Customer Reviews

Wizard Woman of North

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The marketing pose is at best a bit silly, but this album exists in part because so many of the talented folk musicians of Scandinavia are women. You will find many of the best of the Norwegians here on this Norway-dominated CD including Annbjoerg Lien, Kirsten Braaten-Berg, Tone Hulbaekmo, Pernille Anker plus some other artists you may want to check out. Lien's two selections include 'Foenix', a fast-paced upbeat tune from her Prisme album and 'Myllargutens Brureslaatt' (The Miller Boy's Bridal Tune), a slow contemplative piece. Among several fiddlers, she stands out as usual. As on other collection albums, Tone Hulbaekmo's two pieces are by themselves nearly worth the price of admission, especially 'Illusion.' I can't yet describe her style of music; she has bent the norsk folk medium into a unique personal expression. Both of her pieces are from her 'Svevende Jord' (Floating Ground) album. The two Swedish selections are both by Susanne Rosenberg whose 'Anna Och Wilhelm' does not strictly adhere to western piano-ready seven note scale. Like many Scandinavian musicians of old traditions, her octave is divided into notes that fall between or just ignore the seven we are accustomed to. The Finnish selections include one song by Tallari and two by Tellu. I will leave the Finnish reviews to someone who understands Finn folk. But you might not want to play these three cuts on your office computer before you listen to it at home. Other Norwegian performances include pieces by Helene Hoeye, sometimes with Mari Eggen, which may be the most emotionally rich compositions on the album. 'The Harp' by Aurora Borealis also deserves special mention. Kirsten Braaten-Berg's sole contribution is my favorite of hers, Heiemo Og Nykkjen (Heiemo and The Water Sprite), which is also on Nordisk Sang - Songs From Norway. And Pernille Anker chimes in with one song and a written composition in English that is at once playful and ridiculous with its goddess mythology. I have so far only omitted Hege Rimestad, who deserves better, Susanne Lundeng, Aasne Sunniva Soereide and Sinikka Langeland. This album, despite the gimmickry in packaging, is a worthwhile 67 minutes of music.

This is a satisfying record and a good introduction, for me, to this type of music (Nordic New Age/ Revival). What you will find in these 19 tracks is Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish women musicians remaking traditional tunes as well as presenting original work. The fiddle features as the main instrument in the record. Some are instrumentals and others feature either raw vocalization (for example, harpist Tone Hulbækmo's "Svevende Jord[Floating Earth]," a very beautiful track that begins with trance-like vocalization and relaxing music that breaks into a lively and elegant fiddle tune) or sung lyrics (Pernille Anker's "Gjendines bånlåt" is an acappella lullaby). Kirsten Bråten-Berg's "Heiemo og nykkjen" is a modern version of a traditional Norwegian song called "Noekken som belar," but her rendition, I think, is more obscure than the many traditional, regional versions from the 1800s. Sinikka Langeland's "Bridal song from Soloer" is another song in which I could hear Norwegian; she has a beautiful, bright voice. I'm glad to have a collection of music with these three languages, as one of the reasons I bought it was to help my Norwegian, but the lyrics are not printed, and the songs with lyrics are not easy to understand (they're obviously very regional and/or old). Another plus was Annbjoerg Lien's instrumental fiddle tracks, especially "Foenix." I was nervous when I first purchased it because I didn't want it to be 90% instrumental music, but I gained a new appreciation of the fiddle, thanks to the modern flavor of this old art that Lien and the others provide. I enjoyed the Swedish "Anna ock Wilhelm" by Susanne Rosenberg and the Finnish Tellu's "Tuulet[The Winds]." There were very few disappointing tracks (that I found too harsh or a bit screwball-sounding). A printed translation of a writing by Pernille Anker playfully talks about the modern Wizard Woman of the North, but I wish there had been more background to explain the songs, and I wanted the Norwegian lyrics. All in all, though, this is great music.

Beautiful lilting women's voices - wonderful to listen to even if you can't understand the language. Folk music that transcends interpretation.

