Sugar Plum Fairies

Sugar Plum Fairies

Company type	Music ensemble
Industry	Music
Founded	2000
Defunct	2009
Headquarters	Fyresdal , Norway
Products	Music albums, live performances

Sugar Plum Fairies was a Norwegian ensemble blending folk and pop, originating from Fyresdal, Vest-Telemark, active between 2000 and 2009. Their sole studio album merged contemporary pop elements with traditional Telemark folk tunes, featuring instruments such as the Norwegian hardanger fiddle, accordion, guitar, piano, trumpet, and euphonium. The band’s lyrics were delivered in their local dialect.

On 2 June 2009, the group announced an indefinite break through their Facebook page.

Members

• Øyvind Berge — vocals, guitar, bass
• Merethe Jørgensdottir Reinskås — guitar, accordion, trumpet, piano
• Birgith Jørgensdottir Reinskås — euphonium, synthesizer
• Torbjørn Strånd — drums, percussion, bass (until 2005)
• Tor Christian Tovslid — drums
• Gro Elisabeth Valebjørg Galambos — founding member who departed prior to the debut album recording
• Sarah Corbisier — frequent guest performer since 2006

Fivrelddans

The album Fivrelddans (meaning Butterfly Dance) evolved from a 2004 concert production created for the Olsokdagane i Fyresdal festival. Co-produced by Torbjørn Strånd and Jørgen Eide Kittelsen at Largostudio in Rjukan, Norway, it was self-released on 10 December 2005 under their own label Spun Sugar Music.

Critics responded favorably to the album, which also gained radio exposure both domestically and abroad. Songs such as "Andre Dugurdskvildi," "Fridtjof Nansen," and "Strålefall" enjoyed modest airplay on Norwegian stations.

The collection features musical adaptations of poems by Fyresdal author Haakon Lie and includes guest appearances by violist Sarah Corbisier and Hardanger fiddler Magne Berge. Some tracks from the initial stage show were omitted or replaced with exclusive pieces for the album release.

Track listing

All lyrics are by Haakon Lie with music composed by Øyvind Berge unless otherwise noted.

1. "Fivrelddans & filosofi" (H. Lie / M.J. Reinskås)
2. "Tid er pengar"
3. "Fyrste dugurdskvildi"
4. "Jolekveld" (H. Lie / Ø. Berge / M.J. Reinskås)
5. "Fridtjof Nansen"
6. "Andre Dugurdskvildi"
7. "Voggesong" (H. Lie / M.J. Reinskås)
8. "Sylvet"
9. "Tridje Dugurdskvildi"
10. "Fløytarvisa hans Aslak smed"
11. "Stogetaket"
12. "Einsemd"
13. "Fjorde Dugurdskvildi"
14. "Strålefall"
15. "Fivrelddans & filosofi - reprise" (H. Lie / M.J. Reinskås)

Other appearances

In 2006, Norwegian rapper and producer Paul Bernard incorporated a sample of Sugar Plum Fairies’ track "Jolekveld" into his online release “Depend,” credited as Paul Bernard feat. Sugar Plum Fairies; this song appeared on Bernard’s album Unfinished bizniz - a collection of dreams and grey stones. A live rendition was also included on the Paul Bernard and The Fat Fucks DVD Live at Lost Weekend. The following year, the band performed alongside Sigmund Groven and Tore Reppe as special guests at a Norsk Munnspillforum concert held in Fyresdal. In 2008, they were featured on October Party Records’ compilation Norwegian Wood Music For China vol.5, aimed at the Chinese audience.

Solo appearances by band members

Øyvind Berge provided vocals and songwriting for “Ser Du Stjernene?” from Paul Bernard’s Unfinished Bizniz—a collection of dreams and grey stones, as well as singing on “Fat Fucks' Theme” included in the incidental music for Paul Bernard and The Fat Fucks’ DVD Live at Lost Weekend. In 2012, he embarked on a solo career releasing the album Sir Øyvind Berge & His Imaginary Orchestra through the Norwegian label Valiant Sounds.

Merethe Jørgensdottir Reinskås is a member of the Oslofjord Brass ensemble and appears on their album titled OfBit.

Discography

• Fivrelddans - Haakon Lie i ord og tonar (Spun Sugar Records, 2005)
• "Depend" (Påls kjøkken) (Paul Bernard featuring Sugar Plum Fairies, digital release only, 2006)
• Norwegian Wood Music For China vol.5 (October Party Records, 2008; released exclusively in China)

Awards

• Recipient of the Fyresdal Municipality Culture Award (2006)

External links

• Largostudio, a recording facility located in Rjukan, Telemark
• Sugar Plum Fairies listed on Norwegian Bandindex