LYRICS
Bræðr munu berjask
ok at bönum verðask,
munu systrungar
sifjum spilla;
hart er í heimi,
hórdómr mikill,
skeggöld, skalmöld,
vindöld, vargöld,
áðr veröld steypisk;
mun engi maðr
öðrum þyrma.
svört verða sólskin
um sumur eftir,
skeggöld, skalmöld,
vindöld, vargöld,
Galanda vidr
Gangla vidr
Rithanda Vidr
Vidr rinnanda
Vidr sitjanda
Vidr signianda
Vidr faranda
Vidr fluganda
Skal alta fyr na
Ok om døya
Sér hon upp
Koma öðru sinni
jörð ór ægi
iðjagræna;
falla forsar,
flýgr örn yfir,
sá er á fjalli
fiska veiðir.
um aldrdaga
ynðis njóta.
-Old Norse
Fé vældr frænda róge; føðesk ulfr í skóge.
Úr er af illu jarne; opt løypr ræinn á hjarne.
Þurs vældr kvinna kvillu; kátr værðr fár af illu.
Óss er flæstra færða fo,r; en skalpr er sværða.
Ræið kveða rossom væsta; Reginn sló sværðet bæzta.
Kaun er barna bo,lvan; bo,l gørver nán fo,lvan.
Hagall er kaldastr korna; Kristr skóp hæimenn forna.
Nauðr gerer næppa koste; nøktan kælr í froste.
Unja runo segun
Fahi gali raginakundo
Ís ko,llum brú bræiða; blindan þarf at læiða.
Ár er gumna góðe; get ek at o,rr var Fróðe.
Sól er landa ljóme; lúti ek helgum dóme.
Týr er æinendr ása; opt værðr smiðr blása.
Unja runo segun
Fahi gali raginakundo
Bjarkan er laufgrønstr líma; Loki bar flærða tíma.
Maðr er moldar auki; mikil er græip á hauki.
Lo,gr er, fællr ór fjalle foss; en gull ero nosser.
Ýr er vetrgrønstr viða; vænt er, er brennr, at sviða.
(Translation: The rune primer, Sweyn Plowright)
1: Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen; the wolf lives in the forest.
2: Dross comes from bad iron; the reindeer often races over the frozen snow.
3: Giant causes anguish to women; misfortune makes few men cheerful.
4: Estuary is the way of most journeys; but a scabbard is of swords.
5: Riding is said to be the worst thing for horses; Reginn forged the finest sword.
6: Ulcer is fatal to children; death makes a corpse pale.
7: Hail is the coldest of grain; Christ created the world of old.
8: Constraint gives scant choice; a naked man is chilled by the frost.
9: Ice we call the broad bridge; the blind man must be led.
10: Plenty is a boon to men; I say that Frothi was generous.
11: Sun is the light of the world; I bow to the divine decree.
12: Tyr is a one-handed god; often has the smith to blow.
13: Birch has the greenest leaves of any shrub; Loki was fortunate in his deceit.
14: Man is an augmentation of the dust; great is the claw of the hawk.
15: A waterfall is a River which falls from a mountain-side; but ornaments are of gold.
16: Yew is the greenest of trees in winter; it is wont to crackle when it burns.