The marketing pose is at best a bit silly, but this album exists in part because so many of the talented folk musicians of Scandinavia are women. You will find many of the best of the Norwegians here on this Norway-dominated CD including Annbjoerg Lien, Kirsten Braaten-Berg, Tone Hulbaekmo, Pernille Anker plus some other artists you may want to check out. Lien's two selections include 'Foenix', a fast-paced upbeat tune from her Prisme album and 'Myllargutens Brureslaatt' (The Miller Boy's Bridal Tune), a slow contemplative piece. Among several fiddlers, she stands out as usual. As on other collection albums, Tone Hulbaekmo's two pieces are by themselves nearly worth the price of admission, especially 'Illusion.' I can't yet describe her style of music; she has bent the norsk folk medium into a unique personal expression. Both of her pieces are from her 'Svevende Jord' (Floating Ground) album. The two Swedish selections are both by Susanne Rosenberg whose 'Anna Och Wilhelm' does not strictly adhere to western piano-ready seven note scale. Like many Scandinavian musicians of old traditions, her octave is divided into notes that fall between or just ignore the seven we are accustomed to. The Finnish selections include one song by Tallari and two by Tellu. I will leave the Finnish reviews to someone who understands Finn folk. But you might not want to play these three cuts on your office computer before you listen to it at home. Other Norwegian performances include pieces by Helene Hoeye, sometimes with Mari Eggen, which may be the most emotionally rich compositions on the album. 'The Harp' by Aurora Borealis also deserves special mention. Kirsten Braaten-Berg's sole contribution is my favorite of hers, Heiemo Og Nykkjen (Heiemo and The Water Sprite), which is also on Nordisk Sang - Songs From Norway. And Pernille Anker chimes in with one song and a written composition in English that is at once playful and ridiculous with its goddess mythology. I have so far only omitted Hege Rimestad, who deserves better, Susanne Lundeng, Aasne Sunniva Soereide and Sinikka Langeland. This album, despite the gimmickry in packaging, is a worthwhile 67 minutes of music.

This intriguing, relaxing album showcases female Scandinavian musicians. It gently reminds us that many different musical traditions exist in the Nordic lands, and that these roots have value and beauty both in their own right, and as seeds of inspiration for modern interpretation. The artists featured are Susanne Rosenberg, Tone Hulbaekmo, Tallari, Susanne Lundeng, Hege Rimestad, Tellu, Mari Eggen and Helene Hoye, Aurora Borealis, Asne Sunniva Soreide, Helen Hoye, Annbjorg Lien, Sinikka Langeland, Kirsten Braten Berg, and Pernille Anker. They combine the soothing and mysterious sounds of traditional singing with instruments old and new. Other samplers of neo-traditional Scandinavian music include NorthSide's "Nordic Roots" series, and the World Music Network's "Rough Guide to the Music of Scandinavia".

This is mostly good scandinavian folk music by some of the many female folk musicians in scandinavia. The music sounds different from much other music, but it is very good, albeit sometimes a little strange. It is definitively worth buying.

This is a wonderful CD and for anyone who likes a surreal feel to music this is for sure a great album to have!

I'm not sure exactly how I did it, but when shopping around for this album I was redirected to Amazon Canada. The listed 'in-stock' price was a fraction of what was listed on the US Amazon store and to top it off - I got my CD 'the next day'; no kidding I about fell out of my chair.

Anyway, it's a great album, I just wish the group would get a better marketing/sales staff for US sales.

This music will appeal to a specific audience. Personally, I think it's magical and ecstatic! Being of Nordic heritage, the theme appeals to me, but I admit the title may be gimmicky. What titles aren't? They're designed to sell a product. The talent of the artists on this CD comes through in hauntingly, magical, ecstatic and calming tunes. I love to listen to it when winter rolls around and the snow begins to fall. The music feels like a long winter with all that means -- in a good way. If you like some of the New Age or World music and have an interest in Nordic roots, I highly recommend it.
The current prices on Amazon are quite high, so shop around.

This album is over an hour long - a great value. So many different artists, and the variety of styles is a nice surprise.

I'm not sure why some call the marketing and packaging "gimicky," as it pertains to an historic roots that maybe some modern "folkies" don't quite get. Maybe if the cover were more garish, of women in make-up with expensive clothing (ala "Celtic Women"), that would go over better with the mainstream who percieve anything spiritual as "new age"? Personally, I think the cover picture is gorgeous, and it harkens to a raw state this music springs from. So kudos to whoever chose it - good job!

The music itself is beautiful, strange, and one would hope, representative. Every individual has the ideal for a perfect anthology, and there are plenty more out there to choose from. I hope more volumes of "Wizard Women" arrive, with exactly the same focus and packaging.