Griffenfeldt

Here we present "Griffenfeldt", a folk-dance in the style of a Norwegian "reinlender".

This arrangement can be used as the first item in a concert, or after an interval.

The musicians can come on stage as they join in. That is why two of the measures are notated "repeat till ready", here you have to wait until everyone is in place! If everyone is ready from the start, the repetition can be omitted.

Be sure to play with a bouncy but singing style, not with short and harsh articulations.

Do the trills on the beat, but these can also be omitted if it makes it too difficult.

To bring out the folk music style a little extra, you can ask the musicians to play on the "backbeat", i.e. emphasize the last half of each quarter-note.

In addition, the music will really come to life if all "solo" places are done standing up.

The musician Ånon Egeland tells this story:

"This song got its name from a party where it all just got a bit too lively: one of the party-goers started shooting into the ceiling with a gun just as this reinlender was being played. The fiddler - or was it the man with the gun? - was called Griffenfeldt, and that gave the name for the song."