Mats Edén's Kitchen Concert Real Audio (56K)

Mats Edén is an unusual character in the music scene of Sweden, well known in classical, jazz and folk music circles alike. A renowned fiddler who has been the backbone of many important ensembles in the "newly composed folk music" revival of the last two decades, he is also a composer of art music. These diverse careers have also hidden one of his important contributions, his mastery of the melodeon (dragspel) and his recovery and reinvigoration of the ancient tunes of Varmland in Sweden and across the border in Norway. It was for this work that he was named riksspelman (royal musician) by the Swedish government, the first accordionist to receive this honorary title.

We are very fortunate to have Mats Edén lend his enthusiasm to The Free Reed Festival for yet another year. This time around, he sat down in his kitchen, turned on the tape recorder and played a variety of tunes. He uses three accordions on this recording. The first group of tunes is played on a melodeon in the key of F, made by Eric Martin in France. The second set is on a German made Walter in the key of G.

The third set of tunes are among the most unique of the group, played on a quarter-tone Salterelle. He uses this accordion to play fiddle tunes, and the quarter-tone box enables him to get closer to the 'notes in between the notes' that the fiddle can play.

He finishes off his kitchen concert by returning the Eric Martin box for three last tunes, including a classic Irish-American dance that you will surely recognize.

Here's the playlist of tunes in 'the kitchen concert.'
Read about Mats Edén in his own words
Read reviews of his recordings, including his work with Nordan and Groupa, and his solo work for fiddle and accordion, Läckerbiten