– Mixed old Germanic dialects and phonetic old Norse
Ha ri u ha La thu lau kar ga ka ra lu å le lu le lau kar
That kann ek it ellipta
Ef ek skal til orrustu
Leydha langvini
Undir randir ek gel
En their medh riki fara
Heilir hildar til
Heilir hildi frá
Koma their Heilir hvadhan
Heilir Koma their
Heilir hvadhan
That kann ek it fimmta
Ef ek sè af fári skotinn
Flein í fólki vadha
Flýgra hann svá stinnt
At ek stödhvigak
Ef ek hann sjónum of sék
Othan
– Old high German, phonetic old Norse and Icelandic
Eiris sazun idisi,
sazun hera duoder;
suma hapt heptidun,
suma heri lezidun,
suma clubodun
umbi cuoniouuidi:
insprinc haptbandun,
infar vigan dun
Þann gel ek þér fyrstan
þann kveða fjölnýtan
þann gól Rindr Rani
at þú of öxl skjótir
því er þér atalt þykkir
sjalfr leið þú sjalfan þik
Fjon thvae eg af mer fjanda minna
Ran og reithi rikra manna
Þann gel ek þér annan
ef þú árna skalt
viljalauss á vegum
Urðar lokur
haldi þér öllum megum
er þú á sinnum sér
Þann gel ek þér inn þriðja
ef þér þjóðáar
falla at fjörlotum
Horn ok Ruðr
en þverri æ fyr þér
Þann gel ek þér inn fjórða
ef þik fjándr standa
görvir á galgvegi
hugr þeim hverfi
til handa þér
ok snúisk þeim til sátta sefi
Þann gel ek þér inn fimmta
ef þér fjöturr verðr
borinn at boglimum
leysigaldr læt ek
þér fyr legg of kveðinn
ok stökkr þá láss af limum
en af fótum fjöturr
Þann gel ek þér inn sétta
ef þú á sjó kemr
meira en menn viti
logn ok lögr
gangi þér í lúðr saman
ok léi þér æ friðdrjúgrar farar
Þann gel ek þér inn sjaunda
ef þik sækja kemr
frost á fjalli háu
hræva kulði
megi-t þínu holdi fara
ok haldisk æ lík at liðum
Þann gel ek þér inn átta
ef þik úti nemr
nótt á niflvegi
at því firr megi
þér til meins gera
kristin dauð kona
Þann gel ek þér inn níunda
ef þú við inn naddgöfga
orðum skiptir jötun
máls ok mannvits
ser þér á minni ok hjarta
gnóga of gefit
– Untranscribable German dialect, not for written publishing
Dau host ze de Berje gesoot
Wue se seich hinesetze sulln
Dau host dummols de Sunn ohgefengt
On hast dr Mond un de Stern sue geasahst
dat Eich ömmr Hem fünne doun
Dau host dm Eise gesaht
Wuet wohse sull on aach
Darret bei mir öm Bluet ös
Dau biechst mr dr Wille on satzten zerechte
Doustn hämmrn wein bieses Schwert
Nömm meich usenannr on
Satz meich wörre zesahme
Ganz nau on sue
Dat mr meich net vrhexe ko
Wis mr de Wech dorch de gluiniche Sunn
On zeich mr alles
Dau nömmst et Licht net nur zem hellemache
Eich ho ke Angst öm Dunkle odr deif unne
Weil et Licht et Leawe nömmt
Darret us furmols hat gee
Dau sachst net, wat Eich ze seh hoh
Owr ömmer wu Eich higucke soll
Dau gihst mr net ömmr
Wat eich mr winsche doh
Owr ömmr wat eich bruche
Zwische mei Feinde host dau
Mei beste Lehrr vrstachelt
Dau hast dr Mout med arich Angst igebackt
On de Rou host dau mödde i de
Schwere Schmerze rigedoh
I dr Schöpfung doust dau din
Gsichte on dei Gstalt vrberje
Dei seich ömmr vrännrn doun
Dau hönnrgehst meich ehmoh
So dat Eich nähr bei dr seir ko
On satzt meich
Bei de Ahle bei, dei vor mit gstorwe sei
Dau hönnrlässt mr dr Kopp
Blourch owr meich offracht sti
On itz geh eich min läewe
I dei arich starke Hänn
Des dau druff uffbasse doust
– Old Icelandic
Gunnr, Hildur
Gu∂ur, Herdjötur
Grimger∂, Hjörthrimul, Visna
Hlökk, Gerhildur
Hefna, Geirskógull
Hjalmvingur, Göndul, Kára
Geirahöd, Hrist
Geirdriful, Hervör
Geiravör, Hroshvita, Nipt
Herja, Ølrun
Herthögn, Alvilda
Hjörthrimul, Ortlind, Brynhild
Hermuthruda
Hjalmthrimul, Sigurdrifa
Skaga, Randmey
Svanhvit, Randgri∂ur
Skeggjöld, Reginleif, Ouskmey
Thrudur, Svipul
Tanngni∂r, Sigrun
Thrima, Skalmøld, Blotlokur
Skøgull, Visna
Sangri∂ur, Voglind
Sver∂galdr, Valthru∂ur, Mist
Valthögn, Svava
Randgaldr, Svanmey
Thögn, Valgunth, Li∂aendi.
