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Vikings

A journey into the realms of Norse gods and mythology, and the often brutal seafaring people who conjured them, through music, ancient Scandinavian verse and contemporary novels.

The Edda, Noggin, Wagner, Neil Gaiman - today's programme journeys into the realms of Norse gods and mythology, and the seafaring Scandinavian warrior people who conjured them - the Vikings. The name 'Viking' is an Old Norse term meaning a pirate raid, and their invasions sent terror into the hearts of many but new archaeological finds are changing our understanding of this civilisation. Our readers are Leo Suter, star of the new Netflix TV series Vikings: Valhalla, and Natalie Simpson, and our readings include extracts from novels by Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams. In his poem, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow conjures a Viking skeleton to life in full gothic horror, and P.G. Wodehouse muses on the Viking notion of going "Berserk". And in the beginning was the Edda - the ancient Scandinavian poetry that first recorded the myths of the gods such as Odin, Thor, Loki and Angrboda.

The music includes classics such as Grieg's Peer Gynt and Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries into Valhalla (the realm of the Viking gods), Jon Leif's choral epic inspired by the Edda, contemporary Scandinavian composers including Ola Gjeilo and Rebecca Karijord, and Moondog, the New York-based "Viking of 6th Avenue".

Producer: Graham Rogers

Readings:
Old Norse - The Poetic Edda (translated by Carolyne Larrington) (excerpt)
Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin - Noggin the Nog (excerpt)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - The Skeleton in Armor (excerpt)
Alcuin - Letter to the king of Northumbria (excerpt)
Cat Jarman - River Kings (excerpt)
Douglas Adams - The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (excerpt)
Old Norse - The Poetic Edda (translated by Carolyne Larrington) (excerpt)
Genevieve Gornichec - The Witch's Heart (excerpt)
Helen E. Wieand - The Viking-Maid
P.G. Wodehouse - Summer Lightning (excerpt)
Anon. 19th Century - God bless the Lifeboat and its crew
Neil Gaiman - American Gods (excerpt)
Neil Price - The Children of Ash and Elm (excerpt)
Neil Oliver - Wisdom of the Ancients (excerpt)
Old Norse - Havamal (translated by Carolyne Larrington) (excerpt)

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 29 Jan 2023 17:30
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:01

    Wardruna

    Helvegen

    Performer: Wardruna.
    • Norse Music BNM014CD.
    • 10.

  • Old Norse, translated by Carolyne Larrington

    The Poetic Edda (excerpt), read by Leo Suter and Natalie Simpson

  • 00:04

    Edvard Grieg

    Peer Gynt Prelude, Act 1

    Performer: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner (conductor).
    • Chandos CHSA 5190.
    • 1.
  • 00:04

    Vernon Elliott

    Noggin the Nog

    • Â鶹ԼÅÄ Archive.
    • NA.

  • Oliver Postgate, Peter Firmin

    Noggin the Nog (excerpt), read by Oliver Postgate

  • 00:07

    Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller

    Vikingeblod - Overture

    Orchestra: Aalborg Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Moshe Atzmon.
    • BIS BISCD1214.
    • 20.

  • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

    The Skeleton in Armor (excerpt), read by Leo Suter

  • 00:09

    Per?y i ?otry

    Song of the Vikings (My Mother Told Me)

    Performer: Per?y i ?otry.
    • Anon.
    • 1.
  • 00:11

    Ola Gjeilo

    Northern lights (Pulchra es, amica mea)

    Performer: VOCES8.
    • Decca 478 8689.
    • 6.

  • Alcuin

    Letter to the king of Northumbria, read by Natalie Simpson

  • 00:15

    Louis Hardin (aka Moondog)

    Viking 1

    Performer: Moondog.
    • Koff KD330140.
    • 1.

  • Cat Jarman

    River Kings (excerpt), read by Leo Suter

  • 00:17

    Agathe Backer-Grøndahl

    Brudeslaat (from Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 30)

    Performer: Sara Aimée Smiseth (piano).
    • Grand Piano GP902.
    • 2.
  • 00:21

    Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson

    ³Õ¾±²Ôá³Ù³Ù²¹

    Performer: Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson.
    • DURTRO 005 CD.
    • 4d.
  • 00:22

    Trad. Danish arr. Danish String Quartet

    Sekstur from Vendsyssel and The Peat Dance

    Performer: Danish String Quartet.
    • DaCapo 8226081.
    • 2.

