Music of Norway - Wikipedia

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Music of Norway
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Much has been learned about early music in
Norway
from physical artifacts found during archaeological digs. These include instruments such as the
lur
Viking
and medieval sagas also describe musical activity, as do the accounts of priests and pilgrims from all over Europe coming to visit
St Olav's grave
in Trondheim.
In the later part of the 19th century, Norway experienced economic growth leading to greater industrialization and urbanization. More music was made in the cities, and opera performances and symphony concerts were considered to be of high standards. In this era both prominent composers (like
Edvard Grieg
and
Johan Svendsen
) and performers combined the European traditions with Norwegian tones.
The import of music and musicians for dance and entertainment grew, and this continued in the 20th century, even more so when
gramophone records
and radio became common. In the last half of the 20th century, Norway, like many other countries in the world, underwent a
roots revival
that saw indigenous music being revived.
Traditional and folk music
edit
Traditional Norwegian
Hardanger fiddle
Before 1840, there were limited written sources of folk music in Norway. Originally these historical attainments were believed to have a distinct Christian influence. As research continued, there were also mythical and fairy tale connections to the folk music. Overall the purpose of folk music was for entertainment and dancing.
citation needed
Norwegian folk music may be divided into two categories: instrumental and vocal. As a rule instrumental folk music is dance music (
slåtter
). Norwegian folk dances are social dances and usually performed by couples, although there are a number of solo dances as well, such as the
halling
. Norway has very little of the ceremonial dance characteristic of other cultures. Dance melodies may be broken down into two types: two-beat and three-beat dances. The former are called
halling
gangar
or
rull
, whereas the latter are
springar
or
springleik
Traditional dances are normally referred to as
bygdedans
(village or regional dance). These dances, sometimes called "courting dances" were often connected to the important events of rural (farming) life: weddings, funerals and cyclical feasts like
Christmas
citation needed
Folk music in Norway falls in another 2 main categories based in the ethnic populations from which they spring:
North Germanic
and
Sami
Traditional
Sami music
is centered around a particular vocal style called
joik
. Originally, joik referred to only one of several Sami singing styles, but in English the word is often used to refer to all types of traditional Sami singing. Its sound is comparable to the traditional chanting of some
First Nations
Native Americans
cultures.
Traditional North Germanic Norwegian vocal music includes (
kvad
),
ballads
and short, often improvised songs (
stev
), among the most common types of traditional music.
Work songs
hymns
tralling
vocals (
nonsense syllables
) and
broadside ballads
skillingsviser
) have also been popular.
Norway shares some
Nordic dance music tradition
with its neighbouring countries of Sweden and Denmark, where the most typical instrument is the fiddle. In Norway, the
Hardanger
fiddle
hardingfele
), the most distinctive instrument in Norwegian folk music, looks and plays similar to a standard violin. It is only to be found primarily in the western and central part of the country. The Hardanger fiddle dates back to around 1700 and differs from the ordinary fiddle in many respects. The most important of these is that it has
sympathetic strings
and a less curved bridge and fingerboard. Thus, the performer plays on two strings most of the time, creating a typical bourdon style. The Hardanger fiddle tradition is rich and powerful. By traditional, orally conveyed instruction was one of the most important aspects of a Hardanger fiddle player's accomplishment.
Epic folk songs are the most important form of vocal folk music in Norway. Although there are many types of epic folk songs, the most intriguing are the medieval ballads. They were first transcribed in the 1800s, but the ballad tradition has been handed down from the Middle Ages. The lyrics of these songs also revolve around this period of history, recounting tales of the lives of nobles, and of knights and maidens. A number of the ballads describe historical events, and they are often dramatic and tragic.
In the second half of the 19th century, some fiddlers, especially those from
Voss
and
Telemark
, significantly
Lars Fykerud
(who eventually moved to
Stoughton, Wisconsin
in the
United States
and then returned to Telemark late in life), began introducing more expressive ways of playing, turning the traditional
slått
music to concert music for the urban classes.
At the same time, new dances and tunes were imported from Europe, including the
fandango
, reinlender,
waltz
polka
and
mazurka
. These forms are now known as
runddans
(round dances) or
gammeldans
(old dances).
Perhaps the most popular and controversial of modern Hardanger fiddle artists is
Annbjørg Lien
, who released her first album,
Annbjørg
in 1989. The album featured Helge Førde and
Frode Fjellheim
and was both praised for its innovative fusion work and expressive style, and criticized for its watering-down of traditional sounds and a lack of regional tradition.
Other Norwegian traditional instruments include:
bukkehorn
(goat horn)
harpeleik (chorded zither)
langeleik
(box
dulcimer
lur
(an older, trumpet-like instrument)
seljefløyte
, a
willow flute
tungehorn
and
Melhus
clarinets
munnharpe
As of today, there is an eclectic use of both folk music and its traditional instruments. Interest in folk music is growing, and there are a number of promising young performers. They are not only drawn to instrumental music, however. Many young people are now learning to sing in the traditional style. During the past few decades (since the folk-rock trend), folk musicians have shown a greater interest in experimentation. A new generation has emerged which, while showing respect for the old traditions, is also willing to think along new lines. A number of well-known folk music artists in Norway have made excellent recordings using new instruments and new arrangements. In recent years artists like
Gåte
and
Odd Nordstoga
have made folk music more accessible to younger crowds. Gåte fused folk music with metal and became very popular.
Lumsk
is another band mixing Norwegian traditional folk music with metal. The most famous Sami singer is undoubtedly
Mari Boine
, who sings a type of minimalist folk-rock with
joik
roots.
Karl Seglem
is a
Norwegian
musician and composer who plays
saxophone
and
bukkehorn
Sofia Jannok
is also a popular Sami contemporary artist.
