Wasser und Erde

Akleja are nyckelharpa players Regina Kunkel and Björn Kaidel (who also plays guitar and Irish bouzouki). Wasser und Erde (Water and Earth) is an often intoxicating set of instrumental folk tunes and melodies, many featuring two nyckelharpas together – a rarity even in the instrument's home country of Sweden. The duo have studied and performed in the country often, and this set was recorded there last November. Comprising 14 tunes, it opens with the not altogether burning question: ‘Sind die Rüben Rieb?’ (Are The Turnips Ripe?), a north-east German polonaise extracted from a small set of surviving tunes from a 19th century player. That's followed by two original tunes from Kunkel, and then more flowing, ebbing polskas, angloise, mazurkas, minuets and schottisches, either by Kunkel and Kaidle, or drawn from old tune books. As such, there are strong parallels with contemporary English instrumentalists, such as Leveret, who mix original and traditional tunes from ancient sources.

Throughout, the playing is beautiful, and packed with almost-tactile melodies. Musically, it's an easy place to get lost in, a retreat in sound that repeatedly works its charms.