Ashild & Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, Per Saemund Bjorkum & Per Kristian Skalstad - Hardanger Fiddle in Art Music

This album from �shild and Ingfrid Breie Nyhus takes place at the cross roads between Norwegian folk music and art music. With the Hardanger fiddle at the center of attention, they rekindle history in a modern context, and manages to conjure up powerful nature images and moods from the deepest reaches of Norwegian folklore. At the middle of the 19th century, the Hardanger fiddle was regarded as the key symbol of the authentic Norwegian heritage, in a time were nation-building was important all over Europe. Not just the instrument itself was subjected to a massive interest, but also the music, the fiddler him- or herself and all its related myths and stories. �shild Breie Nyhus (b. 1975) is a fourth generation fiddler in her family at R�ros, performing as a soloist on the Hardanger fiddle with several Scandinavian symphony orchestras. Her performances of the Norwegian folk musical heritage is combined with her practice as a classical violinist and violist - in Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Ingfrid Breie Nyhus (b. 1978) has studied piano in Oslo, Helsinki and Hannover, won a range of awards - amongst them 'The Norwegian Soloists Prize' in 2005 - and is now preoccupied with a further specialization of folk-inspired music. This is the second release of the Nyhus sisters for Simax Classics, following their hugely successful Edvard Grieg: Sl�tter op. 72, recorded in the composer's own living room.Personnel: �shild Breie Nyhus (Hardanger fiddle), Ingfrid Breie Nyhus (piano), Per Kristian Skalstad, Per S�mund Bj�rkum (violin), Anders Rensvik (viola), Audun Sandvik (cello)