of a nation-identity for an exclusive group of people. ... Johan Svendsen (September 30, 1840–June 14, 1911) was a Norwegian composer, conductor and violinist. ... Edvard Hagerup Grieg (June 15, 1843–September 4, 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. ... A Hardanger fiddle or hardingfele (Norwegian) is a stringed instrument very similar to a violin, but different enough that a luthier accustomed to repairing violins who works on a hardangerfele is likely to ruin it. ...

At the end of the 19th century, folk song collecting continued unabated, and composers like Christian Sinding and Johan Halvorsen were well-known. Following the dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905, Norwegian nationalism continued to grow in popularity and innovation, led especially by David Monrad Johansen, Geirr Tveitt, Bjarne Brustad, Ludvig Irgens Jensen, Harald Sæverud, Klaus Egge and Eivind Groven. These composers focused on using folk music in their compositions, a trend which continued well into World War 2, through a process of internationalization began in the 1930s. In between the wars, only a few composers, like Pauline Hall and Fartein Valen, were significant influenced by foreign styles. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Christian August Sinding (January 11, 1856–December 3, 1941) was a Norwegian composer. ... Johan Halvorsen (March 15, 1864–December 4, 1935) was a Norwegian composer, conductor and musician. ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Geirr Tveitt (October 19, 1908–February 1, 1981) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. ... Harald Sigurd Johan Sæverud (April 17, 1897–March 27, 1992) was a Norwegian composer. ... Eivind Groven (October 8, 1901–February 8, 1977) was a Norwegian microtonal composer and music-theorist. ... Events and trends Technology Jet engine invented First atom was split with a particle accelerator Golden Age of radio begins in U.S. Science Nuclear fission discovered by Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann Pluto, the ninth planet from the Sun, is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh British biologist Arthur...

After World War 2, Norwegian music began moving in a new direction, away from the Nordic and Germanic ideals of the past, and towards a more international, especially American, British and French, style. New composers of this period included Johan Kvandal, Knut Nystedt, Edvard Hagerup Bull and Egil Hovland. Of especial importance was French neo-classicism, Paul Hindemith and Béla Bartók. During this period, serial music appeared in Norway, led by Finn Mortensen. Later, avant garde composers like Arne Nordheim took advantage of technological developments, using a variety of electronic effects and bizarre instrumentation. Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture. ... Paul Hindemith (November 16, 1895 – December 28, 1963) was a German classical composer, violist, teacher, theorist and conductor. ... Béla Viktor János Bartók (March 25, 1881 – September 26, 1945) was a composer, pianist and collector of East European folk music. ... Serialism is a rigorous system of composing music in which various elements of the piece are ordered according to a pre-determined ordered set or sets, and variations on them. ... Arne Nordheim (born 20 June 1931) is a Norwegian composer, since 1982 living in the Norwegian States honorary residence, Grotten, next to the Royal Palace in Oslo. ...

A lot of Norwegian music fans did not take to the new direction these avant-garde composers were moving in. Some, like Kåre Kolberg, reacted by composing simple music, while others, such as Alfred Janson and Ragnar Søderlind, revived romanticism. Some music from this era attempted to address social and political concerns, such as Janson's dedication of a violin concerto to Chilean president Salvador Allende. Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens1 (July 26, 1908–September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from 1970 until his death during a violent military coup détat. ...

By the end of the 1970s, Norwegian music had become very diverse, incorporating elements from throughout the country's documented musical history, as well as modern jazz, pop and rock. Composers of the last part of the 20th century include Olav Anton Thommessen, Magne Hegdal, Åse Hedstrøm, Asbjørn Schaatun, Tor Halmrast, Glenn Erik Haugland, Henrik Asheim, Cecille Ore and Ketil Hvoslef. Popular and classical attention to folk music has also continued through the work of composers like Lasse Thoresen. Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution...