  • Douglas Adams

    The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (excerpt), read by Natalie Simpson

  • 00:28

    Mark Mothersbaugh

    Thor: Ragnarok

    Performer: Mark Mothersbaugh.
    • Hollywood Records D002722102.
    • 3.
  • 00:29

    Meredith Monk

    Facing North: Northern Lights 1

    Performer: Meredith Monk. Performer: Robert Een.
    • ECM 4374392.
    • 1.

  • Old Norse, translated by Carolyne Larrington

    The Poetic Edda (excerpt), read by Leo Suter

  • 00:31

    Felix Mendelssohn

    Hexenlied (from 12 Songs, Op.8)

    Singer: Diana Damrau. Performer: Helmut Deutsch.
    • Orfeo C749071A.
    • 14.

  • Genevieve Gornichec

    The Witch's Heart (excerpt), read by Natalie Simpson

  • 00:34

    Jean Sibelius

    En Saga

    Performer: Â鶹ԼÅÄ National Orchestra of Wales, Thomas Sondergard (conductor).
    • Linn CKD566.
    • 1.

  • Helen E. Wieand

    The Viking-Maid, read by Natalie Simpson

  • 00:41

    Richard Wagner

    Ride of the Valkyries (from Die Walkure)

    Orchestra: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Conductor: Marek Janowski.
    • Pentatone PTC 5186 407.
    • 1.
  • 00:46

    Buster Bailey

    Man with a Horn Goes Berserk

    Performer: Buster BaileyÂ’s Rhythm Busters.
    • Classics CLASSICS 904.
    • 13.

  • P. G. Wodehouse

    Summer Lightning (excerpt), read by Leo Suter

  • 00:48

    Jimmy Page, Robert Plant

    Immigrant Song

    Performer: Led Zeppelin.
    • Atlantic SD19128-2.
    • 1.
  • 00:50

    Jón Leifs

    Saer (from Edda, Part 1)

    Choir: Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis. Orchestra: Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Hermann Bäumer.
    • BIS BIS-SACD-1350.
    • 5.

  • Anon. (19th Century)

    God bless the Lifeboat and its crew, read by Leo Suter

  • 00:52

    Natalie Holt

    Loki (theme from the TV series)

    Performer: Natalie Holt.
    • Hollywood Records 050087490720.
    • 1.

  • Neil Gaiman

    American Gods (excerpt), read by Natalie Simpson

  • 00:54

    Joshua Redman

    Mischief

    Performer: Joshua Redman Quartet.
    • Warner 9 45643-2.
    • 6.
  • 01:00

    Nancy Dalberg

    Jeg Ved En Småfugl

    Singer: Lars Thodberg Bertelsen. Performer: Tove Lønskov.
    • Danacord 5709499472002.
    • 17.
  • 01:01

    Anon.

    Edda: Ragnaroek

    Performer: Sequentia.
    • DHM G0100002676442.
    • 9.

  • Neil Price

    The Children of Ash and Elm (excerpt), read by Leo Suter

  • 01:02

    Anon.

    Edda: The Prophecy of the Seeress

    Performer: Sequentia.
    • DHM G0100002676442.
    • 11.
  • 01:04

    JS Bach (after Marcello)

    Concerto in D minor BWV974 – 2nd mvt: Adagio

    Performer: Vikingur Olafsson (piano).
    • DG 483 5022.
    • 31.

  • Neil Oliver

    Wisdom of the Ancients (excerpt), read by Natalie Simpson

  • 01:10

    Rebekka Karijord

    Mausoleum

    • Control Freak Kitten Records CFK030.
    • 11.

  • Old Norse, translated by Carolyne Larrington

    Havamal (excerpt), read by Leo Suter

Broadcasts

  • Sun 20 Mar 2022 17:30
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3
  • Sun 29 Jan 2023 17:30
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3

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