Sven Nyhus
Outside of Scandinavia the best-known Norwegian fiddler would probably be Annbjørg Lien, but folk music purists usually prefer Sven Nyhus. Along with Hans Brimi, Nyhus represented an archetype in Scandinavia, the stern-looking fiddler playing dance music, sometimes accompanied only by his own foot stomping out the beat.
Born in 1932, Nyhus was from the Østerdalen region of Norway. In this region, the flatfele ("flat fiddle" or violin) predominates, but he sometimes played the Hardanger fiddle, the distinctively Norwegian version of the violin popular elsewhere in the country, an instrument rather like the Baroque viola d'amore, with four extra strings vibrating sympathetically under the first set. With his good ear and exceptional ability to transcribe music -- no mean feat considering that Norwegian folk music does not keep to standard Western tone intervals -- Nyhus became one of Scandinavia's great archivists of folk music. He was also one of the country's popular performers, playing for many years in a traditional dance band. Although he only had one CD released in the U.S. (Traditional Norwegian Fiddle Music in 1991 on Shanachie), he issued several others in Scandinavia. On the American album, he played solo, but on the Scandinavian albums he usually performed as part of a quartet, quintet, or sextet. He received an honorary Spellemannprisen award in 2000 (Norway's version of the Grammy) and was named a Commander of the Order of St. Olav in 2002. Nyhus died on May 20, 2023, just one day before his 91st birthday.
© Kurt Keefner /TiVo
Discography
11 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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På Storfele
Sven Nyhus, Jan Erik Kongshaug, Åshild Breie Nyhus
Folk - Released by Grappa on 26 Feb 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Med hopp og hiv til Sven Nyhus Kvartett
Folk - Released by Universal Music AS on 1 Jan 1973
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Traditional Norwegian Fiddle Music
Rock - Released by Shanachie on 9 Oct 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Felklang Frå Rørosvidden
Folk - Released by Talent on 15 Apr 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sven Nyhus Kvartett og Sekstett spiller opp til gammeldans
Folk - Released by Universal Music AS on 1 Jan 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Authentic Scandinavia, Vol. 2: Norway
World - Released by Sonoton Authentic Series on 31 Dec 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Tre Nyhus
Sven Nyhus, Åshild Breie Nyhus, Ingfrid Breie Nyhus
Folk - Released by Heilo on 13 Jun 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bergroser Og Frøsøminner
Sven Nyhus, Asmund Bjørkens Sekstett
Folk - Released by Heilo on 10 Nov 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
På dansefot med Sven Nyhus (2010 Remastered Version)
Pop - Released by WM Norway on 25 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -