- Gjallarhorn (band)
Infobox musical artist
Name = Gjallarhorn
Img_capt = Gjallarhorn in 2007
Background = group_or_band
Origin = flagicon|FinlandSouthern Ostrobothnia ,Finland
Genre =world music folk music
Years_active = 1994 – Present
Label =
Current_members =Petter Berndalen (percussion ) (2004– ) Adrian Jones (viola ,mandola ,kalimba ) (2000–)Göran Månsson (flute s,recorder s,sub contrabass recorder ) (2005– )Jenny Wilhelms (vocal s,fiddle and hardangerfiddle) (1994– )
Past_members =Jakob Frankenhaeuser (didgeridoo ) (1994–1996)David Lillkvist (percussion ) (1996–2002)Tommy Mansikka-Aho (didgeridoo ,slideridoo andJew's harp ) (1996–2004)Christopher Öhman (viola ,mandola )(1994–2000)Sara Puljula (percussion ) (2002–2003)Gjallarhorn (pronounced "Gjadlarhorn","LL" is pronounced "dl" ) is a band that performs
world music with roots in thefolk music ofFinland . The quartet was born in 1994. The band's music echoes the ancientfolk music tradition ofScandinavia with medievalballad s,minuet s, prayers inruno-metric chanting and ancientIceland icrímur epics in a modern way.The Music
The band is Finnish and hails from
Southern Ostrobothnia , a Swedish-speaking area on the west coast of Finland, [http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/mainframe?readform&F7270FB5120E83AEC22566E8003A05D0] a fringe geographical area where 50% of the people speak Swedish.The music of the band remains Swedish in character. Most of their repertoire is the acoustic folk music of these Swedish-speaking Finns, from the unique minuets and ballads that have only survived in Ostrobothnia, to the old traditional
waltz es. Thedidgeridoo andsub-contrabass recorder offer an underlying drone, a technique shared by some other Nordic bands such asGarmarna .The narrative of Gjallarhorn's songs springs primarily from
Norse mythology . TheGjallarhorn is the sounding horn used by the godHeimdall , guardian of theBifröst bridge toAsgard , to announce the onset of the final conflict ofRagnarök . Heard throughout all worlds, it will awaken the gods to counsel and battle against the giants and the forces of chaos. The name of the horn is related to the word "gjala", which means "to shout" or "to sing out."History
Gjallarhorn was formed in 1994 on the west coast of Finland, in the Swedish speaking area, by
Jenny Wilhelms ,Christopher Öhman (viola ,mandola ) andJacob Frankenhaeuser (didgeridoo ). The band started as a trio but became aquartet withpercussion in 1996. The band has been a quartet ever since.In 1997 the first
CD Ranarop was released. The group was selected "Folk music group of the year 1997" and the CD was "Folk music CD of the year 1997" in Finland. In 1998 the band started touring frequently on a professional basis with performances at international world, folk and jazz music festivals. Gjallarhorn has toured inEurope ,USA ,Australia ,New Zealand ,Canada andJapan .The second CD Sjofn was released in 2000 and the third CD
Grimborg in 2002. In 2003 Grimborg was awarded the French "Academie Charles Cros" prize and Gjallarhorn was nominated for the music prize of the Nordic Council of Ministries.In 2004 the band made a 10th anniversary tour, and the Swedish Cultural Fund of Finland selected the band with Jenny Wilhelms for their annual honor award, given to artists in different fields of cultural and educational work.
In 2005 the band started working on new material. The fourth album Rimfaxe was released in 2006. The album was mixed in the USA by
Bruce Swedien . The didgeridoo was replaced byGöran Månsson 'ssub contrabass recorder as the drone effect and bass of the band.Band members
The current members of the band are:
*
Sebastian Åberg ,percussion (2006– )
*Adrian Jones,viola ,mandola ,kalimba . (2000– )
*Göran Månsson ,flute s,recorder s,sub contrabass recorder (2005– )
*Jenny Wilhelms ,vocal s,fiddle and hardangerfiddle (1994– )
*Martin Kantola ,sound (1996– )Former members
*
Jakob Frankenhaeuser ,didgeridoo (1994–1996)
*David Lillkvist ,percussion (1996–2002)
*Tommy Mansikka-Aho ,didgeridoo ,slideridoo andJew's harp (1996–2004)
*Christopher Öhman ,viola ,mandola (1994–2000)
*Sara Puljula ,percussion (2002–2003)
*Petter Berndalen ,percussion (2004–2006)Discography
Albums
* "Rimfaxe", 2006
* "Grimborg", 2003
* "Sjofn", 2000
* "Ranarop", 1997 (original); 2002 (remastered)External links
* [http://www.Gjallarhorn.com/ The official Gjallarhorn website]
* [http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/gjallarhorn.htm Gjallarhorn "Sjofn" at Musical Discoveries]
* [http://www.rootsworld.com/scanfest/gjallarhorn.html Andrew Cronshaw talks with Gjallarhorn (1996)]
* [http://www.noside.com/Catalog/CatalogArtist_01.asp?Action=Get&Artist_ID=53 Northside artist presentation]
* [http://www.globalvillageidiot.net/gjallarhorn.htm An interview with Jenny Wilhelms by Global Village Idiot]
* [http://www.finpop.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=116 Interview: Jenny from Gjallarhorn. Finpop.net]
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