The Engegård Quartet explore Norway’s Hardangervidda

The Engegård Quartet, born under the midnight sun in Lofoten in 2005, are well-known for their gripping interpretations of the great classics, while staying true to their Scandinavian roots. In this programme the quartet explore the magical music which has come out of the Hardangervidda, a spectacular region in Norway, At the heart of the programme is Edvard Grieg’s great String Quartet in g minor opus 27, a work which he composed while living in a tiny mountain cabin in Hardanger, and which the Engegård Quartet has been performing for 20 years.

The Hardangervidda is also the home of the Hardanger fiddle, which has several sympathetic strings in addition to a classical violin’s four strings. The Quartet will metamorphose into a folk music group for part of this programme, with their leader Arvid Engegård playing the Hardanger fiddle, for traditional tunes, and classical versions of traditional tunes. Perhaps most excitingly, this programme will also include a composition by Kristine Tjøgersen, who was honoured with the prestigious Composer Prize from Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung in 2025. Kristine has composed a work inspired by a lake in Hardanger called Tinnhølen, for Hardanger fiddle and string trio. 

Programme 1

Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in f minor, opus 95 “Serioso”

Johan Halvorsen: Fanitull, from Fossegrimen opus 21

Trad/Grieg/Mortensen: Kivlemøy
Trad/Grieg/Mortensen: Haugelåt

Tjøgersen: Tinnhølen 

Interval

Grieg: String Quartet in g minor opus 27

Programme 2

Mozart: String Quartet No. 1 in G major, K. 80

Tveitt: Selection from 100 Tunes from Hardanger

Trad/Grieg/Mortensen: Kivlemøy

Trad/Grieg/Mortensen: Haugelåt

Tjøgersen: Tinnhølen 

Interval

Grieg: String Quartet in g minor opus 27