– Old Norse and German
Fimbulthul
Svæl
Slidhrylgr
Sylgr
Hridg
Vidh
Guntra
Gjøll
Leiptr
Elivagar
Elivagar
Gletscherglimmern
Für Freund Bärenherz
Der einst ins Eisland fuhr
Zermahlen, zerreissen, zerreiben
Eis egelt Stein entlang
Schleift und schleisst ständig
Rollt sich ruhig reibend
Ein in Berges alten Arm
Und ruht rastend nie
Korn kratzt kaltes Eis
Kalbt krachend kühl
Schreit schaurig schön
Wohlgeboren fliessen die Wasser
Stein schleift Schädel
Gletscherglimmern
Einst war ewiger Urgrund
Eis zuerst
Mächtig mahlend, berstend
Malmwasser
Schliff sich ein, schleißend
Ständig unbeständig
Gefriert und wächst, glutfern
Grösser wird es
Zermahlt Stein, zerreisst Fels, zerreibt Knochen
Knochenzermahler, Felszerreiber, Steinzerreisser
Schädelzeit, Schleifzeit, Steinzeiten
Stein schleift Schädel
Des Berges alte Machtberge
Brachst du dir
Und Sonne dir scheint
Schwall um Schwall du gibst
Schleißend und beharrlich schneidend
Die Steinfeste tiefer
Und tiefer
Speist du Sand, speist du Staub
Ständig unbeständig
Basaltalt bin ich, Berg
Eises Bürde tragend
Und Stein schleift Schädel
Des Hohen Himmels Wolkenheer
Fällt ein im Bergesheim
Weint fest auf Gneis und Fels
Und friert zu Zungen
Ständig unbeständig
Und Stein schleift Schädel
EXPLAINED
This is the beginning of the end.
We start with stanza 45 of Völuspá. It is the description of not just the end of the world, but also the rise of a new cleansed world, when the völva recites stanza 59 in the very end. It is the darkest moment known in Norse mythology, a devastating final battle between good and evil that comes to a point of total meltdown. But only that meltdown makes it possible for a renewed and rejuvenated world to arise.
As the theme of this piece describes the birth of a new world, the music arrangements is highly inspired by an actual birth situation. This is clearly visible towards the centre, where the primal scream of the Audugan echoes a new beginning.
The chanting piece, which is a defending spell against evil spirits, origins from an old Swedish amulet:
“Like other Germanic people, the Scandinavians believed in malignant spirits of disease floating around the atmosphere, attacking the unwary (….) A 12th century bronze amulet from Högstena, Sweden, for instance contains an alliterating spell against these roaming spirits of disease” (MacLeod/Mees, 2006)
Norupo is the poem known as “the Norwegian rune poem”. The poem was preserved in a 17th-century copy of a now lost 13th-century manuscript.
Norupo follows the skaldic metre, where the first line always names the stave and gives some indication of its mysterious signification, while the second line adds information that rhymes and is somehow linked to the first line.
The Norwegian rune poem gives a complete description of all sixteen runes of the younger Futhark.
Science seems to agree that the rune poem functions as a mnemonic (memory aid) for the arcane rune names. Nevertheless, we find in Hrabanus Manus’ “de inventione linguarum” (“The history of writing”, 9th century) the following about runes: “These forms of letters are said to be invented among the people of the Northmanni. It is said that they still use them to commit their songs and incantations to memory. They gave the name Runstabas to these letters. I believe, because by writing them they bring to light secret things.” Hrabanus was a Christian, even an archbishop, another version of his manuscript uses the words “incantations, divination and pagan practices” in the same passage.
