Swedish Nyckelharpa

The nyckleharpa is a keyed string instrument, traditionally from Sweden. The instruments dates around the 14th and 15th centuries. The earliest record of the instrument comes from a carving on the gates of Källunge church dating around 1350. The instrument is both a key and string instrument. The name nyckelharpa comes from the Swedish words “nyckel”—meaning key—and “harpa”—a reference to fiddles.

The nyckelharpa is a chromatic instrument that has sixteen strings. Of the sixteen strings, there are three melody strings, one drone string, and twelve resonance strings. Beneath the strings are wooden keys that that move to shorten the strings when pressed. The instrument is played using a short bow. The performer simultaneously pushes keys  with one hand while bowing the strings with the other.

The instrument is predominantly played in Sweden, given its ancestry and folk tradition. The modern nyckelharpa was made by Eric Sahström in 1980. He often experimented with the construction of the instrument by changing the design, adding keys, and changing materials. Not only was he a master nyckleharpa maker, but he was quite a skilled player, as well. He is attributed with the revival of the instrument, which nearly died out in the 1900s. Thanks to him, there are over 10,000 nyckelharpa players in Sweden, and more across the world today.



This video has incredible close-up shots of the instrument being played. At times, you can see how pressing the keys “raises” a fret to the strings.

This video features a quartet of nyckleharpas. They sound very similar to a fiddle, and have a folksy feel to them. 

Here is a recording of a traditional Swedish tune. The title "Karolinermarsch" means "Carolean March". The Carolinas were the Swedish soldiers during the time of King Karl XI and XII. 


This kind man gives a beginning introduction to playing the nyckelharpa.

Here is a recording of a Nordic folk song being played on the nyckelharpa. The instrument suits this folk tune setting very well.

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