Customer Reviews

Epitaph - Medieval Iceland / Gudjonsson

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The country that gave birth to the medieval saga is too little known culturally around the world. But it stores up secret riches. This disc is a marvelous anthology of medieval Icelandic song, exquisitely sung and performed.

Sverrir Gudjonsson is a terrific countertenor, though one who hasn't made the top tier internationally. This project is a labor of love. It begins and ends with a haunting traditional song in an unusual mode and accompanied only by the sounds of the ocean. From this beginning the disc goes through a great variety of medieval Icelandic pieces, from monodic song, to chant, to simple two and three part chanson, to highly rhythmic troubador music and finally to artfully crafted polyphonic motets. This is not music that "all sounds the same" if you have ears at all. The selection probably encompasses at least 400 years of the country's musical history. And Gudjonson's woice is terrific. His countertenor is clear and pure and the notes sure! The accompaniments too are excellent.

This is a wonderful look at the music of the time of the Eddas. I can't recommend it highly enough.

The different styles of music contained in this cd give an excellent musical picture of Icelandic culture in the medieval period. I love it! The vocals are haunting, and powerful. Awesome.

Sverrir Gudjonsson is an incredible countertenor. This album immediately became one of my favorite albums. I couldn't stop listening to it! His use of instrumentation is exquisite, not too much or too little, but just right. I recommend this work to anyone who loves medieval music.

Yes, it looks like I am in the minority of reviewers who did not think very highly of this album. The phrase, "If you've heard one, you've heard them all", comes to mind. Each track changes slightly...way too slightly for me. I also found the voice sounding a little too falsetto and thus very annoying. Maybe this is traditional Icelandic music. I am not an Icelandic music scholar. But I have studied some of Iceland and it's people. From what little I know this music does not seem fit to represent the granduer of the land or the Scandinavian and Irish people who settled there. Maybe if you have a skillful music ear, you can appreciate this CD. Mine's not even fit to use as a coaster.