So it is easy to draw the conclusion that the rune poem signifies and embodies an inventory of pagan myth, spell craft and divinatory lore, and was memorized as verses, as Mountfort states in his work “Nordic Runes” (2001).
The stanzas in the poem are riddling and cryptic, they seem unrelated and only bound by rhyme at first glance. The riddling poem as a way to enlightenment or oracle source is still actively known today in disciplines like Zen and I Ging.
Fascinating here, like in all fully preserved rune poems, are the very clear signs of syncretism. Christ is mentioned as the creator of the heavens, some stanzas later the ancient god Loki is called upon as the successful betrayer.
Finding this in such a strong spiritual text might hint towards a very open mind-set and dialog among the early Norse Christians and late Norse pagans. It evokes pictures of the Galdrmađr (wizard) shamelessly using the name of Christ in his deeply pagan mumbling and singing. In south America today, we still see elements of the pre-Columbian spirituality perfectly harmonizing with Christian elements. In Norwegian stave churches you will find one-eyed wooden idols preserved in the structure, indicating that Odin was welcome to Sunday service, whatever part he played there and then…
The topic of pronunciation of such old and lost languages is always very exciting. In Norupo we use a local dialect from Borre in Vestfold, eastern part of Norway, to shape the pronunciation of the ancient words. This dialect is still spoken today.
Since we can’t date the poem back later than the 13th century, we do not link it to the Vikings, as the continental Viking age ends in 1066 AD. But we can still feel the vital echo of pagan lore and tradition in these old lines.
Othan is one of the compositions that, in a Heilung context, might appear as a relaxed song. Nevertheless, it contains ancient combat protection spells and Odin, the highest northern god, appears as the lord of war.
The first part is a combination of spells from bracteates (see also: Futha explained) which is very hard to grasp or translate. These pendants or coins were produced mostly during the migration period up until the 7th century AD in northern Europe. They were mostly made from Roman gold, which the Germanic tribes received as peace money. The inscriptions are still discussed controversially amongst rune researchers. Some clues that hint towards the words leek, ale or a cuckoo can be traced, but most of the time it seems to be very difficult to grasp a meaningful sense in the inscriptions.
Although the High One enjoys war, he also indulges in poetry. Othan therefore has a second part where the white mistress of incantations recites the words that the High One gave to man: A spell sung under the shields to bless them and protect the warriors. (Hávámal, stanza 156)
In the third part the mood gets darker and we have now reached the point of an active combat spell. The power to stop an arrow in its flight is invoked. (Hávamál stanza 150)
After that the name of the highest Nordic god is repeated in a wolfish, barking mantra, partly to transport the feeling, that the ancient Nordic warrior groups often perceived themselves as animal packs. This is for example described by Ibrahim Ibn Yaqub, a 10th century traveller and merchant, who writes that the people of Hedeby were singing in a barking manner.
The First Merseburg Charm is the origin of the lyrics for the first part of this piece. The Merseburg Charm originates from a manuscript found in Germany dating back to the 10th century. A Christian cleric noted it on the blank page of a liturgical book.
One of the interpretations by Emil Doepler (1905) is that this first spell is a “Lösesegen” (blessing of release), describing how a number of “Idisen” are freeing warriors caught during battle from their shackles. It is mainly believed that the word ”idisi” refers to the dís, female spirits or deities that in origin may have been minor godesses of fertility. The last two lines contain the magic words “Leap forth from the fetters, escape from the foes” that are intended to release the warriors.
The second part is based on the so called ”Grógaldr”. We find this poem in several 17th century manuscripts from Iceland. Grógaldr, also as one of nine spells, contains a ”Lösesegen” (leysigaldr) in stanza 10.
The chorus by the male choir, sings the spell connected to the Helm of Awe ”Agishjálmr”. The symbol was first published in the Galdra book from the 17th century but mentioned already in the poetic edda Fáfnismál.
Vapnatak is an old Norse word. Its meaning describes the ritual of raising the weapons in order to swear allegiance to the chieftain in times of battle, blessed by the lord of war. In old Norse mythology the lord of war is also the creator of the world.
