The Norwegian vocal folk music group Kvedarkvintetten releases the new single Kvelarspringar

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Tagal means to remain silent, to be mute, or wordless, and the work challenges the boundaries of vocal music by making text elements almost entirely absent. Composed by Jorun Marie Rypdal Kvernberg, the piece was premiered at the Førde Festival in 2021. Nearly four years later, the album will be released on Grappa Musikkforlag, produced by Martin Langlie.

Kvelarspringar is an extensive composition in which Kvernberg draws inspiration from the traditional Norwegian triple-time dance, springar. The dance rhythm emerges through a puzzle of vocal motifs that together create a hypnotic springar. Kvelarspringar takes the listener from fragmented, asymmetrical rhythmic sections into intense and synchronized vocalizing, before transitioning into a flowing soundscape with dreamy vocals. Altogether, this results in a composition that truly lives up to its name.

Jorun Marie Rypdal Kvernberg explains:
"Kvelarspringar is heavily inspired by the traditional music of the Hardanger fiddle. When you place a finger across two strings at the same time, it’s called a kvelartak (choke) in the language of Hardanger fiddle playing. I find this term to be brutal, bold, and humorous all at once, and it became the foundation for creating a springar that both leans on tradition and boldly shakes up genre conventions."

"In 2020, Jorun Marie Rypdal Kvernberg contacted us to ask if we were interested in a piece composed for us as a quintet—something we, of course, found very exciting," shares Kvedarkvintetten, adding:

"Until this collaboration, our repertoire had always been rooted in the singing tradition of Hallingdal, consisting almost exclusively of traditional material that we arranged in our own style. Working with material specially composed for Kvedarkvintetten was both challenging and inspiring. Jorun Marie provided the work in the form of sheet music and recordings. We read, listened, and shaped it into our own expression with vocal syllables, rhythms, phrasing, and style.

When we recorded Tagal, we wanted to further develop the piece, making it more our own and adding new elements. Martin Langlie joined the project, bringing original ideas and extensive experience. Working with him was inspiring and enriching for us as a group."

Kvedarkvintetten is:

Silje Risdal Liahagen (vokal)

Tonje Risdal Liahagen (vokal)

Sina Myhr (vokal)

Margit Myhr (vokal)

Helga Myhr (vokal)