Pelle Björnlert & Johan Hedin

Sweden
http://www.johanhedin.com/

Pelle Björnlert and Johan Hedin play folk music primarily from Småland and Östergötland. The duo have a predilection for the music that was most popular among the fiddlers and church musicians of the late 18th century and which chimes in with the style nowadays known as Baroque. Pelle’s intensely personal playing on the fiddle and violino d’amore really brings the tunes to life. The old melodies start talking again – often after many years existence in the form of faded ink on yellowing paper. Here the tunes receive sympathetic accompaniment on tenor nyckelharpa, an instrument that sounds not unlike the foremost bass instrument of Baroque music: the viola da gamba.

These two Småland musicians conduct a spirited dialogue in their music, making the listeners prick up their ears. When their feet can no longer hold still it becomes evident that here is old music that was made for dancing. The duo play both for concerts and dances.

Pelle Björnlert. In the early 1970s Pelle was inspired by the Småland master musician Bengt Löfberg to start “digging” in the sleeping but rich soil of Småland and Östergötland tunes. Pelle and Bengt released the album ‘En roliger dans’ and became role models for many fiddlers in south Sweden. Resuscitation of the tradition has taken place with the aid of old recordings, manuscripts, visits to elderly fiddlers still living, and the whole time closeness to dancing has been paramount. The most recent solo album ‘Fors’ (rapids) is on the Giga label.

• Pelle Björnlert – fiddle and violino d´amore
• Johan Hedin – tenor nyckelharpa

• Pelle Björnlert & Johan Hedin: +461 501 29 96; +467 044 436 53 info@johanhedin.com