Music of the Faroe Islands
Encyclopedia
Faroese music today
Faroese Music today is buzzing with artists and creators across all genres delivering world class performances and recordings. With long music tradition many Faroese musicians are going professional and touring the world. TUTL is the Faroese music hub and links the world to todays music as well as documenting and republishing older material.Faroese
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
music is primarily vocal, accompanied by the fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
(which arrived in the 17th century) and European dances like the minuet
Minuet
A minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
and polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
. During the twentieth century choirs have played an important role in the musical history of the Faroes, and some of the best known current choirs are Tarira, Havnarkórið, Tórshavnar Manskór, Ljómur, Fuglafjarðar Gentukór, and the choirs situated in Copenhagen, Húsakórið
Húsakórið
Húsakórið is a Faroese choir situated in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the oldest and largest Faroese choir outside the Faroe Islands, and has become an important social institution for Faroese living in the Copenhagen area. Its conductors have been Marianne Clausen , the famous Faroese composer...
and Mpiri
Mpiri
The vocal ensemble Mpiri is a Faroese choral ensemble based in Copenhagen. The members are mostly Faroese studying or working in Copenhagen. The conductor is Gorm Larsen.- History :...
.
History
Much of the imported music and instruments remained popular only in the capital and largest city, TórshavnTórshavn
Tórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn...
. Rural peoples remained true to traditions of chain dance and ballads. The three types of dance ballads are kvæði
Kvæði
Kvæði are the old ballads of the Faroe Islands, accompanied by the Faroese dance....
, tættir and vísir. Many of these dance forms were revived after World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when a number of dance societies were formed. The ballads were largely compiled in Corpus Carminum Færoensium, which collected over 44,000 stanza
Stanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
s.
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s called kingosálmar.
Modern musicians
Modern Faroese musicians like Kristian BlakKristian Blak
Kristian Blak , originally from Fredericia, Denmark, lives in the Faroe Islands where he is a composer, musician, and record executive. He is the founder of the Nordic musical ensemble Yggdrasil ....
, Enekk, Gunnar and Annika Hoydal and Lennart Kullgren have fused native traditions with music from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and the Sami people
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
of northern Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Other well known Faroese musicians include: Eivør Pálsdóttir
Eivør Pálsdóttir
Eivør Pálsdóttir is a Faroese singer/songwriter with a distinct voice and a wide range of interests in many kinds of music from rock, jazz, folk, pop, to European classical music. Her roots are in the Faroese ballads....
, Teitur Lassen
Teitur Lassen
Teitur is a Faroese singer-songwriter. On 3 March 2007, he was awarded Best Male Singer at the Danish Music Awards.The word teitur is Old Norse and means happy. In Modern Faroese, it is archaic but used as a male given name....
, Lena Anderssen
Lena Anderssen
Lena Anderssen is a Faroese-Canadian singer-songwriter best known for her award winning album "Let Your Scars Dance." Although the lyrics to her songs are all written in English, she is also fluent in both Faroese and Danish.-Early career:...
, Høgni Lisberg
Høgni Lisberg
Høgni Lisberg is a musician currently living in Leirvík, Eysturoy, and is one of the most famous musicians of the Faroe Islands.-Band and personal history:...
, Høgni Reistrup
Høgni Reistrup
Høgni Reistrup is a singer-songwriter and artist from Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. His influences include Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, and Kári P. Reistrup also has a background in classical music.- Discography :...
, Petur Pólson, Terji Rasmussen, Evi Djurhuus, Hallur Joensen, Hanus G. Johansen, Heine Lützen, Kári av Reyni, Kári P., Alex Bærendsen, Regin Dahl
Regin Dahl
Regin Dahl was a Faroese author and music composer.-Biography:Dahl came from a literary family; his father was translator and provost Jákup Dahl. His own poetry has been described as more modernistic than many previous Faroese poets...
, Davur Juul Magnussen
Davur Juul Magnussen
Davur Juul Magnussen is a Faroese Trombonist from Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, who now lives in Scotland. He was appointed as the principal trombone chair of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the age of 22. He is the youngest member of the national orchestra and according to The Herald his...
, Simon Von Konoy, Ólavur Olsen, Eyðun Nolsøe, Guðrun Sólja Jacobsen, Kári Sverisson, Steintór Rasmussen, Anna Katrin Egilstrøð, Brandur Enni
Brandur Enni
Brandur Helgason Enni , is a singer and songwriter, he also plays guitar, trumpet, piano and flugelhorn. In August 2006 Brandur moved to Sweden, where he studied music for two years at the Music Production Academy "Musikmakarna"...
, Linda Andrews
Linda Andrews
Linda Andrews , is a Faroese singer who won the second season of the Danish version of The X Factor, and became the first Faroese winner of it.-Early life:...
, Jens Marni Hansen
Jens Marni Hansen
Jens Marni Hansen is a Faroese singer, songwriter and musician. He has been active in Faroese music ever since he was very young, and he has been a member in multiple bands like All That Rain, Kjølar, and Showmenn. For the last several years he has been a solo musician and has been performing under...
