Catriona McKay & Olov Johansson: The Auld Harp

There's something about the combination of Catriona McKay's Scottish harp and the Swedish nyckelharpa of Olov Johansson that utterly reshapes our perception of the instruments' potential. McKay jettisons convention by exploiting not only the harmonic elements of her harp, but its inherent rhythmic qualities, which can be neglected by other musicians. Johansson basks in the fiddle-like qualities of his nyckelharpa, allowing the instrument to fully inhabit each tune, immersing himself deep beneath its skin. With a rich mix of Scottish and Swedish tunes, many of them played individually, there's room for each to trace its own, uncluttered and unfettered by competing set companions. Almost every tune tells its own distinct and compelling tale. A radiant excursion into uncharted terrain. olovjohansson.se


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