Vòluspá - Draumkvedet

The Norwegian song cycle Vòluspá and Draumkvedet

Øyonn Groven Myhren, Tomas Nilsson and Bjørn-Christian Svarstad perform the Old Norse song cycle Vòluspá. This is a pre-Christian vision poem from the 13th century, set to newly composed music. After a short break, the mystical Draumkvedet follows, a Christian vision poem sung in an old Norwegian dialect. Øyonn Groven Myhren will explain the poems in English, so that the story is easy to follow.

Discover the stories of the Volva and Olav Åsteson

Vòluspá, 'prophecy of the seeress', is a poem from the Poetic Edda. It tells of the beginning of the world and Ragnarok, seen through the eyes of a Volva, a seeress. Draumkvedet, 'the dream lay', is a Norwegian vision poem from the Middle Ages. It tells the story of Olav Åsteson, who sleeps from Christmas Eve until Epiphany. His soul travels through the afterlife and sees hell and heaven. He also experiences the final judgment.