The French violinist Pierre Verdier. was recruited as a musician to the court of Sweden’s Queen Kristina in Stockholm in the 17th century and remained there for the rest of his life. When expert genealogist Annika Hansson Moberg, wife of Pär Moberg (Senior lecturer of Folk and World music at the Academy. of Music in Malmö, Sweden) was digging around a bit among Pär’s ancestors, she discovered that he was directly related to Pierre Verdier.
As a musician, Pär naturally wanted to check if there is any music preserved after Verdier. There was. Lots. Most of which was dance music (courants, sarabands, allemandes etc). Of which very little has probably been played since the 18th century.
As all of the material was arranged for four parts. Pär teamed up with Peter Spissky, senior lecturer of baroque violin at the Academy in Malmö. And with the baroque/folk duo Hedin Meidell (Johan Hedin – nyckelharpa and Ida Meidell – baroque violin). Thus, the Verdier Quartet was born!
In the material Pär has developed for this project, dance music from Verdier’s original material, which is in the so-called Düben collection at Uppsala University, meets traditional Swedish folk music melodies, which Pär has arranged in a similar style to Verdier’s material. An exciting meeting both between different instruments (two baroque violins, tenor nyckelharpa and baritone saxophone) and between baroque music and folk music.
The ensemble had its debut performance in June 2026 (video above), and is now available for concerts!
Press photos by Michel Thomas can be downloaded here.
- Ida Meidell Blylod (baroque violin) is an eclectic violinist with one foot in folk and world music and the other in baroque music, based in Malmö, Sweden.
- Johan Hedin (tenor nyckelharpa) has defined much of what contemporary Nyckelharpa playing could be, including inventing the tenor nyckelharpa. Frequently touring with duo Hazelius Hedin.
- Pär Moberg (baritone Saxophone) has his deepest folk roots in the Swedish folk tradition, but as a restless soul he has played everything from klezmer and balkan to Ukrainian, Arabic and Afghani music, as well as rock, soul and gospel.
- Peter Spissky (Baroque violin) is one of the leading performers on the Scandinavian Baroque scene, frequently leading ensembles and projects both in Sweden, Denmark and other parts of Europe.