Here is a real treasure of a clip!
Alfred Maurstad (1896-1967) is often remembered as a leading actor, theater manager and movie director in Norway. But he was also a major hardingfele (Hardanger fiddle) player and came from Nordfjord on Norway's west coast.
This video clip comes from Maurstad's eighth movie, Gjest Baardsen (1939). Here he plays the hardingfele as others dance Nordfjordspringar, the springar from Nordfjord.
Look at the energy in the dance and the speed and dexterity of Maurstad's playing! It is possible that they sped up the tune to fit a certain timing in the film, but perhaps people also danced to different tempos as fast as this one. And it is a treasure to see playing and dancing from that time period! Notice how the skirts on the bunads (traditional costumes) are shorter, much more in keeping with the style of the 1930s than the early 1800s, when the story actually occurred.
The film was directed by Tancred Ibsen, a grandson of Henrik Ibsen and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. It is based on an actual character, Gjest Bårdsen, who wrote an autobiography while in prison, Gjest Baardsen Sogndalsfjærns Levnetsløb (1835, three volumes(!)). Bårdsen attempted to portray himself as a "gentleman thief", a sort of Norwegian Robin Hood.
Maurstad was also responsible for popularizing "Nordfjordvalsen" — also known as "Svensk Annas vals" in Sweden and "Peek-a-boo Waltz" in North America — in Norway.
In 2008, a recording called "Historisk sus" was released. It's an amazing collection of tunes from Norway's west coast. It includes Maurstad playing and interviews he did with Rolf Myklebust of Norwegian National Broadcasting's (NRK) "Folkemusic (Halv-)Timer (Folk Music (Half-)Hour)", a weekly broadcast into the world of traditional music.