There are also some important institutions, for example the National Association of Folk Musicians. It is an organization founded in 1923 for folk music artists and folk dancers and it is primarily a union for local and regional folk music associations, but it is also open to individual members. As of 1990, the national association had 6,000 members from approx. 125 different local organizations. The National Association of Folk Musicians publishes Spelemannsbladet, a folk music journal that comes out 12 times a year. It also arranges the annual Landskappleiken (National Contest for Traditional Music), which is the most important event of its kind in Norway.
Folk music has a distinct part of Norwegian history, and most historical collection was done by L.M Lindeman. A large part of the collections are maintained and preserved in the National Folk Music Collection and at the National Library.
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
(NRK) uses and includes recordings of folk music from the archive of NRK, which contains over 50,000 recordings from 1934 until today, in addition to other recordings in the radio channels and the specialized radio channel
NRK Folkemusikk
Classical music
edit
Edvard Grieg
During the 1600s cities of
Oslo
Bergen
and
Trondheim
"each had their own city musicians."
The first important
classical
composers from Norway are documented from the beginning of the 18th century, when they composed dance and
chamber music
, including
cantatas
. Some of these composers are
Georg von Bertouch
Johan Daniel Berlin
and Johan Henrik Berlin. In addition, music also received some interested from the public in which music developed steadily especially in more affluent urban areas. Moreover, around the 1750s private or semi-public music societies started appearing in several cities, given an opportunity for the wealthier population to enjoy.
In 1814, Sweden entered into a
union
with Norway, and the Swedish royal family spent time in Norway's capital,
Christiania (Oslo)
. At their royal court, music flourished.
National Romanticism
edit
National romanticism
, a movement that was prevalent throughout Europe, touched Norway as well, and began to affect classical musicians and classical music in the country. The violinist
Ole Bull
(1810–1880) was the first major Norwegian musician. He became world-famous starting in about 1834, playing not only in Norway but also in other parts of Europe and the US, and was known as the Nordic
Paganini
In addition, a few other great composers emerged including
Halfdan Kjerulf
Martin Andreas Udbye
who composed the first Norwegian
opera
Fredkulla, and
Rikard Nordraak
who composed the Norwegian national anthem "Ja, vi elsker dette landet".
From about 1831, traditional Norwegian music began to influence the classical scene, especially through Bull, who befriended the famous traditional
Hardanger fiddle
player
Myllarguten
and through the friendship gained better understanding of traditional music. Bull himself started playing the Hardanger fiddle, and was the first to present
folk
tunes to the public in urban areas. He also saw to that Myllarguten played with him in concert, presenting a rural traditional musician to an urban audience for the very first time, in February 1849, at the very height of Norwegian romantic nationalism. This later inspired
Edvard Grieg
to look for folk musical sources. But urban audiences were slow to gain an appreciation and understanding of traditional (rural) music.
Romanticism
style dominated Norwegian music "until well into the 20th century, whether expressed through modifications to the national Romantic idiom of Grieg or through a more classical/international line"
like
Catharinus Elling
or
Halfdan Cleve
Foreign musicians began settling in Norway in the 1840s, bringing with them musical knowledge from the rest of Europe. Following the
French Revolution
of 1848, Norway saw the development of a strong national consciousness, as well as economic growth which occurred the development of music. In comparison to most other countries of this period, female Norwegian musicians were widely accepted, and were even published and given stipends by the state.
1898 Music festival in Bergen by
Agnes Nyblin
. Left to right:
Christian Cappelen
Catharinus Elling
Ole Olsen
Gerhard Rosenkrone Schelderup
Iver Holter
Agathe Backer Grøndahl
Edvard Grieg
Christian Sinding
Johan Svendsen
and
Johan Halvorsen
With Norwegian
nationalism
burgeoning, the musical scene throughout the country entered the Golden Age of Norwegian Music, led by
Halfdan Kjerulf
and organist and collector
Ludvig Mathias Lindeman
. The Golden Age's most prominent composers included
Johan Svendsen
and Edvard Grieg. Bull's efforts directly inspired Grieg to look for folk musical sources. These composers, inspired by Lindeman's collections and Ole Bull's Hardanger fiddling, incorporated Norwegian folk elements into their compositions.
At the end of the 19th century, the collection of folk tunes continued unabated, and composers like
Christian Sinding
and
Johan Halvorsen
were well known. Following the dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905, Norwegian nationalism continued to grow in popularity and innovation, led especially
David Monrad Johansen
Geirr Tveitt
and
Eivind Groven
. These composers looked towards using folk music in their compositions, a trend that continued well into
World War II
, through a process of internationalization began in the 1930s, easily heard in composers like
Ludvig Irgens-Jensen
Bjarne Brustad
Harald Sæverud
and
Klaus Egge
. In between the wars, only a few composers, like
Pauline Hall
and
Fartein Valen
, were significantly influenced by foreign styles.
Post World War II
edit
20th century composer
Arne Nordheim
After World War II, Norwegian music began moving in a new direction, away from the Nordic and Germanic ideals of the past, and towards a more international, especially American, British and French, style. Norwegian composers were influenced by a wider variety of styles that included
serialism
neo-expressionism
aleatory
and
electronic music
New composers of this period included
Johan Kvandal
Knut Nystedt
Edvard Hagerup Bull
and
Egil Hovland
. Of especial importance was French
neo-classicism
Paul Hindemith
and
Béla Bartók
. During this period, serial music appeared in Norway, led by
Finn Mortensen
. Later, avant garde composers like
Arne Nordheim
took advantage of technological developments, using a variety of electronic effects and bizarre instrumentation. Arne Nordheim "is the most important composer of the post-war era". Ever since 1950, Nordheim has had immense influence on Norwegian cultural life. His most famous pieces have served as milestone for
contemporary
Norwegian music.
