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NESP Reviews

Edda
by Sequentia

by Alfta Svanni Lothursdottir

        Having been a long time fan of Sequentia, when I found out that they were releasing a C.D. based on lays from the Poetic Edda, it is easy to say that I was very excited to hear this news. Knowing Sequentia's reputation for researching the instruments and methods of medieval Europe, I had high hopes for this C.D. Although the records for the instruments that our Nordic ancestors used are rare to non-existent, Sequentia looked to the folk music of Norway. There, they explored the tradition called hardingfele which is essentially played on "a violin with the addition of four or five resonance strings running under the fingerboard. The entire album is played with 3, 4 and 5 string versions of these violins and the lyre.
        The first song, played solely on the violins, is the wonderfully mournful "Fire and Ice." It's then followed by Odhinn's rune verses from Havamal. The next song which is one of my personal favorites of the C.D. is the Voluspa. Seven more selections from the Poetic Edda round out the C.D.
        Worth the price of the C.D. alone is the parallel text in Old Norse and English of the lays that are sung. Although we may never know exactly how such material was performed but I think that perhaps Sequentia has come very close. In any case it is a wonderful work and I highly recommend it.

Track List

Leikr elds ok ísa [2:15]
The song of Fire and Ice
Veit ek at ek hekk [5:40]
Óðinn's Rune Verses
Hlióðs bid ek allar [10:10]
The Prophecy of the Seeress
Vreiðr var þá Ving-Þórr [13:51]
The Tale of Þrymr
Nú erum komnar [12:18]
The Song of the Mill
Baldrs minni [3:35]
In Memory of Baldr
Senn vóu æsir allir á þingi [9:32]
Baldr's Dreams
Þat man hón fólkvíg [6:26]
The Prophecy of the Seeress
Ragnarok [1:28]
The End of the Gods
Á fellr uastan um eitrdala [11:33]
The Prophecy of the Seeress

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Edda by Sequentia

by Alfta Svanni Lothursdottir

Edda
by Sequentia