During the golden age of the harpsichord, the nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle) was still only a simple folk instrument. Later on it has undergone a radical development. As the nyckelharpa has now reached the same technical level as the upper-class instruments of the 17th and 18th centuries, it is time to present it to the harpsichord.

Two skilled musicians make it clear that the two instruments get on extremely well together. In a well-mannered and convincing way they bring out the contrasts in the baroque music and the elegance of the Rococo style. Their devoted treatment of the ordinary nyckelharpa repertoire also makes us realize that essentials of those earlier epochs are living on in Swedish folk music. The moat between castle and cottage is bridged and no longer an obstacle!

The commentary is written by professor Jan Ling who has been cherishing the nyckelharpa since the 1960s.