Much of the Norwegian public did not appreciate the new direction these
avant-garde
composers were moving in, which helped to fuel a conservative backlash. Some composers, like
Kåre Kolberg
, reacted by writing simple music, while others, such as
Alfred Janson
and
Ragnar Søderlind
, revived romanticism. Some music from this era attempted to address social and political concerns, such as Janson's dedication of a violin concerto to Chilean president
Salvador Allende
By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, Norwegian classical music had become very diverse, incorporating elements from throughout the country's documented musical history, as well as modern jazz, pop and rock. Composers of the last part of the 20th century include
Olav Anton Thommessen
, Per Christian Jacobsen, Magne Hegdal,
Åse Hedstrøm
, Asbjørn Schaatun, Tor Halmrast,
Glenn Erik Haugland
Nils Henrik Asheim
, Cecille Ore and Ketil Hvoslef. 21st century composers include
Marcus Paus
and
Maja Ratkje
. Popular and classical attention to folk music has also continued through the work of composers like
Lasse Thoresen
Norway currently supports several
orchestras
of various sizes. There are two "national orchestras". Founded in 1765,
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
(Norway's oldest symphony orchestra), once conducted by Grieg, together with
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
, established in 1919, are the leading orchestras in Norway. In addition, some regional professional orchestras in Norway have been successful:
Trondheim Symphony Orchestra
, the
Stavanger Symphony Orchestra
, the Arctic Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra, the
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
, and the
Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra
. For the last couple of decades working conditions for professional orchestras in Norway's bigger cities have greatly improved due to the construction of larger concert halls and emergence of new conductors.
In addition, the annual
Bergen International Festival
(founded in 1953) helps spread Norwegian music often music similar to that of Grieg's, as well as theatre and the visual arts, and also receives international culture. Moreover, other important festivals include the International Chamber Music Festival, the Oslo Chamber Music Festival, the
Risør Chamber Music Festival
and the Kristiansund Opera Festival.
In addition, the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra has greatly contributed to Norwegian musical life, particularly conductor
Mariss Jansons
' impact on Norwegian music in the 1980s. Jansons was able to completely change people's idea of what part symphonic music in the Norwegian culture has played. Jansons was able to revive symphonic music and make the orchestra world-famous.
citation needed
They recorded an acclaimed set of
Tchaikovsky
symphonies and began regular international concert tours.
The
Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
has since the inauguration of their new spectacular house won admiration for their productions and expanded their number of spectators.
Norwegian choir tradition
edit
The oldest material evidence of choral music in Norway belongs to the 12th century, and as in all European choral singing, it was cultivated in monasteries and then in education centres, initially for religious purposes. Both the Catholic era and later the Lutheran reform of choral singing was important. However, the beginnings of a Norwegian tradition of choral singing itself took place during the 19th century.
On the one hand the cession of Norway from Denmark to Sweden arose a strong nationalist cultural motivation. On the other hand, the ideas
Hans Georg Nägeli
(1773–1836, Swiss) and
Carl Friedrich Zelter
(1758–1832, Germany) had given to choral singing reputed to be a particularly effective means of decimation of culture.
citation needed
This tradition is the joint work of composers, conductors, singing teachers and choral music publications. Lars Roverud, Friedrich August Reissiger, Ludvig Mathias Lindeman, Halfdan Kjerulf, Johan Conradi, and Johan Diederich Behrens are just some of the names that formed this Norwegian tradition before Edvard Grieg. They took more than one role in this complex socio-cultural development, each having a special merit.
The main contribution of
Ludvig Mathias Lindeman
was his collection of folk music and hymnody compilations, as well as the organization of a school for organists in 1883, which later became the Conservatory of Oslo. Kjerulf, Behrens and Conradi were the three directors of choirs and organizers of choral societies, but there was no doubt that Kjerulf stood out as composer, leaving more than 170 choral pieces, mostly for male quartet. Behrens and Conradi rather had a social role by organizing festivals such as the Craftmen Choir and the Businessmen Choir, as well as the Norwegian Students' Choir in Oslo and gradually in other regions. Behrens has a special reputation for having published compilations of Norwegian composers; there are over 500 songs in his volumes of "Collections of Part Songs for Male Voices".
The most influential era of these musicians was during the second half of the 19th century, a time when the popularity of choral singing spread throughout Norway, especially male singing for four voices. Proof of this is the legacy chorale singing left in the U.S., especially since the founding of St. Olaf College Choir by F. Melius Christiansen in 1912; there were said to be 3000 in attendance at mass services.
The choral tradition has since been used to strengthen the Norwegian identity. Conradi, Kjerulf and Reissiger wrote choral music with lyrics from Norwegian writers such as Ibsen or Bjørnson, who in turn wrote with the intention that their texts could be easily added to music. The 19th century was a time of intense collaboration between writers and composers, to use the existing popularity of musical societies and especially the male quartets were particularly popular from the 1840s.
clarification needed
A second generation of conductors and composers continued this tradition until the beginning of the 20th century (Andreas Olaus Grøndahl in Oslo, and in Bergen Ingolf Schjøtt). The popularity of choral societies and choral festivals led to the first competitions starting in the 1850s. In 1878 the Choral Society held its first student events outside Scandinavia bringing Norwegian music and texts to Paris, this being a way to export and show Norwegian culture.
The nationalist motivation is exposed in the music of Grieg. Despite the tradition that remained during the transition to the 20th century, Norwegian choral music eventually changed, especially after WW1 when romantic ideals were abandoned. A new generation of composers arose including Egge, Nysted, and Sommerfeldt.
clarification needed
These composers are still influenced by Grieg and found inspiration in not only national elements but also more recent musical trends.
Finally, more recent eras of economic prosperity in Norway has brought a second boom of choral music in the capital and beyond.
Volda
for example, a village of about 7,000 people in western Norway, has about 20 active choirs.
