Hardanger Fiddle
Hardingfele
🌍 Norway
Norway's eight-string fiddle — four resonating strings make the air itself sing along
Amy says:
Hei! I'm Amy! The Hardingfele is Norway's national instrument — and one of the most beautiful fiddles in the world! Four regular strings you bow, and four more strings hidden beneath the neck that vibrate by themselves, creating a rich, ringing echo. Norwegian folk music (slåtter) was composed for it, and it's played at religious ceremonies, weddings, and national celebrations. Edvard Grieg — Norway's greatest composer — was inspired by Hardanger fiddle music throughout his life. Tusen takk!
Quick Facts
Strings
8 strings (4 played + 4 sympathetic)
Origin
Hardanger region, Norway (~1650s)
Status
National instrument of Norway
Decoration
Ornate inlay, painted scrollwork
Discover the Hardanger Fiddle
The Hardanger fiddle has EIGHT strings — four played with the bow and four sympathetic strings running UNDERNEATH the neck that vibrate in resonance, creating a haunting, echo-like quality unlike any other fiddle in the world.
Instrument Type
String
Known As
Hardingfele
Where It's Played
📷 Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC licence)
For Educators
Music is a universal language! Use this page to spark classroom discussions about culture, history, and how music connects communities around the world.
Did You Know?
Edvard Grieg notated 17 hardanger fiddle slåtter (folk dances) for piano — bringing Norwegian folk music into the concert hall. These pieces are now central to Grieg's famous Piano Concerto tradition.
Norway has approximately 500 active Hardanger fiddle players today — a small number for such a well-known instrument. Each carries a repertoire of hundreds of traditional tunes passed down through generations.
The Kappleik is Norway's traditional folk music competition, where Hardanger fiddlers compete in folk categories. It is one of Norway's most watched cultural events every year.
What Makes the Hardanger Fiddle Special?
The Sympathetic Strings
Four strings run beneath the fingerboard — tuned in relation to the playing strings so they resonate when the bowed strings sound. This creates a shimmering, reverberant quality described as sounding like "the air itself sings along."
Works of Art
A traditional Hardanger fiddle is covered in black ink drawings (rosing), mother-of-pearl inlay on the fingerboard and tailpiece, and intricate carved details. Every instrument is unique — as much art as music.
Sacred and Controversial
The Hardanger fiddle was banned in some Norwegian churches in the 19th century by pietist movements who called it "the devil's instrument" — its otherworldly resonance seemed too beautiful and too strange for sacred buildings.
Keep Exploring the World!
Music is the heartbeat of every culture. Discover more incredible instruments and the countries where they are played.