Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland / Sequentia

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Sequentia here performs a miracle of musical restoration, bringing to vibrant life medieval Icelandic texts about gods and heroes inhabiting a mythic past. Drawing on oral traditions and informed scholarly speculations about long-dead performing styles, they have come up with a hypnotic disc that startles with its power and beauties. The songs and recitations are interwoven with captivating fiddle tunes, and the singers wrench surprising emotions from the old texts. The late Barbara Thornton shines in her solos and duets, and Benjamin Bagby's mesmerizing chanting, recitation, and singing brings us as close as we're likely to get to sitting at the feet of the bards of old. An extraordinary disc that shouldn't be missed. --Dan Davis

Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland / Sequentia, Music, Icelandic Anonymous, Cologne Sequentia Ensemble for Medieval Music, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Classical Vocals, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Vocal, Vocal Music

Average customer rating:

Sings to my DNA

Pretty Good

For the Nordic Soul, an echo across time...

Medieval Latin? Music

A great tool for learning as well as the musical enjoyment

Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland / Sequentia

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Rheingold Curse: A Germanic Saga of Greed and Revenge from the Medieval Icelandic Edda

Aquitania

Lost Songs of a Rhineland Harper [Hybrid SACD]

Nordisk Sang

Nordic Roots: Northside Sampler

ASIN: B00000IFOM
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Myths From Medieval Iceland: Leikr elds ok isa (The Song Of Fire And Ice)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Veit ek at ek hekk (Odinn's Rune-verses)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Hliods bid ek allar (The Prophecy Of The Seeress)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Vreidr var pa Ving-Porr (The Tale Of Prymr)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Nu erum komnar (The Song Of The Mill)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Baldrs minni (In Memory Of Baldr)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Senn voru aesir allir a pingi (Baldr's Dreams)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Pat man hon folkvig (The Prophecy Of The Seeress)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Ragnarok (The End Of The Gods)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: A fellr austan um eitrdala (The Prophecy Of The Seeress)

Amazon.com

Sequentia here performs a miracle of musical restoration, bringing to vibrant life medieval Icelandic texts about gods and heroes inhabiting a mythic past. Drawing on oral traditions and informed scholarly speculations about long-dead performing styles, they have come up with a hypnotic disc that startles with its power and beauties. The songs and recitations are interwoven with captivating fiddle tunes, and the singers wrench surprising emotions from the old texts. The late Barbara Thornton shines in her solos and duets, and Benjamin Bagby's mesmerizing chanting, recitation, and singing brings us as close as we're likely to get to sitting at the feet of the bards of old. An extraordinary disc that shouldn't be missed. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Sings to my DNA.......2007-02-17

While it's not unusual for me to have several different recordings of the same work by different performers, this is the only case in which I have two identical CDs, one for home and one for the car. I have to assume my Scots-Irish ancestry has some Nordic blood, as this music affects me powerfully. I haven't even read the program notes, so it can't be that the text's mesmerizing. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if mead is your drink, it's perfect.

Pretty Good.......2007-02-01

There are some really awesome moments on this disc. All of the Voluspa segments, especially the final one describing Ragnarok, and The Song of the Mill are very well done. The stark atmosphere serves to not only enhance the singing portion, but really draw you into the song. The booklet that comes with the CD is essential, with beautiful translations of the poems that put Caroline Larrington's Poetic Edda to shame.

But there are also a lot of weak moments. I can't say that there is anything interesting in the instrumentals, which are fortunately few and far between. The Tale of Thrym is ok the first time through, but loses it's appeal very quickly. Odin's Rune Verses lack emotion compared to the rest of the pieces.

I also found the Italian Opera style singing a bit imposing. The rolling of the r's is sometime distracting, and I wondered the first time I heard it if that's what the language really sounds like. Of course, this is my first exposure to Icelandic, so I really couldn't tell you if its right or wrong, but the male singers do it much more than the females. Perhaps it just comes from their background as opera singers.

Overall, this is a good thing to have if you're at all interested in Norse/Icelandic/Viking mythology. If you're not, I think you can skip it.

For the Nordic Soul, an echo across time..........2006-10-23

I thought nothing like this existed, yet here it is! The Sequentia group sings ancient Nordic mythological poems, in very much the manner of ancient Skalds. The skald was a bard, or troubadour, of ancient Scandinavia. In the Sagas, many of the greatest skalds came from Iceland, a land colonized by Norwegians unwilling to live under the dictatorship of King Harald Harfa-gri (Harald Fairhair). The songs on this album are recited in Icelandic, a language that has changed only slightly from the Old Norse spoken by their ancestors. The style of performance is a specualtion, to a certain degree, but very much like that of most traditional Nordic folk music, traditions that have been passed on for centuries.

Medieval Latin? Music.......2006-10-14

For some reason, it doesn't sound quite nordic to me. Did they really roll their 'R's in the Old Norse, or is Sequentia putting a Latin spin on it? It sounds like Italian opera accompanied by medieval Icelandic instruments.

A great tool for learning as well as the musical enjoyment.......2006-07-11

I am impressed by, actually, the insert book! It has 47 thin pages of history, lyrics, and translation.

I bought this CD because the only foreign language I really retain is from foreign music. The lyrics are decently clear for learning. I didn't expect the insert book to have Icelandic lyrics, but it has that and a translation. There is a summary on each of the poems also.

The music is a bit simple, but the real art is in the song. The singing could even go without instrumentation. The album is 76:52 minutes long.

Music Review:

Music Review

Carlos Chávez: Concierto para Violin; Concierto para Piano [Import]

Tumbleweed Town

Digital Hardcore Recordings: Don't F**k With Us [Box set] [Explicit Lyrics]

First Embrace

Cores Do Brasil: Danca [Import]

Don't Tread On Me

Collection

Electric Landlady [Import]

Body and Soul

Barretao 2004 [Import]

Cali Thugs: Serv'n Ya Heat

Daddy's Prayers

Lookin' at Monk