Music as Language (by Martha)

Att jag spelar fiol med barn är inte nyheter. Men, vet ni att det finns en artikel på svenska i sverige om oss som var i en journal för de som spelar fiol i Sverige? Nu har vi den här: (That I play the fiddle is not news. But, did you know that there was an article published in Swedish in Sweden about us in a journal for fiddlers? here it is.) The full translation of the article follows below, courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum and Virginia Dublin.

Att jag spelar fiol med barn är inte nyheter. Men, vet ni att det finns en artikel på svenska i sverige om oss som var i en journal för de som spelar fiol i Sverige? Nu har vi den här: (That I play the fiddle is not news. But, did you know that there was an article published in Swedish in Sweden about us in a journal for fiddlers? here it is.) The full translation of the article follows below, courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum and Virginia Dublin.

Lilla spelmanslaget Carries on with the Music

On the top floor of the Nordic Heritage Museum there is a large hall.  Martha Levenson sits there with five 8 – 10 year olds and trains them in tunes every Tuesday.  A couple of parents sit on the side reading, waiting for their children. At the beginning the children tell a little about how the day has been, then Martha gets going.

They practice bowing a hambo by Dahlin.  Martha is demanding and the creases in her forehead are deep and focused.  The second run through is in two parts.  It sounds good and afterwards there is a little talk about bowing.

“Now, you are going to sit on a horse, an elephant or a rhinoceros, but not on a fish or a snake.”

That’s enough on posture.

“We have three rules here”, says Martha.  “Have fun, keep the bow going and smile. It doesn’t matter if we make mistakes, just so we follow the rules.”

The Nordic Heritage Museum provides space for the group and owns one of the fiddles  that is rented out to a student.  The hope is that the museum eventually can build up a complete collection of 1/4, 2/4, 3/4 and full size fiddles.

Then the group plays a gånglåt [walking tune] walking while they fiddle. Anika is of Swedish descent and has enticed a friend to come to the group.  A couple of them have played American folk music but think that this group has fun. At the Folklife festival the children received standing ovations.  Martha has a long waiting list of children who want to begin.

“Anika knows 20 tunes and three harmonies.  Ciara has learned four tunes in a couple of months; she practices on her own at home.  All of the children get a CD to practice along with, because we play by ear.”

“ You didn’t practice during the week, did you?  Go back and practice because I know you have it. Don’t forget C sharp and D sharp.”

One of the children nods in agreement.

Martha’s criticism is lightning quick and matter-of-fact.  The children are focused on remembering, practicing rote and so that it sounds good.  No one is made to feel embarrassed.  Last summer Lilla spelmanslaget played at Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle.  Before that they had played a dance at a first Friday dance at the Cedar Valley Grange, a community center outside of Seattle.

The rebirth is on the way, fueled by the embers in Martha Levenson who has also taken courses in Sweden several times.  She got back her desire to play fiddle when she heard a polska and couldn’t figure out the beat.  Now her passion is contagious and the children are a little euphoric when they play a schottis and hop/jump in the air at a certain point.  Or when they play a gånglåt while walking.

Good luck, Lilla spelmanslag!