The poem, written by Heilung, was spoken under a reconstructed Germanic shield during the recording, and begins with the description of the power of the creator. It describes how the mountains were placed and the sun ignited. It continues with the growth of iron in soil and blood, and how it turns into swords that crave the blood. It finishes with the total surrender of all personal salvation into the strong hands of the primal leader of all warriors and admirer of combat.
The Iron Age warrior most probably saw life and war on earth as a performance test to join the army of the dead, that would face the forces of chaos in the final battle. They dedicated their kills to their divine leader, and many of them took care to grant their enemies the same honourable death they wished for themselves. The habit of getting dressed in one’s finest clothes to step into blood feud related combat is known from early Icelandic literature.
Vapnatak is spoken in an old German dialect that can be safely traced back to Frankish roots. The dialect is close to extinction and never got properly transcribed.
The area where the dialect originates lies on the northern border of the former Roman Empire and the last Roman findings in the area date to 9 AD. This is the year of the great battle in the Teutoburg Forest, the result of which was the total retreat of the Romans from that region. Later a great wall, the so called “Limes”, was built by the Romans, placed a little further south.
In this very region we find the image of the “bearded, long haired barbarian”: The local tribe, the “Chatti”,as described by the Roman historian Tacitus, did not allow the male youths to shave or cut their hair before they killed their first enemy, which resulted in hordes of very aggressive, bloodthirsty young men with long hair and wild beards.
The imagery we had in mind during the creation of Vapnatak was a battle scene between the Chatti and the Romans, seen from the perspective of the Chatti, as it could have been taken place in this region before the birth of Christ.
This one is entirely for the female warriors.
Svanrand is inspired by an early mediaeval collection of names of the Valkyrjur.
In this poem, we recite all the Valkyrjur names known from multiple sources, and in order to fit the metre and rhyme, some new Kenningar (a special type of metaphor much used in old Norse poetry) for the Valkyrjur are added by Heilung.
A prayer to our fair ladies, Wotan’s brides, the guardians of the fallen – these are just some careful translations of the meaning of some of the names in the poem.
The song title itself, Svanrand, means “swan-shield”, and is one of these new names given to us during the creation of this song. Because every second syllable is recited in a polyrhythmic manner from the middle and towards the end of the piece, new magic names appear .
It is very rare to find poems from the early medieval period that follow the rhythm in the stanzas so closely as they do in Svanrand. Since there is no need to follow the rules when telling a story that is “just” a list of names, the possibility presented itself to weave the stave rhymes very tight around the rhythm patterns.
Such lists of names, like the one used in Svanrand, are known as Thulur in old Norse poetry. We elaborate further on the Thulur in the explanation of the song “Elivagar”.
The composition of Svanrand was written by Heilung during several years of work, the vision was that the names should follow a very strict metre, similar to the metrical forms of old Norse poetry, yet arise new and amplified from these ancient texts.
For Svanrand a new metre in an old style was developed, which we decided to call Heilungháttr. The names of the Valkyrjur were carefully collected, researched and sorted in stave families. These were split, so each stanza contains at least two families, in order to avoid sterile monotony. The names were then arranged regarding their punctuation in the name itself and where it should be placed to provide the frame for the rhythm of the piece. Because the names lead the way, we end up with a 4-5-7 beat that fits perfectly with a polyrhythm of a halftime 8/4.
In this song the female body itself was used to produce the clapping elements in the rhythm, and as the names of the Valkyrjur often are related to the sounds of battle; arrows, shields and swords are also contributing their acoustic gifts.
The last step was to place all names so they follow the changing number of required syllables in each line harmonically. What takes a couple of minutes to sing, had a couple of years’ preparation time.
Elivagar is the song about the ice-rivers or waves that constantly flow, vaporise, condensate and freeze over in the omnipotent void Ginnungagap, at the beginning of creation in Norse mythology.
Elivagar carries in sounds and words the signature of ice and glaciers, of rain and the rivers being born by the mighty ice layers. We feel the power of a volatile, unreliable element, that is able to grind down mountains.