Folk music

Traditional Norwegian songs (kved), ballads and short, often improvised songs (stev) are three of the biggest types of folk music. Work songs, hymns, tralling vocals and old printed ballad stories, skillingsviser, have also been popular. The Hardanger fiddle (hardingfele) is perhaps the most distinctive instrument in Norwegian folk music, though other fiddles like the standard violin and Setesdals-fele are also popular. The hardingfele was part of kappleik musical contests from the late 19th century. Perhaps the most popular and controversial of modern hardingfele artists is Annbjørg Lien, who released her first album, Annbjørg in 1989. The album featured Helge Førde and Frode Fjellheim and was both praised for its innovative fusion work and expressive style, and criticized for its watering-down of traditional sounds and a lack of regional tradition. A ballad is a story in song, usually a narrative song or poem. ... A work song is a typically acoustic rhythmic song sung by persons who are working in likely mundane conditions. ... See also hymn - a program to decrypt iTunes music files. ... For other uses: see Hardanger (disambiguation). ... The violin is a stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a fifth apart. ... A Hardanger fiddle or hardingfele (Norwegian) is a stringed instrument very similar to a violin, but different enough that a luthier accustomed to repairing violins who works on a hardangerfele is likely to ruin it. ... The violin is a stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a perfect fifth apart. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Traditional dances include: slåttar, bygdedans, halling, pols, springleik, rull, gangar, springar and bruremarsj. In the 19th century, musicians like Myllarguten began introducing more expressive ways of playing. Later in the century, new dances were imported from Europe, including the fandango, polka and mazurka. These were known as gammeldans. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... This page is about the flamenco style; for other meanings, see Fandango (disambiguation). ... Polka is a type of dance and genre of dance music; it originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia, and is still a common genre of Czech folk music; it is also common both in Europe and in the Americas. ... The mazurka is a Polish folk dance in triple time with a usually moderate tempo, containing a heavy accent on the third or second beat. ...

Other Norwegian folk instruments include:

• willow flute
• tungehorn and Meråker (clarinets)
• bukkehorn (goat horn)
• lur (small trumpet)
• langeleik (box zither)
• Norwegian harp

County Nord-Trøndelag Landscape Stjørdalen Municipality NO-1711 Administrative centre Meråker Mayor (2003) Bård Langsåvold (Ap) Official language form Bokmål Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 74 1,274 km² 1,188 km² 0. ... A bass clarinet, which sounds an octave lower than the more common Bb soprano clarinet. ... See Lurs for other uses Lur is a name given to two distinct types of wind musical instrument. ... Trumpeter performing with the United States Air Forces in Europe Band The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the tuba, euphonium, trombone, sousaphone, and french horn. ... The Langeleik is a traditional stringed musical instrument from Norway. ... A Musima Guitar Zither 45 strings with 21 melody, 24 chords The zither is a musical string instrument, mainly used in folk music. ...

Popular music

Norwegian popular music has generally been appearing on the international scene after year 2000, initially a breakthrough by Norwegian jazz and black metal artists, then followed by electronica and pop artists. The Rune Grammofon record label has gained some renown for releasing experimental Norwegian music. 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. ... Black metal is a musical genre, related to styles of heavy metal, such as death metal. ... Electronica is a rather ambiguous term that covers a wide range of electronic or electronic-influenced music. ... Rune Grammofon is a Norwegian record label founded in 1998 by Rune Kristoffersen. ...

