Hardanger Fiddle

 

 

The Hardanger fiddle is a traditional Norwegian variation on the violin, but with eight or nine strings rather than four as on a standard violin, and thinner wood. Most people will be familiar with the sound of this instrument through its extensive use in the soundtrack of the movie Lord of the Rings, where it was used for the theme of the riders of Rohan. Concertos for the instrument are extremely rare - I am only aware of the two by Norwegian composer Geirr Tveitt. I have selected the second concerto from 1965, played by Arvfe Moen Bergset with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra under Ole Kristian Ruud on BIS.