Knudsen & Syrjälä – Talende Strenger / Kertovat Kielet (Taragot Sounds, 2023)
Talende Strenger / Kertovat Kielet (Talking Strings) is a collaborative album by two gifted musicians from Northern Europe. Ragnhild Knudsen (Norway) and Pauliina Syrjälä (FinlandI) first crossed paths at Nordtrad conferences, where they quickly discovered that the combination of Hardanger fiddle and kantele unveiled an entirely new, yet recognizable sound. The interaction of the two Nordic instruments has a result a set of beautiful, evocative, mesmerizing and masterfully performed pieces.
Since 2016, the two artists have collaborated to develop a repertoire grounded in older Norwegian and Finnish traditional music. They playfully experiment with both sound and structure in their songs, crafting enthralling arrangements that leave room for improvisation while drawing from Finnish and Norwegian traditions.
According to the artists, in Finland, traditional folk music has historically placed greater emphasis on innovation and improvisation, while in Norway, traditional playing techniques, rhythm, and intonation have been the focus. Within this dynamic contrast, the duo finds material for a unique contemporary expression of their own.
Buy Talende Strenger / Kertovat Kielet.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.