Gunnar Idenstam was awarded the 'Interpreter of the year' prize by the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm in 2012 for his efforts in rejuvenating organ art, and received a royal medal, Litteris et Artibus, in 2013.
Performer Biography
Gunnar Idenstam, the harmonium and keyboard player, is a concert organist who won the prestigious international improvisation competition 'Grand Prix de Chartres' in 1984, the first and only musician from northern Europe to do so.
Instruments
Gunnar Idenstam's harmonium, used on this album, was made by the Gefle/Gävle Organ and Piano Factory in the early 1900s, and in Scandinavia, the harmonium is traditionally used in folk music.
Performer Biography
Lisa Rydberg, the violinist, holds the title of Riksspelman, which means 'master folk musician', and was the first person to graduate from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm with a combination of classical and folk music.
Recording & Production
All the music on this album was recorded live, with the exception of the sing-along chanting on the track 'Tokschottis'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Gunnar Idenstam, the composer of most tracks, enjoys fusing different genres, such as combining a reggae groove with a traditional Swedish folk dance called Schottis, or mixing a Schottis groove with the Norwegian dance Halling.
