Magical Music in Old Norse Literature
No society ever existed without performing music, and most cultures display many variants of music. Music also played and still plays an important part in different religious rites. From the days of yore, music has been intimately connected with the cult, whether it is performed as epic or lyric exp...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Donner Institute
1996-01-01
|
| Series: | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67231 |
| _version_ | 1811273391430172672 |
|---|---|
| author | Britt-Mari Näsström |
| author_facet | Britt-Mari Näsström |
| author_sort | Britt-Mari Näsström |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | No society ever existed without performing music, and most cultures display many variants of music. Music also played and still plays an important part in different religious rites. From the days of yore, music has been intimately connected with the cult, whether it is performed as epic or lyric expressions. The Old Norse society was no exception to this statement and early finds from as far back as the Bronze Age reveal that different instrument were used in daily life. The most conspicuous specimens from this time are the bronze lures, which probably are depicted on the rock-carvings. All these examples emphasise the character of music in Old Norse literature as connected with the magic aspect of religion, and particularly with divination. This does not mean that all music in the Viking Age was performed with a magic purpose, but what has survived in the sources is the conspicuous role of music as something that affected the human mind to the extent that it was experienced as a magic feeling, even able to reveal the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:58:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4cb0544d7f141708bfc9f22178c9a67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0582-3226 2343-4937 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:58:17Z |
| publishDate | 1996-01-01 |
| publisher | Donner Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4cb0544d7f141708bfc9f22178c9a672022-12-22T03:13:08ZengDonner InstituteScripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis0582-32262343-49371996-01-011610.30674/scripta.67231Magical Music in Old Norse LiteratureBritt-Mari Näsström0University of GöteborgNo society ever existed without performing music, and most cultures display many variants of music. Music also played and still plays an important part in different religious rites. From the days of yore, music has been intimately connected with the cult, whether it is performed as epic or lyric expressions. The Old Norse society was no exception to this statement and early finds from as far back as the Bronze Age reveal that different instrument were used in daily life. The most conspicuous specimens from this time are the bronze lures, which probably are depicted on the rock-carvings. All these examples emphasise the character of music in Old Norse literature as connected with the magic aspect of religion, and particularly with divination. This does not mean that all music in the Viking Age was performed with a magic purpose, but what has survived in the sources is the conspicuous role of music as something that affected the human mind to the extent that it was experienced as a magic feeling, even able to reveal the future.https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67231Norse religionIcelandic and Old Norse literatureMusicMagicMusical instrumentsSinging |
| spellingShingle | Britt-Mari Näsström Magical Music in Old Norse Literature Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis Norse religion Icelandic and Old Norse literature Music Magic Musical instruments Singing |
| title | Magical Music in Old Norse Literature |
| title_full | Magical Music in Old Norse Literature |
| title_fullStr | Magical Music in Old Norse Literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Magical Music in Old Norse Literature |
| title_short | Magical Music in Old Norse Literature |
| title_sort | magical music in old norse literature |
| topic | Norse religion Icelandic and Old Norse literature Music Magic Musical instruments Singing |
| url | https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67231 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brittmarinasstrom magicalmusicinoldnorseliterature |