The most important traditional folksinger
That is a title Agnes Buen Garnås wears proud. She has dedicated her life to traditional Norwegian music, and in September she released yet another album with songs she won’t allow people to forget.
Agnes Buen Garnås has grown up with traditional music and song. Since she was a teenager she has worked tirelessly to gain recognition for older singers possessing invaluable knowledge of their traditions. Through her work, she has received inspiration from singers from many different areas of the country.
This year Norway celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the minister and traditional folk song preserver Magnus Brostrup Landstad. On that occasion Garnås released a new album, “Han rider den mørke natt”, singing some of the most beloved Landstad-songs. The album gained very positive reviews from critics all over the country.
“Han rider den mørke natt” is Garnås twentieth album. Other recordings include “Rosensfole” with Jan Garbarek and “Draumkvedet” together with Harald Gundhus, Knut Buen, Kåre Nordstoga and Warren Carlstrøm. She has also made several educational recordings. Garnås continues give concerts throughout Norway and abroad, both as a solo artist and together with singers and musicians from many different genres. For instance, she performs in three touring concert programs - “The Dream Song (Draumkvedet)” with organ and Hardanger fiddle improvisations by Inger Lise Ulsrud and Knut Buen, “Tonemesse - Sacred Services with Material from the Notebooks of Ludwig Lindemann” and “Ættesong and Meisterspel - Ancestral Songs and Virtuoso Playing”.
Teaching at courses and seminars is an equally large part of Agnes’ work. More recently Agnes has worked much with stev (traditional songs) and older folk songs. Agnes is the co-editor of the songbooks “54 viser og stev frå Øst-Telemark (54 Traditional Songs from East Telemark)” and “Ei vise vil eg kveda (A Song Will I Sing)”. Of course, she is also busy with concerts to celebrate the Landstad anniversary these days.
Headlines:
Himmelkvad
Celebrated vocal ensemble Nordic Voices is currently out on its promo tour for their new outing ‘Himmelkvad’, a critically acclaimed album presenting Norwegian composer Lasse Thoresen’s unique vocal universe. MIC Norway takes a closer look at the cutting-edge vocal ensemble and ground-breaking composer.
I was the devil in my younger years
Late Feb sees Enslaved heading out on a month-long European tour. MIC Norway hooked up with Enslaved’s Ivar Peersen to talk about musical cross pollination, inspirational sources, humour and his fascination for singer-songwriter Stein Torleif Bjella.