World music
edit
World music
, a genre featuring influences from at least two cultural traditions, has become a small but lively musical genre in Norway.
In Norway there are some musicians and bands whose music is categorized as world music. For example, the Irish-Norwegian
Secret Garden
, which won the
Eurovision Song Contest
in 1995
, plays
new age music
. In addition, the well-reviewed
Ras Nas
mixes African music and reggae music with poetry. Vindrosa's music is traditional Norwegian folk songs with ethnic spices, and
Annbjørg Lien
blends traditional Norwegian music with jazz and rock.
Several world music festivals are held in Norway each year. The
Oslo World Music Festival
was started by
Concerts Norway
Rikskonsertene
) in 1994, and the festival has introduced a multifaceted repertoire from Africa, Asia and Latin America ever since. The
Riddu Riđđu
festival was founded by the Sami associations in 1991 at first as a festival for
Sami music
and culture, but since then the festival has expanded to also concern international
indigenous peoples
The association Samspill International Music Network (SIMN) is an organization for both musicians and dancers, and it promotes the position of world music in Norway. The organization coordinates information services, concert cooperation and seminars, and one of its main goals is to develop music and dance in Norway.
Popular and contemporary music
edit
Main article:
List of Norwegian musicians
As in other countries, Norway has developed its own forms of popular, contemporary music. Since 2000, Norwegian popular music has generally been appearing on the international scene, initially through breakthroughs by Norwegian
jazz
and
blues
artists, then followed by
electronica
and pop artists.
citation needed
Blues
edit
One of Norway's top blues guitarists is
Knut Reiersrud
. He has also taken inspiration from traditional Norwegian music forms, including tuning a
Stratocaster
guitar like the Norwegian
langeleik
, calling it a Hallingcaster (a
word play
on the Norwegian term for the hat kick used in athletic dance usually performed by men, the
halling
). Reiersrud has made some recordings with Norwegian organist
Iver Kleive
Bjørn Berge
is another well-known blues guitarist. He is well known for his so-called "delta-funk" music, heavily inspired by 12-string delta blues and modern funk and rock bands. R&B stars include Noora Elweya Qadry,
Winta
and
Mira Craig
Scandinavian's largest blues festival is held in
Notodden
every year in early August and draws over 30,000 fans from all corners of the blues world to the city of 12,000.
Several blues festivals are held around Norway every year, for example, the Blues in Hell Festival (near
Trondheim
) and the Oslo Blues Fest in
Bergen
. The Blues in Hell Festival began in 1994 and attendance grew from 1500 in the first year to more than 20,000 in 2000. Since 1996, cooperation with the Norwegian Music Council has led to music seminars for youth and musicians at a high level of performance as a part of the festival.
Country
edit
Norwegian country music themes include occurrences in everyday Norwegian life. Folk and country influences have been widely incorporated into modern-day country music. As
dialects in Norway
vary extensively, the music is distinct to regions and areas throughout the country.
Hellbillies
is one of Norway's most endorsed and successful country bands. Along with other modern country bands, there is an extensive use and integration of folk and rock music. Their song lyrics are written in the
Hallingdal
dialect and reflect Norwegians and their lives.
Norway has also produced country musicians like
Heidi Hauge
and
Bjøro Håland
. Other artists who sing about the common life and culture of Norway include
Salhuskvintetten
and
Vinskvetten
. Alf Bretteville-Jensen is a popular singer/songwriter whose intense, somewhat noir-flavored music incorporates elements of country, folk, and rock, using instruments such as acoustic and electric guitar, as well as
pedal steel guitar
Norway's largest country music festival is in
Seljord Municipality
every year in late July.
Dansband music
edit
Dansband
is a Swedish term for a band that plays
dansbandsmusik
Dansbandsmusik
is often danced to in pairs and features acoustic, electric, bass and steel guitars, drum, saxophone, accordion and keyboard. Its lyrics often address themes such as love, friendship, peace, nature and old memories. The genre developed primarily in
Sweden
, but has spread to neighbouring countries
Denmark
Norway
and the
Swedish-speaking regions
of
Finland
. When the genre came to Norway it was first called
Svensktoppar
. The main audience for dansband music is middle-aged adults. The music is often performed live at venues where the main focus is dancing, rather than watching the performance on stage. However, many
dansbands
also record albums and singles. The band
Ole Ivars
scored a 1999 hit with the song "Jag trodde änglarna fanns" together with
Kikki Danielsson
. Another famous Norwegian song, "
Lys og varme
", which was written by Åge Alexandersen, became a popular
dansband
song in Sweden, as "Ljus och värme".
Electronic and dance
edit
Electronic music
(or electronica) includes sounds that are produced using electronic technology,
including
synthesizers
drum machines
samplers
and computers. Norwegian electronic music is dominated by
Röyksopp
, a duo from
Tromsø
playing contemporary electronic music.
Well-known musicians include the duo
Bel Canto
and
Biosphere
, an ambient electronic musician.
10
Other popular Norwegian musicians playing electronic music include
Ralph Myerz
and the Jack Herren Band,
Lindstrøm
Prins Thomas
Todd Terje
Datarock
Flunk
, Bermuda Triangle,
Frost
Bjørn Torske
Sternklang
and
TeeBee
From 2010 many Norwegian producers started gaining international success. One of the most important names is
Kygo
11
who first with his remixes and then with his debut single "Firestone" and album "
Cloud Nine
" gained international success and became one of the most influential
electronic dance music
(EDM) producers in the genre of
tropical house
. A number of other Norwegian producers belong to this genre such as
Matoma
Broiler
and
SeeB
. Other notable names are
Alan Walker
K-391
Lido
, and
Cashmere Cat
A Norwegian festival called
Insomnia
specializes in innovative electronic music, and it is held every year in
Tromsø
12
During the 2010s worldwide electronic music boom, DJ and producer Fehrplay signed to international labels Pryda Friends and Anjunabeats and played at the Creamfields festival in 2013.
