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Bor冒oy: In search of elves

Sound Walk Faroe Islands Sound Walk
Episode 1 of 3

Horatio Clare begins a three-part journey across the Faroe Islands, the archipelago of 18 small islands in the North Atlantic with roots in Norse culture.

Horatio Clare begins a three-part journey across the Faroe Islands, the archipelago of 18 small islands half way between Scotland and Iceland in the Atlantic Ocean, with roots in Norse culture.

His first walk begins on a high outcrop of land between fjords on the north-eastern island of Bor冒oy, with spectacular views across jagged peaks and into the cold waters of the North Atlantic, and looking down on the town of Klaksvik. Sitting in the nook of one of the fjords, this was home to Faroese national hero N贸lsoyar P谩ll, a shipbuilder, farmer and poet who took on the corrupt Danish trading monopolies before mysteriously disappearing on a trading voyage in 1808.

Descending a path into town, the ground underfoot soft with peat, Horatio introduces us to the Victorian travel writer Elizabeth Taylor, whose colourful writing about her experiences in the Faroes accompanies his walks. He passes briefly through Klaksvik and a reconstruction of N贸lsoyar P谩ll鈥檚 traditional turf-roofed house, and moves from the infield of civilisation to the outfield, entering P谩ll鈥檚 old farmland. Now in the hands of sixth generation descendent Archibald Black, the land contains grazing pastures, and an old village path which rises steadily along the slopes next to the fjord. With fishing boats coming and going between the town, the local salmon farms and the waters beyond, Horatio reflects on P谩ll鈥檚 life and the resilience of the Faroe Islanders.

As he moves up through the untamed outfield, crossing fresh mountain streams and gullies, Horatio encounters a wild and mysterious landscape which has inspired many stories of Faroese elves (Hulduf贸lk). Negotiating a high and misty basalt ridge, he passes over into a neighbouring glacial valley and arrives at the site of an ancient Thing, a court dating back to the Norse Vikings where laws were passed and criminal judgements made for the people of the northern Faroe Islands. With the surrounding high peaks creating a vast natural amphitheatre, Horatio finds the ring of large stones showing the location of the court, and the long waterfalls descending to the valley floor, over which those who were convicted of the most serious crimes could be sent as punishment.

Avoiding the waterfalls, Horatio finishes the walk with a steep and rocky descent through the valley鈥檚 basalt protrusions.

Alongside natural sound recordings, this evocative radio journey features music from the Faroe Islands, including a recording made specially in Torshavn with the violinist Angelika Hansen and pianist-composer Kristian Blak. We also hear music from Denmark, the kingdom of which the Faroe Islands are part of, and from Scotland and Norway, countries with close historical connections.

The series is produced by Andy King, with sound recording by Andy Fell.

59 minutes

Last on

Christmas Day 2022 16:00
大象传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Ole Bull

    A Mountain Vision

    Orchestra: Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Ole Kristian Ruud.
    • Bull: Violin Concertos.
    • 2L.
    • 10.

  • Erkki-Sven T眉眉r

    L'聮ombra della croce

    Orchestra: Tallinna Kammerorkester. Conductor: T玫nu Kaljuste.
    • Gesualdo.
    • ECM.
    • 4.

  • Sunleif Rasmussen

    Sig M忙r, Hv铆 Er Foldin F酶gur (Tell Me Why the World is Pretty)

    Ensemble: Ars Nova.
    • Sk忙rur Vindur.
    • TUTL.
    • 1.

  • Ellen Sejersted B酶dtker

    Lokk

    Performer: Ellen Sejersted B酶dtker. Performer: Arve Henriksen.
    • Villveng.
    • ESB Records.
    • 10.

  • Alexander Chapman Campbell

    Ten Sketches of Light, No. 5: Light on the Sea

    Performer: Alexander Chapman Campbell.
    • Ten Sketches of Light (for solo piano).
    • Music & Media.
    • 5.

  • Trad.

    Five Sheep, Four Goats

    Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.
    • Wood Works.
    • DaCapo.
    • 7.

  • William Heinesen

    Awake, My Soul, and Sound your Strings (10 Variations on a Faroese Melody)

    Performer: 脫lavur Jakobsen.
    • Awake, My Soul, and Sound your Strings.
    • Tutl.
    • 1.

  • Trad.

    Minuet (from the notebooks of Jens Christian Svabo)

    Performer: Angelika Hansen. Music Arranger: Angelika Hansen.

  • Stephen Goss

    The Sea of the Edge

    Performer: Chris Caldwell. Performer: Susie Hodder-Williams. Performer: Graham Roberts.
    • Northern Lights.
    • FMR Records.
    • 5.

  • Rasmus Rasmussen

    Where Crows Flee

    Performer: Rasmus Rasmussen.
    • Poems In Sound.
    • Tutl.
    • 7.

  • K谩ri B忙k

    Duo for 2 Violins

    Ensemble: Aldub谩ran.
    • 础蹿迟耻谤耻苍诲颈谤驳别谤冒/颁谤辞蝉蝉肠耻谤谤别苍迟.
    • Tutl.
    • 7.

  • John Luther Adams

    Untouched: I. Rising

    Ensemble: JACK Quartet.
    • Cold Blue Music.

  • Liom

    Morning Mist

    Performer: Liom.
    • Oslo.
    • Bandcamp.
    • 4.

  • Catriona McKay

    Against the Wind

    Composer: Alistair MacDonald. Performer: Catriona McKay. Performer: Alistair MacDonald.
    • When Feathers Appear.
    • Glimster.
    • 2.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Lyric Pieces, Op. 12: Elfentanz (Dance of the Elves)

    Performer: Florian Henschel.
    • Grieg: Lyric Pieces (remastered).
    • Essential Media Group.
    • 4.

  • John Mackey

    Wine Dark Sea - Symphony For Band: II. Immortal thread, so weak

    Ensemble: University of Texas Wind Ensemble. Conductor: Jerry Junkin.
    • Wine Dark Sea.
    • Reference Recordings.
    • 7.

  • Rued Langgaard

    Symphony No. 1 'Cliffside Pastorals': II. Mountain Flowers

    Orchestra: Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Dausgaard.
    • Langgaard: Symphony No. 1 'Klippepastoraler' (Pastoral of the Rocks).
    • DaCapo.
    • 2.

  • Rolf Wallin

    Stonewave for six percussionists

    Ensemble: Sisu Percussion Ensemble.
    • Move.
    • Simax.
    • 1.

  • Kristian Blak

    Sirius

    Performer: Kristian Blak.
    • 24 Preludes.
    • Tutl.
    • 18.

  • Hildegard von Bingen

    Ancient Suite

    Performer: Martin Fr枚st.

  • Poul Bjerager Christiansen

    Regin Smi冒ur/Ormurin Langi

    Composer: Rune Tonsgaard S酶rensen. Performer: Poul Bjerager Christiansen. Performer: Rune Tonsgaard S酶rensen.
    • Fiddling Faroes.
    • Tutl.
    • 11.

Broadcast

  • Christmas Day 2022 16:00
    大象传媒 Radio 3

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