, Jóannes Lamhauge
Jóannes Lamhauge
Jóannes Brynolfsson Lamhauge is a Faroese painter, writer, graphic designer, actor, film director and singer/songwriter. Jóannes is best known as a painter and singer, and has in recent years starred in numerous musical productions, such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor...
and Guðrið Hansdóttir.
Modern bands
Well known Faroese bands include (in alphabetical order) 200, Analog Norð, Arnold Ludvig Project, Boys In A BandBoys In A Band
Boys in a Band are an indie rock band from the Faroe Islands. Formed in 2006 in Gøta, the group comprises vocalist/guitarist Pætur Zachariasson, guitarist Heini, bassist Símun, drummer Rógvi and Heri Schwartz on hammond organ. The band members proclaim to play Cowboy Rock...
, Clickhaze, Deiggj, Devon, The Dreams
The Dreams
The Dreams is an alternative rock band from Tórshavn, Faroe Islands formed in 2006.They are currently based in Denmark along with their producer Lars Pedersen. They also have had success in the Faroe Islands, and performed in France and Germany...
, Eivør, Faroe Boys, Frændur, Gestir, the Ghost, Heidrik, Hjarnar, Høgni Reistrup
Høgni Reistrup
Høgni Reistrup is a singer-songwriter and artist from Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. His influences include Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, and Kári P. Reistrup also has a background in classical music.- Discography :...
, Goodiepal
Goodiepal
Goodiepal or Gæoudjiparl van den Dobbelsteen, whose real name is Parl Kristian Bjørn Vester, is a controversial Danish/Faroese musician/composer wanted by the Danish police authorities for an unsolved theft from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus...
, Lama Sea, Lena, maður:glotti, Makrel, MARIUS, Moirae (band), Mold, MonkeyRat, MC-Hár
MC-Hár
MC-Hár is a Faroese rock´n´rap act. Since the first time MC-Hár went on stage in February 1991, the band has made its mark on the Faroese rock scene...
, Oniontree, Nalja, Present Past, Sic
SIC (band)
SIC is a modern hardcore/thrash metal band from Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands.- 2002 - 2006: The First Steps :The band was formed in 2002 by guitarist Eddie Jacobsen. In 2003 singer Mikkjal G. Hansen joined the band and in February 2005 the fold was joined by drummer Magnus Hansen,...
, Safir, Side Effect, The Story Ends, Teitur
Teitur
Teitur is a male given name. In Old Norse the word means happy. In Modern Faroese, it is archaic but used as a male given name.-People:*Teitur Lassen , a musical artist from Faroe Islands....
, Týr
Týr (band)
Týr, , is a folk metal band from the Faroe Islands. Their subject matter revolves almost entirely around old Nordic lore, mythology, and history, taking their name from a Norse god of war. They signed a worldwide deal with Austria's Napalm Records in early 2006, while signed to the Faroese record...
, Heljareyga and Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil (band)
Yggdrasil is a Nordic music ensemble based in the Faroe Islands. The band was formed in 1981 by the Danish composer and pianist Kristian Blak, who has written most of the material for the group...
.
Modern classical composers
There are also some quite famous Faroese classical composers. Sunleif RasmussenSunleif Rasmussen
Sunleif Rasmussen is the foremost Faroese composer of classical music.Rasmussen studied in Norway, then returned to Tórshavn in the Faroes as music teacher and jazz pianist. From 1990 to 1995 he studied musical composition at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen under Ib Nørholm and...
is until now the only Faroese ever to have written a symphony. Other composers are Kristian Blak
Kristian Blak
Kristian Blak , originally from Fredericia, Denmark, lives in the Faroe Islands where he is a composer, musician, and record executive. He is the founder of the Nordic musical ensemble Yggdrasil ....
, Tróndur Bogason, Kári Bæk, Palli Hansen, Knút Olsen
Knut Olsen
Knut Olsen was a journalist for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation since 1983. Starting in 2008 he was the news anchor together with Nina Owing. He also lead various political debate programs. He died from cancer on January 11, 2011.-External links:* **...
and Pauli í Sandágerði.
Classical ensemble Aldubáran has commissioned and performed a vast amount of music from Faroese composers and performed it domestically and abroad.
Gestir
Gestir are signed to Tutl Records in the Faroe Islands. They were formed in 2002, and have been playing rock festivals in the Faroe Islands, DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and other countries. Their long-awaited debut album Burtur frá Toftunum was released in the Faroe Islands in July 2006. In the summer of 2006 Gestir played the "Atlantic Music Event" at NASA (Reykjavik, Iceland), the G! Festival
G! Festival
The G! Festival is held annually at the seaside village Gøta on Eysturoy. It is one of the two largest music festivals on the Faroe Islands, the other being Summarfestivalurin. It was founded by Sólarn Solmunde and musician Jón Tyril, both locals. Jón is also the present chairman of the festival...