Hip hop
edit
Hip-hop music is a genre of rhythmic music that is often accompanied by rapping.
13
Hip-hop came to Norway in the summer of 1984 with the movie
Beat Street
that was shown in Norwegian cinemas. Hip-hop soon became a small but eager subculture and it expanded from
breakdance
and
graffiti culture
to include rap music. In the 1980s and 1990s Norwegian rap was mainly in English and the Norwegian hip-hop scene was strongly influenced by the American one. In the early 21st century, many artists started to use Norwegian instead of English, and at the same time rapping in different Norwegian dialects started to become more commonplace. Tungtvann was one of the first groups to rap in their own dialect. In the mid-2000s, hip-hop became more mainstream and new and unconventional groups such as
Side Brok
emerged. Recently multilingual and multicultural Norwegian groups with minority backgrounds, such as
Karpe Diem
and Minoritet have succeeded in becoming popular.
14
Popular hip-hop artists and groups during the mid 2000s to the early 2010s include
Warlocks
Tommy Tee
Lars Vaular
Klovner i Kamp
Gatas Parlament
Paperboys
Madcon
Erik og Kriss
Jaa9 & OnkelP
and Karpe.
Tommy Tee
, known as the 'godfather of Norwegian hip-hop', is the owner of the leading Norwegian hip-hop label Tee Productions located in Oslo.
15
During the periods of c. 2011-2012, a series of freestyle cyphers existed called National Cypher.
The most notable freestyle would be the first 2011 cypher.
Madcon
, a Norwegian hip-hop and pop duo, was established in 1992 by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa. They released their first known single in 2000 with the track God Forgive Me. They first gained attention in Norway with their feature on the track Barcelona by Paperboys in 2002. They released their debut album It's All A Madcon in 2004. The album heavily features influences, both in vocabulary and in sound reminiscent of US hip-hop at the time, but with a unique spin. The group would gain little popular attention from the release, however the release of So Dark The Con Of Man in 2007 did. The song Beggin', a cover of the 1967 track by The Four Seasons, reached a peak of #2 on the Norwegian VG-lista, as well as reaching the top 10 across Europe, and even #1 in several others and #33 in the USA. The track would very likely inspire the cover by
Måneskin
of the track in 2021. They would switch to rapping in Norwegian with their album Contakt, featuring nearly a dozen popular Norwegian artists, and making the charts in Norway. Yosef Wolde-Mariam featured on the track Påfugl by Karpe Diem in 2012. The track would very likely inspire the cover by Måneskin of the track in 2021. Yosef Wolde-Mariam featured on the track Påfugl by Karpe Diem in 2012. Madcon would release the English-spoken single Don't Worry in 2015, which would reach levels of popularity surpassing Beggin's. They would release the album Icon in 2013, and the album Contakt Vol.2 in 2018. Contakt Vol.2 would receive especially little attention, likely in part due to its lack of availability across other countries on streaming platforms. They have largely faded from the public eye since.
Madcon marks Norwegian hip-hop history as the only Norwegian rap group to earn major recognition internationally.
Karpe
(known as Karpe Diem in the period 2000–2018) is a rap, pop, and pop-rap group made up of the artists Magdi Omar Ytreeide Abdelmaguid and Chirag Rashmikant Patel. Magdi and Chirag were both born in the summer of 1984 and grew up together in Lørenskog, a part of northern Oslo. Magdi and Chirag first met in 1998 in the Oslo Handelsgymnasium, where they were both studying and making music individually. The duo was formed in 2000. They would release their debut EP in 2004, Glasskår, and their debut album Rett Fra Hjertet in 2006. They would release more albums in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2019.
Karpe Diem would end up being the most successful Norwegian hip-hop group in the country's history.
Jazz
edit
In 1898, the so-called
Negerkapellet
(a band of African-Americans) toured Norway, as a result of Geo Jackson's efforts.
16
Jazz came to Europe after
citation needed
the first World War and, in that time, the term "jazz" was commonly used to describe everything new and hip. The first foreign jazz orchestra came to Norway in 1921 and the emergence of the saxophone among Norwegian jazz players was observed in 1923. Soon the typical Norwegian jazz band developed, which consists of one or two saxophones, violin, piano,
banjo
and drums. Funny Boys made the first serious Norwegian jazz record in 1938. However, the economic crisis of the 1930s weakened the further development of Norwegian jazz bands. From the 1940s on, the violin started to play a more fundamental role in Norwegian jazz. In recent years Norway has also become a major force in world jazz.
Jazz plays an important role in everyday Norwegian music life, and can be heard in bars, cafes, and in the streets. Oslo is the center of today's Norwegian jazz.
Pioneers of Norwegian jazz include
Jan Garbarek
. His cool, almost ambient approach is typical of Norwegian jazz, although recently there have been moves to build bridges with electronica and post-rock.
