Andreas Ralsgård and Markus Tullberg are breathing new life into the Swedish wooden flute tradition. They started playing together more than ten years ago, united by their passion to the flute and to the traditional music of Sweden. Together they have rediscovered the tunes of the old flute masters as well as made interpretations of fiddle tunes.
Ralsgård & Tullberg uses wooden transverse flutes, an instrument that was an integral part of the southern Swedish folk music scene in the 19th and 20th centuries. Similar instruments are still widely used in Ireland, France and England. By the dedicated efforts of these two visionary fluteplayers, ties are being made to the musical worlds of these countries and Swedish flute music is undergoing a revival.
In the ensemble Ralsgård & Tullberg quartet, the two flutes are joined by cello and nyckelharpa. The result is a mix of original and traditional tunes in carefully crafted arrangements. The musical expression spans from the intimate and delicate, to virtuosic, almost orchestral arrangements where the possibilities of the instrument are used to its fullest. In 2019 the quartet released their debut album “Kvartett”, described as “a piece of art” (Lira) and a “hugely absorbing album from some of the most accomplished traditional musicians currently active in Europe”.