Garmarna
Encyclopedia
Garmarna is a Swedish
folk rock
band. Their songs are mainly old Scandinavia
n ballad
s.
In 1992 the band recorded their first EP
. They thought that female vocals would provide a contrast to the dark mood of their music and invited Emma Härdelin
, a long-time friend of the band, as the guest vocalist on the EP. She officially joined the band in 1993. The debut EP sold well in Sweden, and helped the band tour in Scandinavia.
On the album Vittrad, the band decided to add sample
s and sequencer
s to the mix. In 1994, Omnium released Vittrad in the USA, with English translations of the old songs.
Garmarna started a long German
tour and released the album Guds spelemän
in 1996. The album sold well in Sweden and was reviewed favourably internationally.
In 1998 Garmarna did a series of concerts in churches in the North of Sweden presenting their interpretation of the medieval works of Hildegard von Bingen, together with actress Felicia Konrad.
In 1999 the band released their third album Vedergällningen
. The album's production leaned towards rock
and trip-hop, the atmosphere of the music being more obscure than in previous albums.
Following Vedergällningen, the band returned to the studio to complete the full-length Hildegard von Bingen album, which was released in 2001. The tracks in this album are based on the compositions of 12th century German abbess Hildegard of Bingen
, and the lyrics are in Latin and produced by House producer eric s.
In 2003 their first EP was released as a full album with six bonus tracks.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
band. Their songs are mainly old Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s.
Biography
Garmarna was founded in 1990. Stefan Brisland-Ferner, Gotte Ringqvist and Rickard Westman were inspired by old Swedish music, which they had heard in a theatre. They began searching for old tunes and instruments. After a year of playing together, Jens Höglin joined the band on drums.In 1992 the band recorded their first EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. They thought that female vocals would provide a contrast to the dark mood of their music and invited Emma Härdelin
Emma Härdelin
Emma Härdelin is a Swedish musician. She is a violinist and lead singer in folk-rock band Garmarna, which she joined in 1993 for their first album, and also lead singer for the folk band Triakel....
, a long-time friend of the band, as the guest vocalist on the EP. She officially joined the band in 1993. The debut EP sold well in Sweden, and helped the band tour in Scandinavia.
On the album Vittrad, the band decided to add sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
s and sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
s to the mix. In 1994, Omnium released Vittrad in the USA, with English translations of the old songs.
Garmarna started a long German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
tour and released the album Guds spelemän
Guds spelemän
Guds spelemän is Garmarna's second full-length album, released in 1996. All songs except "Njaalkeme" are sung in Swedish.- Track listing :# "Herr Mannelig " – 6:22...
in 1996. The album sold well in Sweden and was reviewed favourably internationally.
In 1998 Garmarna did a series of concerts in churches in the North of Sweden presenting their interpretation of the medieval works of Hildegard von Bingen, together with actress Felicia Konrad.
In 1999 the band released their third album Vedergällningen
Vedergällningen
Vedergällningen is Garmarna's third full-length album. All the songs are sung in Swedish. "Euchari" also contains some Latin.- Track listing :# "Gamen " – 4:01# "Euchari" – 4:21# "Halling Jåron" – 3:03...
. The album's production leaned towards rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and trip-hop, the atmosphere of the music being more obscure than in previous albums.
Following Vedergällningen, the band returned to the studio to complete the full-length Hildegard von Bingen album, which was released in 2001. The tracks in this album are based on the compositions of 12th century German abbess Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard of Bingen
Blessed Hildegard of Bingen , also known as Saint Hildegard, and Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath. Elected a magistra by her fellow nuns in 1136, she founded the monasteries of Rupertsberg in 1150 and...
, and the lyrics are in Latin and produced by House producer eric s.
In 2003 their first EP was released as a full album with six bonus tracks.
Band members
- Stefan Brisland-Ferner – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, hurdy-gurdy, samplerSampler (musical instrument)A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or... - Emma HärdelinEmma HärdelinEmma Härdelin is a Swedish musician. She is a violinist and lead singer in folk-rock band Garmarna, which she joined in 1993 for their first album, and also lead singer for the folk band Triakel....
– VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, violin - Jens Höglin – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Gotte Ringqvist – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, violin, backing vocals - Rickard Westman – guitar, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, e-bowE-BowThe EBow or ebow is a hand-held, battery-powered electronic device for playing the electric guitar, invented by Greg Heet in 1969...
Albums
- Garmarna (1993, EP)
- Vittrad (Withered) (1994)
- Guds spelemänGuds spelemänGuds spelemän is Garmarna's second full-length album, released in 1996. All songs except "Njaalkeme" are sung in Swedish.- Track listing :# "Herr Mannelig " – 6:22...
(The fiddlers of God) (1996) - VedergällningenVedergällningenVedergällningen is Garmarna's third full-length album. All the songs are sung in Swedish. "Euchari" also contains some Latin.- Track listing :# "Gamen " – 4:01# "Euchari" – 4:21# "Halling Jåron" – 3:03...
(Vengeance) (1999) - Hildegard von Bingen (2001)
- Garmarna (2003, re-release of the 1993 EP with 6 bonus tracks)
Singles
- Euchari (1999)
- Gamen (The Vulture) (1999, featured in Project Gotham Racing 2Project Gotham Racing 2Project Gotham Racing 2 is a racing game for the Xbox, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Microsoft. PGR2 is the sequel to the highly successful Project Gotham Racing. It is the second title in the Project Gotham Racing series.As in PGR, the route to advancement in PGR2 differs from...
) - En gång ska han gråta (1997)
- Herr Holger (Sir Holger) (1996)
Other
- Rastlös (Rasta Hunden) in compilation We're Only in It for the MoneyWe're Only in It for the MoneyWe're Only in It For the Money is the third studio album by The Mothers of Invention, released in March 1968. The album peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 200...
(1999)