A violin becomes a Norwegian fiddle, 1893

Hardanger Fiddle


Wisconsin's immigrants brought many traditional objects and art forms with them to the United States. Ever resourceful, many immigrants transformed or adapted objects from their new homes into more forms that were more familiar to them. Hardanger fiddles first appeared in Norway in the 1600s, quickly becoming a dominant folk instrument. This fiddle began its life as a violin. Knute Hellund, a Norwegian immigrant, converted it into a hardanger fiddle in 1893.


Related Topics: Immigration and Settlement
19th-Century Immigration
Creator: Hellund, Knute
Pub Data: Wisconsin Historical Society Museum. (Museum object #1973.56)
Citation: "Hardanger Fiddle." Wisconsin Historical Society Museum. Online facsimile at:  http://wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=1161; Visited on: 4/18/2024