DONDER & APELAND
HET VERDRIETFor this project, Donder asked themselves how their music would sound like if they would have grown up with a folk music tradition. Whereas in other parts of the world music folklore has left clear marks on todays music scene, a similar heritage isn’t notably present in the Belgian and Flemish scene. Folk music in the low lands died a quiet death in the 1900’s and only traces remain in recording archives, museums and litterature.
Much of the repertoire of Donder & Apeland is based on field recordings from the 1930’s and 50’s and old music manuscripts. In the search for an authentic sound and a different perspective on music traditions, they invited Norwegian harmonium player and ethnomusicologist Sigbjørn Apeland to join the band. Apeland has one foot in West-Norwegian church music and another in local folk music, and has been an adventurous improviser all his life.
The resulting album ‘Het Verdriet’ was released in november 2020 on double LP on the Belgian W.E.R.F. label and can be ordered on bandcamp.
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© Julie Van Kerckhoven