Fiddling for Norway: Revival and Identity (Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology) (Hardcover)

by Chris Goertzen (Author) "Imagine yourself in Norway..." (more)
Key Phrases: folk music milieu, fiddle area, gammaldans controversy, National Fiddle Contest, Arild Hoksnes, Hans Brimi (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Fiddling for Norway is an engrossing portrait of a fiddle-based folk revival in Norway, one that in many ways parallels contemporary folk institutions and festivals throughout the world, including American fiddling. It is a detailed case study in the politics of culture, the causes and purposes of folk revivals, and the cultivation of music to define identity.

The book begins with an investigation of the people and events important to Norwegian folk fiddling, tracing the history of Norwegian folk music and the growth and diversification of the folk music revival. The narrative takes us to fiddle clubs, concerts and competitions on the local, regional, and national levels, and shows how conflicting emphases--local vs. national identity, tradition vs. aesthetic qualities--continue to transform Norwegian folk music. Goertzen utilizes a large anthology of meticulously transcribed tunes to illustrate personal and regional repertoires, aspects of performance practice, melodic gesture and form, and tune relationships. Ethnomusicologists and readers who fiddle will enjoy both the music and the stories it tells.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 364 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (December 8, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226300498
• ISBN-13: 978-0226300498
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,432,502 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The history of music associations, June 7, 2008

By	Mike Moxcey "Mike Moxcey" (Fort Collins, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fiddling for Norway: Revival and Identity (Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology) (Paperback)

I've played banjo since 1970 and have been through various arguments, discussions and internecine strife between preservationists (of whatever musical stripe) and folks who just want to play music and not argue about it. Fiddling for Norway is the history of how this same attitude happened in Norway. They've had organized fiddle associations to preserve music for a century. And they have two different kinds of fiddles to fight over, as well as three types of music and a desire to honor local traditions. Anyone interested in the problems of preservation and organization (whether musical, religious or whatever) can add this book to his or her library.

The book is somewhat academic but is not dryly written by any means. Goertzen is an American so he's looking at it from the outside and he spends some time describing the situations he finds himself in. He also analyzes the musical styles and examined the history of various controversies through publications. Very well-researched yet still easy-to-read. My favorite quote is when someone suggested gamaldans music is just as valid as the solo fiddle music that apparently arose from wood sprites and waterfalls. The president of the national fiddle association (in 1981) said keeping the styles separate is more a matter of keeping snot off of facial hair. If you've ever run into that attitude in a music association of any stripe, this book will put it in more of a sociological perspective.

It was worth reading and there is a section of sheet music at the end for any fiddler who wishes to try some of the music.