I often say that I especially appreciate music that doesn’t fit neatly into one specific genre of music and Thomas Roth’s 2026 release, Maskenball, certainly fits that description!!! Roth is one of the few masters of the nyckelharpa, a traditional and complex Swedish stringed instrument that is more than 600 years old. Resembling a violin, its unique mechanism has 37 wooden keys with tangents that stop the strings (instead of the fingers). Typically, it has 16 strings (4 melodic and 12 sympathetic resonance strings) that are usually bowed rather than plucked or strummed. The nyckelharpa was especially prevalent in medieval times, and as a master of the instrument, Roth was a natural for Ritchie Blackmore’s band, Blackmore’s Night. He toured extensively with them starting in 2014, helping to establish their unique sound that often combines medieval and rock music. Some of the nine tracks on Maskenball are solo while others have an always-interesting combination of musicians and instruments. There is a fascinating YouTube video that Roth produced for the title track (aka “Masquerade Ball”). There is also an older video for “Ingredients,” the last track on the album, that gives a good idea of how the nyckelharpa is played.

Maskenball begins with “Le Grand Louis,” an orchestrated piece that is stately, elegant and rockin’! Fast-paced with a strong rhythm (drums and bass), it makes it obvious that this is an eclectic album! The title track begins with a very dark, mysterious nyckelharpa solo and then explodes with piano (Deandre T. Jones) and percussion, gradually becoming a very hot trio that rocks hard. Love it! The video for “Maskenball” makes the music even more intriguing! “Jerusalem” is fully orchestrated with a big, cinematic sweep. The Middle-Eastern flavor adds to the intrigue of this vibrant and haunting piece. “Tanz” (German for “Dance”) is also orchestrated along with piano, bass and percussion. “Welsh Air” features Frank Tischer on piano and Elina Siirala’s wordless vocals along with the nyckelharp and orchestral strings. “Der Mann Aus Halle” really surprised me with its very unusual arrangement of Handel’s “Sarabande.” It begins and ends with a very melancholy nyckelharpa solo. Bass and percussion enter to add a powerful and rhythmic backing that builds with each repeat of the theme, trailing off at the end - love it! “Swedish Pictures” seamlessly incorporates bits of rock, folk, classical and soundtrack styles, telling a very colorful tale as it unfolds. “Seasick Sailor” is a lively arrangement of the old folk song, incorporating flute, mandolin, guitars, bass, bodhran, recorders, violin and accordion with nyckelharpa. The album closes with the solo nyckelharpa “Ingredients,” an older original piece that allows Thomas Roth to demonstrate his amazing chops with his unusual instrument as well as his versatility as a composer/arranger/performer. You won’t fall asleep with this one! Classical themes (and a rock theme, too!) are woven into Roth’s original music for an amazing end to an amazing album!!!

Maskenball is available on Amazon and Apple Music as well as on many streaming platforms including Spotify and Pandora. CDs will be available after February 6, 2026. If you are looking for an album that’s really different, this should fit the bill!