Sturlunga
Sék eld of þér
Voces Thules

vocesthules.is
gogoyoko.com


2009
Voces Thules VT002

2008

'Kom út föstudaginn 13. febrúar 2009. Geisladiskurinn inniheldur tónlist sem Voces Thules, ásamt Arngeiri Heiðari Haukssyni, settu við draumkvæði úr Sturlungu sem sagan hermir að sögupersónur hafi dreymt fyrir Örlygsstaðabardaga hinn 21. ágúst 1238. Diskinum var fylgt eftir með útgáfutónleikum í Iðnó þann dag... Diskurinn er gefinn út í sérstakri hátíðarútgáfu í 1238 númeruðum eintökum.'

1 - Brot af tiðarsöng hins Heilaga Hallvarðar (Lux illuxit laetabunda, Missale Nidrosiense)   [6:14]
Percussions, mandole, voices

2 - Drömde mik æn dröm   [2:47]
Symphonie, percussions

3 - Ríðum allir rógstefnu til   [3:03]
Percussions, gittern, voices

4 - Þornar heimr ok hrörnar   [2:28]
Symphonie, voices, percussions

5 - Anda þinn, Guð, mér gef þú víst   [3:49]
Lyre, gittern

6 - Varizk ér ok varizk ér   [3:21]
Percussions, symphonie, voices

7 - Eisandi fersk unda   [2:16]
Lyre, voices

8 - Hverir vökðu mér varman dreyra   [4:17]
Bagpipe, percussions, voices

9 - Ó Jesú, sjálfs Guðs Son   [4:01]
Lyre, gittern

10 - Dust er á jörðu   [1:08]
Voices

11 - Gríðr munk gumnum heðra   [2:34]
Percussions, voices

12 - Leyft erat yðr né öðrum   [0:21]
Voice

13 - Nú munu nauðir norðmenn kveða   [5:39]
Symphonie, recorder, percussions, voices

14 - Jesú mín Morgunstjarna   [3:07]
Lyre, gittern

15 - Hverir munu birni beitask   [1:09]
Percussions, voices

16 - Upp skalt á kjöl klífa   [2:55]
Lyre, voice

17 - Brot af tíðarsöng hins Heilaga Hallvarðar (Lux illuxit laetabunda, Missale Nidrosiense)   [4:29]
Voices

18 - Sefr þú úti   [1:09]
Voices




Icelandic texts




Voces Thules

Sigurður Halldórsson · voice, percussion, symphonie
Eggert Pálsson · voice, percussion, recorder
Einar Jóhannesson · voice, percussion
Guðlaugur Viktorsson · voice, percussion
Eiríkur Hreinn Helgason · voice, percussion

Sturlunga – The Battle of Iceland
Dreams and premonitions for the battle of Örlygsstaðir 1238

The poems in this project are about the social situation in Iceland at the Sturlunga – age, the first half of the 13th century. The aim was to capture the atmosphere that had so much influence on people’s every day life in the years of turmoil and warfare previous to the decline of the National independence that came to an end with the "Gamli sáttmáli" agreement with the King of Norway.

The project, which had been underway for several years, was completed in 2008 and released in a book and a CD in February 2009. Voces Thules had medieval instruments made especially to accompany the poems, all of which have a history in medieval Iceland although sources are limited. The songs to the poems were found through the oral tradition of the Icelandic heritage, mostly notated by revd. Bjarni Thorsteinsson in the late 19th century. The songs are accommodated to the words in a medieval manner, generally known as "Contrafactum" and was used by the troubadours and trouvers of the 12th and 13th century. Arngeir H. Hauksson, a specialist in medieval instrumental interpretation, was an important participant who both contributed research, made arrangements along with the group members and took part in performances and recordings.

Throughout the procedure the material was performed widely, such as the Bergen Arts Festival, in big concert halls in 15 cities of Japan, in the Oosteport in Groningen, Holland, in the newly built Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam and on many occasions in Iceland.



‘Sturlunga Saga tells the story of the Battle of Örlygsstaðir which was waged between two rival clans vying for power on August 21st 1238 AD. This bloody battle and it’s aftermath were the main reasons for Iceland’s loss of independence to the Norwegian king in 1262.

Voces Thules, in co-operation with Arngeir Hauksson, searched for ancient melodies that would fit the verse in the chapter about dreams and premonitions connected with the battle. All texts are translated in English, French and German.

In Icelander’s minds, the "Sturlunga age" is directly associated with turmoil and conflict when Iceland came to the brink of civil war.’

Sturlunga saga, ca. 1300
AM 122 a fol.