Tromme-Fredrik — the village character who only wanted to drum

When the composer Knut Vaage asked Ingar Ben. Nordby to play tamburtromme (military side drum) in Tysnes Teaterlag's production about Anne Knutsdotter, an old acquaintance turned up: the village character "Tromme-Fredrik" — Frederik Christian Ludvigsson Uggdal (1834–1923), tambur (drummer) with Tysnes Kompani 1855–59, and according to Joh. Sundvor a "temmeleg god tambur" ("a fairly good drummer") with "god kvervel" ("good roll").

He was not fond of work, of practical tasks, or of authoritative wives — he only wanted to drum. Drumming was his life.

Nordby contributed three trommeslåtter (drum tunes) after Uggdal, transcribed by Joh. Sundvor in 1917. The drum still belongs to the family, and the sound is just as good to this very day. In the theatre production the tunes were given new life on stage.