citation needed
He, too, has linked jazz with traditional Norwegian music, as evidenced in his recording Rosenfole with acclaimed Norwegian traditional-style singer,
Agnes Buen Garnås
. His daughter,
Anja Garbarek
, is one of the artists that has renovated the jazz scene, combining sweet melodies with electronic sounds and pop beats. The work of the Christian Wallumrod Ensemble ("Fabula Suite Lugano", The Zoo Is Far) serves as a leading example of contemporary Norwegian jazz, along with
ECM Records
artists
Trygve Seim
and
Frode Haltli
. Other contemporary Norwegian jazz stars include the group
Supersilent
, drummer
Jon Christensen
, guitarist
Terje Rypdal
, pianist
Bugge Wesseltoft
, percussionist
Paal Nilssen-Love
, bassist
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten
, trumpeter
Nils Petter Molvaer
, and experimental jazz band
Jaga Jazzist
. Many of these artists record for the seminal jazz label ECM. However, some of the more modern artists record for the newer Norwegian labels
Rune Grammofon
Smalltown Supersound
Losen Records
, Inner Ear,
Curling Legs
Jazzaway Records
All Ice Records
Ponca Jazz Records
NorCD
Jazzland Records
and
Smalltown Superjazzz
Pop and rock
edit
Norwegian popular music has come from the many urban scenes such as the Bergen scene or Oslo's underground. The strengthening of Norwegian popular music has been brought by the growth of festivals, the many new independent (indie) record labels, a new generation of eager and talented music industry professionals as well as more supportive domestic media. The establishment of
NRK
(Norwegian National Broadcasting) in 1933 contributed to the spread of popular music. Additionally, British and North American radio stations, along with an import of jazz and rock records, widened the musical tastes of most Norwegians.
by:Larm
is a festival that promotes popular music in Norway. The event holds both conferences and a music festival. Norwegian and foreign music industries can meet at the conference and there are also seminars and debate. Most of the musicians performing at the festival are up-and-coming artists.
Music awards in Norway, such as
Spellemannprisen
, and TV shows such as Kjempesjansen may have also some influence on popular music in Norway.
Troubadour
Alf Prøysen
(1914–70) stands out as a brilliant songwriter of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, his songs often featuring lyrics connected with the local culture of the
Hedmark
area. Many of his songs have become popular classics. In the 1950s, the Monn Keys, featuring
Egil Monn-Iversen
Arne Bendiksen
Sølvi Wang
Per Asplin
and Oddvar Sanne, became one of the most popular groups. Monn-Iversen (composer, producer and arranger at
Chat Noir
and
NRK
) and
Bendiksen
(arranger and record producer) were leading figures in Norwegian popular music throughout the 1960s.
There are not so many Norwegian popular artists who have made it to the international market. However, in the 1980s, Norwegian pop trio
a-ha
had meteoric international success when their 1985 debut
Take On Me
reached number one in the US and the UK. Known as the biggest music export from Norway, a-ha has sold more than 80 million records worldwide and holds the
Guinness World Record
for drawing the largest paying audience at a pop concert.
17
Their highly successful 2010
Ending on a High Note Tour
marked the end of a-ha's 25-year career. They performed at
Rock in Rio
2015 in response to popular demand. Since the mid-1990s, Norwegian popular music has experienced a thorough transformation from a small and domestically-oriented scene into a rich and diverse society of musicians and industry representatives with their sights set on the international stage.
Sissel Kyrkjebø
, the singer commonly known as "Sissel", has also reached a level of worldwide popularity, especially after her voice appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997 film
Titanic
. Highlights of her career include singing the Olympic hymn at the
1994 Winter Olympics
in
Lillehammer
, representing Norway at the
Nobel Peace Prize Concert
, and performing at the invitation of tenor greats
Plácido Domingo
and
José Carreras
at the first Christmas concert in Moscow after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Aurora is one of the most internationally successful Norwegian artists
In recent years, a
Bergen
based pop-singer named Aurora Aksnes, known
mononymously
as
Aurora
, has gained international recognition. Her 2015 single "
Runaway
" has accumulated over 3 billion streams across
streaming platforms
18
and her 2021 track "
Cure for Me
" has exceeded 100 million views on
19
Since her debut studio album
All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend
in 2016, she has released five albums, and is considered one of Norway's most prominent artists.
20
21
22
In 2019, Aurora contributed backing vocals to "
Into the Unknown
" for Disney's
Frozen 2
and performed the song at the
92nd Academy Awards
alongside
Idina Menzel
and nine international vocalists who dubbed the song in their respective languages.
23
24
She continues to produce music and perform globally,
25
with her 2024–25
What Happened to the Earth?
tour attracting 275,000 attendees,
26
including shows at prestigious venues such as the
Royal Albert Hall
and
Wembley Arena
27
28
Successful Norwegian music artists in pop and rock:
A-ha
Alan Walker
Astrid S
Aurora
Bjørn Eidsvåg
CC Cowboys
Datarock
Dagny
DumDum Boys
Girl in Red
Highasakite
Jahn Teigen
John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen
Kaizers Orchestra
Kakkmaddafakka
Kings of Convenience
Kristian Kristensen
Kurt Nilsen
Kygo
Lene Marlin
Madrugada
Marcus and Martinus
Maria Mena
Marit Larsen
Moyka
Postgirobygget
Röyksopp
Sigrid
Sondre Justad
Susanne Sundfør
Thomas Dybdahl
Folk
edit
In recent years artists like
Gåte
and
Odd Nordstoga
have made folk music more accessible to younger crowds. Gåte fused folk music with metal and became very popular.
Lumsk
is another band mixing Norwegian traditional folk music with metal. The most famous Sami singer is undoubtedly
Mari Boine
, who sings a type of minimalist folk-rock with
joik
roots.
