The Nyckelharpa is a bowed chordophone musical instrument originating from Sweden, belonging to the same family as the hurdy-gurdy and the vielle. Its name literally means “key harp” and refers to the mechanism that allows the pitch of notes to change by pressing tangents under the strings. The instrument has a wooden soundbox, three or four melody strings, one or two drone strings, and several sympathetic strings that amplify the sound. The bow is short and curved.

Its History from the 1400s to Today

The Nyckelharpa has an ancient and well-documented history that dates back to at least the Middle Ages. Some of the earliest iconographic evidence can be found in Italy, such as Taddeo di Bartolo’s fresco in the chapel of the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena, dated 1408, depicting an angel playing a “keyed fiddle.” This Italian version of the instrument was recently reconstructed by German luthier Alexander Pilz and is known as the “Siena-Harpa” or “Siena keyed fiddle.”

This instrument spread across continental Europe between the 14th and 16th centuries, but later fell out of favor, being replaced by the violin. In Sweden, however, the instrument survived in folk tradition, particularly in the Uppsala region. In the 19th century, the Nyckelharpa became a “refined” instrument, played in concerts in Stockholm, and by the 20th century, it had established itself as a symbol of Swedish folk music. Today, it is considered by many to be Sweden’s most typical national instrument.

In the 1980s, the Nyckelharpa was “rediscovered” by Italian musician Marco Ambrosini, who introduced it to the realm of early and contemporary music. Since then, the instrument has gained popularity in Italy and other countries, thanks to the research and craftsmanship of artists such as Paolo Coriani, Lino Mognaschi, and Silver Pluchesi.

The distinguishing characteristics of the Nyckelharpa compared to other instruments include:

• The key and tangent mechanism, allowing for pitch variation by pressing wooden keys beneath the melody strings, and the presence of sympathetic strings that resonate in harmony with the melody strings, creating a reverb effect.
• A short, curved bow used to alternate the sound on the strings.
• A shape similar to a violin or viola but with a larger, flatter soundbox.

How Many Types of Nyckelharpas Exist?

There are several types of this instrument, differing in shape, the number and tuning of strings, the number and arrangement of keys and tangents, as well as construction and playing styles.

• The silverbasharpa, a Nyckelharpa with three melody strings and one drone string, featuring 15 keys and 12 tangents, dating back to the 17th century, and resembling a keyed viola d’amore.
• The moraharpa, a Nyckelharpa with three melody strings and one drone string, 16 keys, and 14 tangents, derived from the silverbasharpa but with a more rounded shape and a larger soundbox¹.
• The kontrabasharpa, a Nyckelharpa with three melody strings and two drone strings, featuring 19 keys and 17 tangents, with one melody string tuned an octave below the others, providing a deeper sound.
• The chromatic, a Nyckelharpa with four melody strings and two drone strings, featuring 37 keys and 25 tangents, allowing the performance of all chromatic scale notes, invented by Eric Sahlström in the 20th century.
• The oktavharpa, a Nyckelharpa with four melody strings and two drone strings, featuring 37 keys and 25 tangents, with melody strings tuned an octave lower than the chromatic, providing a deeper sound.
• The sienaharpa, a Nyckelharpa with four melody strings and two drone strings, featuring 24 keys and 16 tangents, reconstructed from Taddeo di Bartolo’s 1408 fresco, resembling a viola da gamba.

The Electric Nyckelharpa

The electric nyckelharpa is a modern variant of the traditional instrument, utilizing pickups to amplify the string sound. It was invented in the 1980s by Swedish musician Peter Puma Hedlund, who sought to explore new sonic possibilities with the instrument.

The electric nyckelharpa has a simpler and lighter form than the acoustic version, with a reduced or absent soundbox. The sympathetic strings are replaced by an electronic effect called “sympathetic reverb”.

The electric nyckelharpa allows for easier and more precise playing, thanks to reduced string resistance and the ability to adjust volume and sound timbre. It can also connect to effects like delay, chorus, or distortion to create different atmospheres.

The electric nyckelharpa is suitable for various musical genres, from folk to rock, jazz, pop, or electronic music. Notable players include Peter Puma Hedlund, Marco Ambrosini, and Ian Holzman.

How to Tune This Unique Instrument

The Nyckelharpa is tuned based on its type and number of strings. There are different variants of the instrument, with varied ranges and tunings.

Generally, melody strings are tuned in fifths or fourths, while drone strings are tuned to the tonic or fifth. Sympathetic strings are not directly tuned but resonate in harmony with the other strings.

For instance, a Nyckelharpa with three melody strings and one drone string might be tuned C-G-C-A (from low to high), where C is the tonic, G the fifth, C the octave, and A the major third.

A Nyckelharpa with four melody strings and two drone strings might be tuned C-G-C-A-E-A (from low to high), with C as the tonic, G the fifth, C the octave, A the major third, E the minor seventh, and A the octave.

How Is It Played?

The Nyckelharpa is played by hanging it around the neck with a strap and resting it against the chest or shoulder. The bow is used to vibrate the melody and drone strings, alternating movement from right to left.

The fingers of the left hand press the keys that operate the tangents, shortening the melody strings and changing their pitch. Double stops can also be played by pressing two keys simultaneously. The sympathetic strings vibrate in harmony with other strings, creating a reverb effect.

What Are the Nyckelharpa’s Expressive Techniques?

The Nyckelharpa’s expressive techniques enhance sound variation and melodic expression.

These include:

– Vibrato: Oscillating the string by pressing and releasing the key with the left hand, creating frequency and intensity variation.
– Glissando: Sliding the key along the fingerboard for a continuous transition between two notes.
– Pizzicato: Plucking the string with the right-hand fingers instead of using the bow, creating a drier, percussive sound.
– Col legno: Striking the string with the bow’s wood instead of the hair, creating a harder, metallic sound.
– Flageolet: Lightly touching the string at a nodal point with the left-hand finger, producing a higher, flute-like sound.
– Trill: Quickly alternating two nearby notes by pressing and releasing two keys with the left hand.
– Tremolo: Rapidly moving the bow back and forth on the same string, creating a continuous, vibrating sound.

Notable Contemporary Nyckelharpa Players

Marco Ambrosini, an Italian musician, composer, and arranger based in Germany, rediscovered the instrument in the 1980s, adapting it to early and contemporary music. He has performed with numerous early, baroque, and avant-garde music ensembles, releasing over 160 CDs. He also teaches early music and Nyckelharpa at the Burg Fürsteneck Academy in Germany and the Scuola di Musica Popolare in Forlimpopoli, Italy.

Didier François, a Belgian musician, composer, and teacher, studied classical violin and jazz, discovering the Nyckelharpa in 1990. He has performed with various folk, world, and classical artists and released several CDs. He teaches Nyckelharpa at the Scuola di Musica Popolare in Forlimpopoli, Italy, and the Burg Fürsteneck Academy in Germany as part of the European Nyckelharpa Training.

Eric Sahlström, a Swedish musician, composer, and luthier, is regarded as the father of the Nyckelharpa’s 20th-century revival. He played the Nyckelharpa from childhood, following family tradition, and developed new models, such as the chromatic Nyckelharpa. He performed with various Swedish folk music groups and released multiple records. He also founded the Eric Sahlström Institute in Tobo, Sweden, to promote Nyckelharpa study and dissemination.

Additional Resources on the Nyckelharpa

Here are some links for further study of the instrument:

1 Nyckelharpa – Wikipedia: An encyclopedic page in English offering similar information with more details and images.
2 La nyckelharpa – Italy: A site dedicated to the Nyckelharpa in Italy, with information on courses, events, concerts, and luthiers.