Search - Curt Tallruth, Olov Johansson :: Orsprang

Unusual collaborative tribute

12/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Olov Johnansson is a great and influential nykelharpa player, one of the leading forces in the Vaessen group. Curt Tallruth is an older fellow who was Olov's teacher and mentor. On this album, they collaborate to play the music from Curt's family/regional tradition. The playing was before a small, sympathetic audience and is "live" in the best sense of the word--there are moments when the two confuse each other as they play, but mostly there is pure magic and pure folk music happening between two players with, clearly, the utmost regard for each other. While most of the music is fiddle and nykelharpa, my favorite tunes seem to be those where Curt plays the clarinet (yes, believe it or not, an accepted "traditional" instrument in Swedish folk music). I have a lot of CD's in this music style and tradition, but I keep coming back to this one for the immense warmth that seems to flow from its simple renditions."