(Gota, Faroe Islands) and Nord-Atlantiske Brygge (Copenhagen, Denmark). On September 30, 2006 Gestir performed a special concert at the Nordic House
Nordic House
Nordic House may refer to:* Nordic House in Iceland, designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto* Nordic House in the Faroe Islands...
, Torshavn, Faroe Islands, in celebration of their album release. In December 2006 Gestir were invited to play at faroese singer/songwriter Teitur
Teitur
Teitur is a male given name. In Old Norse the word means happy. In Modern Faroese, it is archaic but used as a male given name.-People:*Teitur Lassen , a musical artist from Faroe Islands....
´s special Christmas show at Store Vega, Copenhagen. Gestir's most significant concerts in the summer of 2005 were the G! Festival and at Lille Vega, Copenhagen. Gestir won the bi-annual Faroese music contest Prix Føroyar in 2003.
The members of Gestir are Ólavur Jákupsson (vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, synthesizers, piano), Torfinnur Jákupsson (electric & acoustic guitars, piano, lyrics), Jógvan Andreas á Brúnni (drums), Niels Jákup i Jógvanstovu (bass) and Knút Háberg Eysturstein (synthesizers, hammond, piano, rhodes).
Aldubáran
The chamber ensemble Aldubáran is the only professional ensemble of its kind in the Faroe IslandsFaroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
. Formed in 1995, it has had a huge impact on the modern classical scene in the Faroe Islands. The purpose of Aldubáran was to perform classical music and to commission Faroese music from composers and to perform this domestically and abroad. Since its formation, the ensemble has become a household name. Especially the collaboration with folk-singer Hanus G. Johansen and their release in 2000 of album Bouquet on the label Tutl
Tutl
Tutl is a record label of the Faroe Islands, founded in 1977 by the Danish jazz musician and composer Kristian Blak. The "legendary label" is credited with giving many Faroese musicians their first break, and "has played a major role in giving musicians a chance to record and publish."Tutl is...
, had a broad impact, and still is a big seller. Since then Aldubáran has released four albums on Tutl. Aldubáran was in 2004 nominated for the prestigious Nordic Council Music Price. Aldubáran has toured extensively and in autumn 2006, Aldubáran produced and played the first ever Faroese opera The Madmans'Garden by composer Sunleif Rasmussen. The members of Aldubáran are: Andrea Heindriksdóttir (flute), Anna Klett (clarinet), Christina Andersen (bassoon), Johan Hentze (trumpet), Páll Sólstein (horn), Jógvan Zachariassen (bassoon), Sámal Petersen, Øssur Bæk, Rúni Bæk (violins) Ólavur Jakobsen
Ólavur Jakobsen
Ólavur Jakobsen, classical guitarist, born 1964 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. Studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen with Ingolf Olsen and received his diploma exam in 1995. Further studies in Paris with French guitarist Roland Dyens. Has participated in masterclasses with e.g...
(guitar), Jóhannes Andreasen (piano), Ólavur Olsen (trumpet), Andras Olsen (trombone) and Bernharður Wilkinson (flute/conductor).
Týr
A folk metalFolk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
band with progressive elements, whose members hail from the Faroes. The band is known for performing traditional Faroese material both live and on recordings. They compose songs in both Faroese
Faroese
Faroese may refer to:* the Faroese people* the Faroese language* anything else pertaining to the Faroe Islands...
and English, often with Viking or Pagan subject matter.
According to the band's frontman Heri Joensen:
"Týr's musical mission is to break down the walls that are erected between all the kinds of metal that have arisen over the years. Power-, doom-, black-, progressive-, gothic-, Viking-, folk-, ethnic- and epic metal. Walls and labels do nothing but fill people with prejudice."
The group has released five CDs since their founding in 1998 and they perform worldwide.
Music festivals in the Faroe Islands
- G! FestivalG! FestivalThe G! Festival is held annually at the seaside village Gøta on Eysturoy. It is one of the two largest music festivals on the Faroe Islands, the other being Summarfestivalurin. It was founded by Sólarn Solmunde and musician Jón Tyril, both locals. Jón is also the present chairman of the festival...
- Tórshavn Jazz FestivalTórshavn Jazz FestivalThe Tórshavn Jazz Festival or the Torshavn Jazz, Folk, and Blues Festival is an annual music festival held in the month of August in the city of Tórshavn, capital of the Faroe Islands....
- SummarfestivalurinSummarfestivalurinSummarfestivalurin was first held in August 2004 in Klaksvík in the Faroe Islands. Only 3000 tickets were printed this year and all tickets were sold...
External links
- MusicWeek.com (comprehensive report on the Faroese music scene, 9 July 2007)
- Mjús - The official website of the annual Mjús Festival
- Tutl - Faroese music online
- Gfestival- The official website of the annual G! Festival!
- Summarfestivalur- The official website of the annual Summerfestival