Finnish quartet to visit Bar Harbor

When a band is named after the horn that the Norse god Heimdall blows to announce the apocalyptic battle Ragnarok, it’s best not to expect them to play lighthearted pop music.

Far from it: Gjallarhorn (pronounced “ya-lare-horn”) is a Finnish quartet that plays modernized versions of traditional Scandinavian folk music. The band, led by vocalist and fiddler Jenny Wilhelms, performs at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, at College of the Atlantic’s Gates Center in Bar Harbor. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling 288-5015, ext. 335.

Wilhelms formed Gjallarhorn in 1994 after studying vocal and fiddle traditions at conservatories in Sweden, Finland and Norway. The medieval Nordic ballads she learned there formed the basis of the repertoire of the group, which was originally a trio featuring just fiddle, mandola (a type of mandolin), the decidedly un-Scandinavian instrument the didgeridoo, and Wilhelms’ clear, crystalline, multi-octave voice. A fourth member – a percussionist – was added soon after.

The didgeridoo player was replaced last year by Goran Mansson, who plays a little-known instrument called the subcontrabass recorder, which produces low drones similar to the Australian instrument. Other current members of the group are viola and mandola player Adrian Jones and percussionist Petter Berndalen.

Together, Gjallarhorn makes haunting, intense folk music, as featured on its latest and fourth album, “Rimfaxe,” named after the night goddess’ horse from Norse mythology. The group has received honors throughout Europe, including the prestigious Academie Charlies Cros prize in France in 2003, for their third album, “Grimborg.” This is their first North American tour, and first-ever stop in Maine.

Original and traditional ballads, minuets and waltzes showcase Wilhelms’ epic voice, and tell tales of the sea, of the old gods and supernatural events, and of battle. The singer says on the band’s Web site (www.gjallarhorn.com) that she is influenced not just by Scandinavian music, but also by the musical traditions of India, which often feature soaring vocals. That cross-pollination of genres and style, as well as the melding of the traditional and contemporary, are sure to make Gjallarhorn’s performance Sunday night a memorable one.