Hardanger Fiddle
1872 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Hardanger fiddle is a Norwegian variant of the violin, dating from about 1650. It is strung with eight strings, four of which vibrate while a bow plays the others. This instrument was made in 1872 by K.E.Helland, a member of a famous family of fiddle-makers from Telemark, Norway. Hardanger fiddles are decorated in a vernacular style; the finial of this example is a heraldic lion, with a gilt crown, carved in the Norwegian folk tradition.
Hardanger fiddles are used for folk singing, dances and wedding processions. Edvard Grieg (1842-1907), Norway's greatest composer, incorporated the traditional melodies played on such fiddles into his compositions. The leading player of Grieg's day was probably Torgeir Augundson (1801-1872), a miller's son also from Telemark.
Hardanger fiddles are used for folk singing, dances and wedding processions. Edvard Grieg (1842-1907), Norway's greatest composer, incorporated the traditional melodies played on such fiddles into his compositions. The leading player of Grieg's day was probably Torgeir Augundson (1801-1872), a miller's son also from Telemark.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Planed, sawn and purled sycamore back and soundboard; ebony and mother-of-pearl inlaid neck and tailpiece and edging |
| Brief description | Hardanger fiddle, Norwegian, K.E. Helland, 1872 |
| Physical description | Description taken from department files: Hardanger fiddle with a pine belly and maple back with painted floral scrolls in black and edges set with mother-of-pearl alternating with black triangles. Neck set in line with belly. Pegbox with eight pegs, four of which are for wire sympathetic strings. The finial is in the form of a heraldic lion with gilt crown, the carving of the head executed in Norwegian peasant tradition originating in the Viking period. Fingerboard and tailpiece veneered with ebony inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Fabrikirt af Knudt Eriksen Helland 1872 (1) Makers's mark 2) Signature; Norwegian; Cursive; On label inside the body of the violin; 1872)
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | This formed part of the collection of Carl Engel (1919 - 1882), a leading musicologist who published the Descriptive Catalogue of the Musical Instruments in the South Kensington Museum (London, 1874). Engel's collection was bought by the museum in 1882. Bought from Carl Engel for £3 |
| Summary | The Hardanger fiddle is a Norwegian variant of the violin, dating from about 1650. It is strung with eight strings, four of which vibrate while a bow plays the others. This instrument was made in 1872 by K.E.Helland, a member of a famous family of fiddle-makers from Telemark, Norway. Hardanger fiddles are decorated in a vernacular style; the finial of this example is a heraldic lion, with a gilt crown, carved in the Norwegian folk tradition. Hardanger fiddles are used for folk singing, dances and wedding processions. Edvard Grieg (1842-1907), Norway's greatest composer, incorporated the traditional melodies played on such fiddles into his compositions. The leading player of Grieg's day was probably Torgeir Augundson (1801-1872), a miller's son also from Telemark. |
| Bibliographic reference | London, Victoria & Albert Museum: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria & Albert Museum. Part II, Anthony Baines: Non-keyboard instruments (London, 1998), pp.18 - 19. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 155&A-1882 |
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| Record created | May 16, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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