Nordic Folk

While each Nordic country's unique history has weaved subtle differences into its folk music, there are enough cultural similarities between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden to give the region a certain musical cohesion. These nations' traditional styles were mainly rural and festive events, such as weddings and Saturday night dances, which often brought together isolated communities. With the advent of urbanization and modern innovations such as records, radio and television, traditional music faded in the 20th century. Today, the Scandinavian folk scene is a diverse one, splitting roughly into two wings: an acoustic one and an electric one, with experimentation of varying degrees happening at both ends of the spectrum.

The revival began in the 1970s, in parallel with an international "back-to-the-land" trend, these countries underwent a reassessment of the simple rural life that had been left behind as "old-fashioned." In Sweden it was called the Green Wave movement, which sent young Swedes back to the earth, a time of "peace, love and folk fiddles," as one Swedish musician quipped. In Sweden, the Delsbo fiddle festival went from having 5,000 participants in 1968 to 30,000 in 1973. Of course, with all these amateur musicians getting back to their roots, a lot of sloppy, if heartfelt, music was produced.

However, the renewed interest sparked the academicization of folk music. Leading national institutions added folk music departments while earnest government agencies began to sponsor tours and recording projects to help promote the music nationally and internationally. The blossoming of an international world music circuit of festivals and promoters also has made it possible for the neo-traditionalists to earn a living as musicians. The result has been a small, vibrant renaissance of regional folk music. Olov Johansson of the Swedish band Väsen, speculates that the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm probably has more students applying to its folk music department today than its classical music department.

With the passage of time, the overall perspective on folk music has undergone a seismic shift. Initially, those who took up the music adhered closely to the traditions they had "discovered." In Sweden, for example, one prestigious competition judged musicians on their ability to reproduce specific regional styles of playing. While the goal of preserving regional music was a worthy one, it stifled – or at least did not encourage – innovation. It took a few adventurous souls, such as Sweden's Hedningarna, to break the mold and shake off worries about "the folk music police."

In Finland, the Sibelius Institute became a hotbed for the creation of "folk music of the future." Accordionist Maria Kalaniemi ventured out from folk music to explore free-form music was similar to that of "new tango" godfather Astor Piazzolla. Teamed with harmonium player and fellow Sibelius instructor Timo Alakotila, Kalaniemi has produced some exquisite music that turns folk music into something as delicate as chamber music. Meanwhile, in the countryside in Finland's fiddling capital Kaustinen, several Järvelä family members formed JPP or Järvelän Pikkupelimannit (The Little Folk Musicians of Järvelä), which burnished earthy fiddling tunes with their excellent musicianship. The most successful Finnish band is Värttinä, which grew out of a playful exercise that several woman began while at university in 1983. Basing their singing on ancient harmony styles, the keening women are backed by a powerhouse band and have been an audience favorite in concert halls around the world.

One of contemporary Nordic music's first international exposures was Henry Kaiser's and David Lindley's early 1990s collection of Norwegian music, The Sweet Sunny North. The breakout star of the collection was hardanger fiddler Annbjorg Lien, who recorded several adventurous and critically acclaimed solo albums in addition to her more traditional work with the group Bukkene Bruse.

Danish folk music has not garnered the same international attention as the other Nordic countries, but Denmark also has been fostering a new generation of folk musicians. Lang Linkin, which formed in 1970, are now the godfathers of the new folk music, which has morphed into some very successful electronic experiments. The most commercially successful has been Sorten Muld, which began in 1995 and melded dancefloor electronica with ancient Danish ballads. Its Mark II album sold well around the world, eclipsing more traditional Danish groups such as Haugaard & Hoirup, Phønix and Instinkt.

The renewed interest in regional music also brought to light the music of the Sámi people of the northern Finnish and Scandinavian region often called Lappland. The singer Wimme's spiritual vocal style called yoik is reminiscent of Native American music, though he has updated the tradition with ethereal electronics. The singer Mari Boine has also become an international performer, acting as an ambassador of sorts for the Sámi people whose culture was eclipsed by the dominant Christian Scandinavian culture.

While this multinational creative revolution is certainly a golden age of folk music for the Nordic region, it has had limited impact on the mainstream among the respective countries. The average Swede, for example, probably owns no folk albums and if they live in Stockholm, they may never have heard a nyckelharpa keyed fiddle or a Swedish bagpipe. Occasionally, though, some folk musicians have scored hits in collaboration with pop stars, and some electronic dance-oriented folk has filtered out beyond the usual suspects. Regardless, the renaissance continues, fueled by the creative energy of young musicians discovering their own forgotten cultural roots and seeking to move the tradition forward. – Marty Lipp