Traditional Norwegian Jaw/Mouth harp music

[Pallantides]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiSlqpqwDqU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mhM-jmL0CE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3oa-pOR0xs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxOapWidM1M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INFRwbahUis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9BJ5Bt8jr8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO02NvJRD38

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZqxY6rqNFM

http://i.imgur.com/eki50ap.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/mux6Um6.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/H48oGMa.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0rsiNUl.jpg


Mouth harps from ca. 1200 A.D., found in Setesdal and Telemark:
http://i.imgur.com/gc5K8G8.jpg

Mouth harp from Gjøvik in Oppland that is not dated but believed to be from the early middle ages:
http://i.imgur.com/YSmxQ3I.jpg

[Onur]

I wonder how this central Asian instrument came to Scandinavia.

What is the name of this instrument in native Norwegian tongue?

[Pallantides]

It's called Munnharpe(mouth harp) in Norwegian


It's believed to have been used in Norway since at least 500 A.D., though the oldest mouth harp that have been dated is from 1200.
It's only some South Norwegian regions that have had a strong mouth harp traditions though, mainly Telemark, Valdres, Gudbrandsdalen, Hallingdal and Setesdal.

[rhiannon]

I've seen those and have a vague recollection of playing one when I was pretty young. Or at least....attempting to play it lol

[Otto Prohaska]

In English it's called a Jew's Harp.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew%27s_harp

[Pallantides]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAILWPJAaiI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGgYOREQp6Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6-kylaf5vI