NORWEGIAN JEWSHARP FORUM

"The purpose of the Norwegian Jew's Harp Forum (NMF) is to take care of, promote and develop interest in the jew's harp, knowledge of the jew's harp tradition, production of jew's harps, harp music, and harp training. "

On these pages you can see what NMF is doing, get information about current events and photos and media will be published on recent events where the Jew's Harp is involved.

NMF arranges courses in jew's harp playing, make-up courses and festivals.

NMF also appoints honorary members, works on book projects, participates and contributes to other events.

The pages are under development, so you are welcome to follow along.

Norsk Jew's Harp Forum wish you all a great Jew's Harp day!

Hjem: About Us

Anniversary Festival 2023

The Norwegian Mouth Harp Forum turns 25 years old

and invites to the anniversary festival:

Mouth harp fever!

on Riksscenen 15.-17. September 2023
See more under the "What's Happening" tab.

To our English readers:

You can choose 'English' language on top of this site for an automatic translation. It is maybe not the best, but you hopefully get an idea of what this is about. There are also pages "In English" that we made specially for you. You'll find the pages in the menu on top of the site.

The site is under construction, so feel free to come back later.
Norwegian Jew's Harp Forum wishes you all a great Jew's harp day!

Jew's Harp and artist

TONO's interview from 2019 with NMF's leader Bent Åserud.

It's about the jew's harp and the fiddler's prize.

Jew's Harp and Norwegian Jew's Harp Forum

Jew's harp and chest made of

Leif Arne Bakke

Jew's harp is a folk music instrument that has traditions in many countries:

Norway: Munnharpe

Sweden: mundgiga

Denmark: Jewish harp

England and USA: Jew's harp (jaws harp is also used)

Austria: Maultrommel

Germany: Maultrommel / Mundharp

France: guimbarde

Italia: scacciapensieri (Sicilia: marranzano)

Netherlands: mouth harp

England (old): trump

Estonia: Parmupill

Latvia: Vargans

Lithuania: Dambrelis

Russia: the wolf

Central Asia: khomus

Japan (Hokkaido): mukkuri

Japan: kou-kini

Philippines: ruding (kubing)

Indonesia: genggong

India: morsing

India (Rajastan): morchang

Spain: Arpa de boca

Thailand: rab ncas

China: hoho, sheng, sho

Norwegian Jew's Harp Forum is a forum for everyone who is interested in jew's harp, whether it is for listening, to learn and play yourself or for those who want to learn how to make their own jew's harp. We are a young but rapidly growing organization with both Norwegian and foreign members. The member magazine Munnharpa is published four times a year.

Examples of Norwegian Jew's Harps

Jew's Harps made by blacksmiths from Setesdal:

1: Knut Nikolson Berg, ca 1930.

2: Knut Gjermundson Hovet, ca.1970.

3: Knut Tveit, ca.1988.

4: Bjørgulv Straume, ca.1998.

5: Folke Nesland, ca.1995. 6: Bjørgulv Rysstad, ca.1994

Jew's harps made by Folke Nesland 2021

Jew's harp made by Bjarne Rysstad 2021

More pictures of Norwegian Jew's harps will follow...

Course in playing the mouth harp

The Norwegian Mouth Harp Forum is a driving force for promoting jew's harp playing in Norway. We have several skilled instructors and are therefore involved in arranging courses around the country to meet the need, which is gratifyingly increasing. Info about future events is updated continuously.