Songs
A saraband by Verdier meets a traditional melody from Småland
These are just preview samples. You need a valid account and be logged in to hear the full tracks.
- country:Sweden
- region:Scandinavia
- style(s):Scandinavian, Baroque
- label:Evolving Traditions
- type:Quartet
- instrumentation:instrumental, string, woodwind, dance orchestra
- artist contact:Evolving Traditions
Line up
- Ida Meidell Blylod (Baroque violin)
- Johan Hedin (tenor nyckelharpa)
- Pär Moberg (Baritone Saxophone)
- Peter Spissky (Baroque violin)
Links
The French violinist Pierre Verdier. was recruited as a musician to the court of Sweden's Queen Kristina in Stockholm in the 17th century and remained there for the rest of his life. When expert genealogist Annika Hansson Moberg, wife of Pär Moberg (Senior lecturer of Folk and World music at the Academy. of Music in Malmö, Sweden) was digging around a bit among Pär's ancestors, she discovered that he was directly related to Pierre Verdier.
As a musician, Pär naturally wanted to check if there is any music preserved after Verdier. There was. Lots. Most of which was dance music (courants, sarabands, allemandes etc). Of which very little has probably been played since the 18th century.
As all of the material was arranged for four parts. Pär teamed up with Peter Spissky, senior lecturer of baroque violin at the Academy in Malmö. And with the baroque/folk duo Hedin Meidell (Johan Hedin - nyckelharpa and Ida Meidell - baroque violin). Thus, the Verdier quartet was born!
In the material Pär has developed for this project, dance music from Verdier's original material, which is in the so-called Düben collection, meets traditional Swedish folk music melodies, which Pär has arranged in a similar style to Verdier's material. An exciting meeting both between different instruments (two baroque violins, tenor nyckelharpa and baritone saxophone) and between baroque music and folk music.
Currently (October 2025) a demo EP is under production And from 2026, the quartet is ready to do concerts!