Modern Norwegian pop bands include Turbonegro, Kings of Convenience, Jaga Jazzist, Lene Marlin, Madrugada and Röyksopp. Some of the most long-standing pop musicians are Sissel and a-ha. Aside from stars Röyksopp, Norway has produced electronic performers like Frost, Bertine Zetlitz, Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band, Xploding Plastix, Bjørn Torske, Palace of Pleasure, UGress, Sternklang, Teebee and Polar. Norway's hip hop scene includes Warlocks, Tommy Tee, Klovner i Kamp, Diaz and Tungtvann. The country has long been a major player in the Scandinavian death metal and other heavy metal scenes, alongside Sweden and Finland, and has produced such bands as Burzum, Immortal, Emperor, Red Harvest (band), Kovenant and Satyricon (band). Norway has also produced country musicians like Heidi Hauge and R&B stars like Noora and Winta. Turbonegro Turbonegro is a Norwegian band which tries to combine the best of heavy metal, rock and punk music into a non-politically-correct version of punk. ... Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe, also known as The Kings of Convenience, are an indie folk-pop duo from Bergen, Norway, known for their delicate tunes and intricately subtle guitar melodies. ... Jaga Jazzist is an experimental jazz band that rose to prominence when the BBC named their fourth album, The Stix (Ninja Tune/Smalltown Supersound), the best jazz album of 2002. ... Lene Marlin on the cover of her album Another Day Lene Marlin Pedersen (born August 17, 1980) is a Norwegian singer. ... Madrugada is a Norwegian rock band formed about 1993. ... Röyksopp (sometimes typed Royksopp and Røyksopp) is an electronic music duo based in Bergen, Norway composed of Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge. ... Sissel Kyrkjebø (born June 24, 1969 in Bergen, Norway), also known as just Sissel, is a Norwegian singer. ... a-ha is a Norwegian pop music band. ... Röyksopp (sometimes typed Royksopp and Røyksopp) is an electronic music duo based in Bergen, Norway composed of Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge. ... FROST is an Australian pop-rock band formed in 1997 in Melbourne. ... Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band is a Norwegian electronica group. ... Xploding Plastix is a Norwegian two-man band playing Electrofunk/Big beat music. ... Ugress is an electronica project from Bergen, Norway. ... Teebee or DJ Teebee is a Norwegian DJ and producer of the drum and bass style of dance music. ... Scandinavian death metal concerns the death metal bands of Scandinavian origin. ... Heavy metal is a form of music characterized by aggressive, driving rhythms and highly amplified distorted guitars, generally with grandiose lyrics and virtuosic instrumentation. ... Burzum began in 1987 as a prominent Norwegian black metal solo project. ... Immortal is a well-known black metal band from Bergen, Norway. ... Emperor is a seminal and infamous Norwegian black metal band that was formed in 1991. ... Statistics Genre: Black metal Country: Norway Status: Active Time: 1990- Biography Cover of Dark Medieval Times Satyricon is a Norwegian Black Metal band known mostly for their first album, Dark Medieval Times, which the band credit with starting a Black metal sub-genre of Medieval Metal. ... Country music, once known as country and western music, is a popular musical form developed in the southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, spirituals, and the blues. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Winta Photo: Hans Otto Nesbø Winta Efrem Negassi (Born: March 20, 1984) is a Norwegian pop star. ...

Record Labels

• Big Dipper Records
• Norske Gram
• Tee Productions
• Rune grammofon
• Simax
• Tuba Records
• Smalltown Supersound
• Duplex
• Deathlike Silence

A Norwegian hip-hop label owned by pioneer Tommy Tee, located in Oslo, Norway. ... Rune Grammofon is a Norwegian record label founded in 1998 by Rune Kristoffersen. ... Duplex is the having of two principal elements or parts. ... Deathlike Silence Deathlike Silence is the record label founded by Euronymous (Øystein Aarseth) for the underground Norwegian Black Metal scene. ...

See Also

• Norwegian Wood Festival
• Quart Festival

The Quart Festival is a yearly rock/pop/rap festival that takes place in Kristiansand, Norway in the beginning of July. ...

Samples

• Download recording of "Aa kjore vatten, aa kjore ve", an a cappella Norwegian-American folk song from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Alf Nilssen on February 18, 1939 in Carmel, California

A cappella music is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. ... The Norwegian-Americans are an ethnic group in the United States. ... Carmel-by-the-Sea is a city located in Monterey County, California. ...

External Links

• Norwegian pop music - article from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.odin.dep.no/odin/engelsk/norway/history/032091-991364/index-dok000-b-n-a.html)
• The History of Music in Norway - article from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.odin.dep.no/odin/engelsk/norway/history/032005-990475/index-dok000-b-n-a.html)
• Norwegian Bandindex (http://bandindex.no/)
• Urørt (Untouched) - Download songs from 7000 New norwegian bands (http://www11.nrk.no/urort/)

References

• Cronshaw, Andrew. "Fjords and Fiddles". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 211-218. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0