Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures

432 East Campus Mall, Room 332
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
608-262-8180
Web site: http://csumc.wisc.edu

UW-Madison Libraries, Mills Music (Map)

Leonard Finseth (1911-1991) was a Norwegian-American folk fiddler, farmer, and factory worker from Mondovi, Wisconsin. In addition to maintaining the family farm, Finseth played and participated in fiddle festivals throughout the Midwest and published two albums of Norwegian folk music, The Hills of Old Wisconsin and Scandinavian Old Time Folk Fiddler from Wisconsin. The Finseth collection's recordings are a mix of concerts, personal recordings, and recordings of old time fiddlers who influenced Finseth. There are a large number of old time fiddle songs, with special emphasis on Norwegian tunes. Also present are photographs, newspaper articles, a reminiscence by Finseth of his World War II experiences, and other items.