Since mankind is a part of nature, condemned to function and flow with the powers and energies of the elements, the alliterations are also analogies to emotional coldness. The silence of an angry and sad woman, grinding and more destructive than a mighty thunderstorm, and the ice cold hate of a long grudge can be felt in this homage to the unstoppable, patient force of ice, permanently impermanent, grinding and slowly moving, unstoppable even by rock.
Seen in this context, Elivagar might be able to support meditations about aspects of the Isa-rune.
We know the names of many ice- rivers named in old Icelandic poetry, in Elivagar, Heilung placed them in a new stave rhyme poem in the tradition of the so called Thulur, lists of names known from early mediaeval Nordic poetry. Similar lists can be found in Hinduism (Names of Shiva) and Buddhism (Prayer of the 1000 names of Buddha) and have existed for thousands of years. To pass on information in rhymes might have helped to control the dynamics of oral tradition in traditional belief systems and folklore.
The majority of sounds in this piece are produced by actual ice. Ice was broken in pieces of different sizes, hit by ice or smashed and grinded together. It produces the unique sounds that only nature itself can give.
Elddansurin is an ovation to fire, celebrating this life giving and yet deadly element.
The lyrics are again following old Norse patterns, reciting words that are related to fire and wood.
The atmospheric sound you hear in the beginning that later turn rhythmic, is purely made out of actual fire. The low-end rhythmic elements added soon after are made from timbre.
Maybe some will hear Loki Seidr in this and get the idea that the song is hailing the trickster. This however is not intended by Heilung, as the connection between Loki and fire is a Wagnerian idea which has no root in the original manuscripts. The second last word in the spell of Elddansurin, Logi, describes a completely independent deity that is a personification of fire.
The proof that Loki and Logi are two different beings can be found in the old Icelandic poem Gylfaginning (“ The tricking of Gylfa”). In this text the two deities Loki and Logi actually meet.
The last word, Seidhir, is the word for cooking fire in old Norse.
In this song the listener has the chance to experience something that most probably came to us all the way from the hunter-gatherer period. The rhythmic throat singing in the beginning, that gave this piece its name, follows the most northern tradition of the globe. Our sisters from the first nations of Greenland and Canada are the only ones still singing in this style and it is supposed to bring happiness and laughter. Heilung of course adds its own elements, so the style of singing is adapted. The words though, are old Norse. This language, once called “Dansktonga” (Danish tongue), was in use when the Norsemen and the arctic first nations initially met. Our forefathers called all people northwest of their regions “Skrælinger” (screamlings) which should not be mistaken for “Særklinger” (gownlings) which was used for the people from the Arab world. Mentionable here is that these two words describe sounds and dresses, not skin colour or body size.
In Hamrer Hippyer, Heilung as usual travels through time and space, and the most ancient sounds turn into an evocation to Wodan, the high god of the Germanic tribes. Here he is called upon as the great healer. From the 9th or 10th century we know spells in old High German, preserved in the so called Merseburg incantations. In these spells, traditional pagan rhyme (alliteration) merges with the Christian end-rhyme. Analogies to the Merseburg incantations can be found in Gaelic, Latvian and Finnish, which might hint towards an ancient Indo-European origin of these charms. Ancient Indian sources also provide similar spells.
In the beginning, spells to calm fire and inflammation are chanted, only to later be followed by the mighty words of Wodan, healing blood and bone. We remember that Heilung means “healing” or “cure” in modern High German. It is not a coincidence that we regularly read reports from people that have experienced an activation of their self-healing powers, and sometimes progress with or full recovery of even chronical diseases, which is the aim of the medicine. Heilung does not only believe in the healing power of its sound and especially the live-rituals, we experience it.
We consciously entice and release the healing and helping spirits from the past.
The sounds in this piece might describe a raging, painful sickness or accident, and the cry for help. The spell itself is recited in beautiful, enchanting tones and through repeating it, it unfolds its effect. It is its own kind of medicine, that can lift you up from the dark world of hurt, so you may breathe again.
The song finishes with a calming and soothing iron age Norwegian blessing and the sounds turn from exhausting and grinding, to a more released, atmospheric spectrum.
All is well.