Karl Seglem
is a
Norwegian
musician and composer who plays
sax
and
bukkehorn
A well known folk rock band called
Plumbo
has made an impact the last few years with songs like "Mökkamann" and especially "Ola Nordmann", which was their song of choice when they participated in
Melody Grand Prix 2012
. Other notable acts include
Wardruna
, which creates music based around Nordic Spiritualism, and
Sturle Dagsland
citation needed
Heavy metal
edit
Black metal
edit
See also:
Early Norwegian black metal scene
Norway is famous for
black metal
. Though not initially created in Norway, Norwegian bands and musicians have helped to develop the genre, influenced by bands like
Bathory
Venom
and
Mercyful Fate
. Norway's early black metal music was quite varied in experimentation and innovation – some bands (
Mayhem
Emperor
, and
Gorgoroth
) focused on creating a dark sound, others focused on using Viking elements (
Borknagar
Enslaved
), and still others (
Limbonic Art
Dimmu Borgir
) included keyboards to create the subgenre called
symphonic black metal
. However, the use of keyboards is not uncommon in black metal in general. Most bands tune to the key of E and the lyrics focus on themes like darkness, cold, sorrow, depression, evil,
satanism
and
Norse Paganism
. Mayhem is one of the most important black metal bands as it has helped to define the content of the genre. It was the center of a cult and the band set standards for extremity, for example in encouraging violence against churches. The leader of Mayhem, Øystein "
Euronymous
" Aarseth, clashed with bandmate Varg "
Count Grishnackh
" Vikernes (also known for his band
Burzum
). This eventually led to Vikernes killing Aarseth. Other controversial events in this scene include the
suicide
of former
Mayhem
vocalist
Per Yngve "Dead" Ohlin
in 1991, and the murder of a homosexual man in
Lillehammer
by then-
Emperor
drummer
Bård "Faust" Eithun
in 1992.
After Vikernes' confinement, the Norwegian black metal scene moved to a more open and imaginative environment, and in 1995, the second wave of Norwegian black metal began. Black metal, which had once been an extremely underground phenomenon in its early days, became more well known worldwide. The focus was no longer on death threats and burning churches, although most bands today still trend towards Satanism or are atheists. Modern lyrics still consist of themes concerning evil, Norse mythology, sex, violence and war. Most Norwegian black metal bands sign with companies in Germany and England. Dimmu Borgir uses elements of classical music to expand their music to a wide range of audiences. As a result, their records nowadays show great commercial success, especially in the US. In the early days, Norwegian black metal songs were recorded on four-track tapes, but in recent times, the music has become more sophisticated. With the use of further technology, the quality of music has become better, some critics say, and the musicians, of whom many have a background in classical music, are highly talented and well educated. Still, many believe true black metal should stay underground, obscure and raw. What makes Norwegian black metal unique is the fact that it has "an almost inaudible echo that warns of magic and evil."
quote needs citation
Black metal bands from other countries have often tried to reproduce Norwegian black metal sounds but they have not been successful.
citation needed
Norwegian black metal has always had a particular sound, and as it continues to be innovative, it sells quite well around the world.
29
Norwegian black metal bands include:
1349
Abbath
Ancient
Arcturus
Aura Noir
Bloodthorn
Borknagar
Burzum
Carpathian Forest
Darkthrone
Dimmu Borgir
Dismal Euphony
Dødheimsgard
Drottnar
Emperor
Enslaved
Fimbulwinter
Gaahlskagg
Gehenna
God Seed
Gorgoroth
Grimfist
Hades Almighty
Helheim
Ihsahn
Ildjarn
Immortal
In The Woods...
Isengard
Kampfar
Keep of Kalessin
Khold
Koldbrann
The Kovenant
Kvelertak
Limbonic Art
Manes
Mayhem
Mysticum
Nattefrost
Obtained Enslavement
Old Funeral
Old Man's Child
Orcustus
Ov Hell
Peccatum
Ragnarok
Satyricon
Strid
Susperia
Taake
Thorns
Thou Shalt Suffer
Trelldom
Tsjuder
Tulus
Ulver
Urgehal
Vreid
Windir
Zyklon
Gothic metal
edit
Gothic metal
is to be considered a subgenre of
heavy metal
. It links sinister, melancholic melodies with highly aggressive heavy metal. Musical characteristics are the use of keyboards and typically female singers. Vocal styles show a wide range of diversity, from clean to growling. The lyrics show great similarities to gothic rock. In Oslo, many goth metal music clubs can be found.
The large Norwegian gothic metal scene includes bands like:
Fleurety
Leaves' Eyes
(Norway & Germany)
Lumsk
Midnattsol
(Norway & Germany)
Myriads
The Sins of Thy Beloved
Sirenia
Tristania
Theatre of Tragedy
Ved Buens Ende
Virus
Death metal
edit
Though less notable than its black metal scene, Norway is known for
death metal
. In contrast to black metal, death metal uses frequent tempo and time signature changes. In death metal, the vocals are usually low and guttural, as opposed to black metal vocals which are usually high-pitched. The sound in general is distorted and heavy, sometimes creating a "wall of sound". Famous Norwegian death metal bands include
Blood Red Throne
Cadaver
Carpe Tenebrum
Myrkskog
Aeternus
Zyklon
, and Fester, as well as
Darkthrone
's first album
Soulside Journey
30
See also
edit
Sami music
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest
Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
Oslo Philharmonic
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Stavanger Symphony Orchestra
Trondheim Symphony Orchestra
Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
List of number one songs in Norway
List of number one albums in Norway
List of Norwegian musicians
Norwegian Academy of Music
Culture of Norway
References
edit
"Norway cultural profile"
. Embassy of Norway in the United Kingdom and the British Council Norway. 2007-08-19
. Retrieved
2012-03-15
"Norway – the Official Site in the United States"
. Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington
. Retrieved
2012-03-06
Norske komponister ved Musikkfesten i Bergen, 1898
, Document.dk, Retrieved 22 May 2016
Gunnar, Jerman (1997).
A Cultural Odyssey: Focus on Norwegian Art
. Oslo: Index Pub.
Archived
2012-07-11 at the
Wayback Machine
Shepherd, John. Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. London: Continuum, 2003, Vol. 3 Europe, pp. 271, 273.
[1]
ml
"Annbjørg Lien"
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-06-16
. Retrieved
2012-05-03
Archived
2012-02-10 at the
Wayback Machine
Brochure for Oslo World Music Festival 2011, p. 5
"About Riddu Riđđu - Riddu Riđđu"
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-05-18
. Retrieved
2012-05-03
"Om oss"
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-07-25
. Retrieved
2012-05-03
"Dolmetsch Online – Music Dictionary El–Enf"
. Dolmetsch.com
. Retrieved
2017-12-14
"Norwegian Pop Culture - the Music Scene in Norway"
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-03-18
. Retrieved
2012-05-03
":: Bel Canto ::"
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-02-04
. Retrieved
2012-05-03
"Home | Biosphere"
. Biosphere.no
. Retrieved
2017-12-14
"Norwegian techno house electronica ambient etc discography"
. Beatservice.no
. Retrieved
2017-12-14
"Insomnia Festival"
. Insomniafestival.no
. Retrieved
2017-12-14
"Dolmetsch Music Dictionary"
. Retrieved
2012-04-12
Brunstad, E.; Røyneland, U.; Opsahl, T. (2010), Terkourafi, M. (ed.), "Hip Hop, Ethnicity and Linguistic Practice in Rural and Urban Norway",
The Languages of Global Hip Hop
, New York: Continuum International Publishing Group:
223–
255
"Lexzyne Productions"
. Retrieved
2012-04-12
Av Trine Nickelsen.
"Da jazzen kom til Norge"
. Klassekampen.no
. Retrieved
2017-12-14
"Official Website"
. a-ha. 2017-12-07
. Retrieved
2017-12-14
"AURORA celebrates 10 years of 'Runaway' with new 'Portrait Of A Song' documentary"
NME
. 28 February 2015.
Archived
from the original on 28 February 2025
. Retrieved
30 May
2025
"AURORA - Cure For Me"
. 8 July 2021
. Retrieved
2 August
2023
– via YouTube.
Borge, Espen (14 August 2022).
"Det perfekte punktum"
[The perfect period].
p3.no
(in Norwegian).
Archived
from the original on 14 August 2022
. Retrieved
31 December
2024
Aurora [...] is not only one of the country's biggest artists, but one of the world's most successful creators.
Aswad, Jem (16 August 2022).
"With Girl in Red, Dagny, Aurora and More, Norway's Oya Festival Showcases the Country's Booming Music Scene"
Variety
Archived
from the original on 18 October 2022
. Retrieved
11 May
2025
Aurora [...] One of Norway's biggest acts [...]
Løvås, Tina (14 June 2025).
"Aurora på Piknik i Parken"
[Aurora at Piknik i Parken].
Musikknyheter.no
(in Norwegian)
. Retrieved
14 June
2025
Who better to round off a day with only Norwegian music than one of Norway's biggest artists of all time.
Ginsberg, Gab (6 December 2019).
"Aurora Explains How She Became the 'Voice of the Mountains' For 'Frozen 2's 'Into the Unknown'
Billboard
Archived
from the original on 27 November 2021
. Retrieved
25 June
2025
Akingbade, Tobi (10 February 2020).
"Oscars 2020: Watch Aurora and Idina Menzel perform at Academy Awards"
NME
Archived
from the original on 27 November 2021
. Retrieved
24 November
2021
"Decca co-presidents salute 'magic artist' Aurora ahead of Friday night Glastonbury performance"
Music Week
. 26 June 2024
. Retrieved
15 January
2025
Taylor, Sam (4 April 2025).
"Aurora has returned with a new single about "the invisible enemy" – check out 'The Flood'
Dork
. Retrieved
4 April
2025
Dunworth, Liberty (28 March 2024).
"AURORA announces new album 'What Happened To The Heart' and announces UK and European tour"
NME
. Retrieved
28 March
2024
Skinner, Tom (6 June 2024).
"Aurora announces Wembley Arena gig as part of new 2025 European tour"
NME
. Retrieved
6 June
2024
Reading list:
Hagen, Ross: Norwegian style, ideology, and mythology in Norwegian Black Metal, 2011
(in Metal rules the globe : heavy metal music around the world / Jeremy Wallach, Harris M. Berger, and Paul D. Greene, editors. Durham, N.C., Duke University Press)
Beste, Peter: True Norwegian Black Metal: we turn the night. New York: Vice, 2008
Ledang Martin & Aasdal Pål: Once upon a time in Norway: the history of Mayhem and the rise of Norwegian Black Metal. Oslo, Another World Entertainment 2008
Moynihan Michael & Søderlind Didrik: Lord of Chaos: The bloody Rise of the Satanic metal Underground. Feral House, 1998
Olson, Benjamin Hedge: I am the Black Wizards: Multiplicity, mysticism and identity in black metal music and culture. Bowling Green State University, May 2008.
Documental: TRUE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL
Vice.com
[2]
Freeborn R. 2010. A selective discography of Scandinavian heavy metal music. Notes – Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association 66(4): 840–50.
Pedersen J. 2002. Look to hell! Look to Norway! Listen to Norway 8(2): 6–11.
Lysvåg C. 2007. Dimmu Borgir: A demonically high entry on the Billboard list. Retrieved on March 11, 2012, from
Sources
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ISBN
1-85828-636-0
"Norway." The New Grove dictionary of music and musicians. 2nd ed. 2001. Print.
Bergsagel, John. Scandinavia: Unity in Diversity. In Samson J editor, The Late Romantic Era. Macmillan. (1991): 240–265.
Goertzen, C. " The Radiokappleik: Regional Norwegian folk music in the media." The Journal of Popular Culture 30 (1996): 249–262.
Grinde, Nils. A History of Norwegian Music. Trans.William H. Halverson and Leland B. Sateren. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1991. Print.
Horton, John. Scandinavian Music: A Short History. London: Faber and Faber, 1963. Print.
Myklebust, R. "Norwegian folk music record." Journal of the International Folk music council 10, (1958): 51.
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Sandvik, O.M. " Norwegian Folk music and its social significance." Journal of the International Folk Music Council 1 (1949): 12–13.
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