FAUN - Biography

FAUN
medieval music, celtic & nordic folk

FAUN combines medieval & ancient instruments with modern influences to create an enchanting and powerful atmosphere. The band's performance incorporates many different instruments, including the Celtic harp, hurdy-gurdy, key fiddle, various lutes, the bagpipes, archaic beats and many drums like for example large Japanese taiko drums, flutes, hammered dulcimer, and many more, as well as the melodic vocal section going from solo folk-like and often ambient melodies to chant-like and always enchanting vocal performances with the two female and frontman Oliver s.tyr vocalists combining something truelly magical.. Influences of Celtic folk and medieval music fusing with driving beats draws an ever fast growing crowd of followers.

The ensemble FAUN was founded in early 2002 in Munich and has performed at more than 700 locations, festivals, concert halls and churches throughout the world. Some of them include: Mèra Luna Festival (Germany), Headlining the Faerieworld Festival Oregon USA & the Faeriecon Festival Maryland USA, Earthdance Festival (California USA), Elf Fantasy Fair (Netherlands), Wave Gotik Treffen (Germany), Fiesta Celtica Biella (Italy), Folkwoods Folkfestival (Netherlands), Arena van Vletingen (Belgium), Locomotive (Paris/France), Savari Karneval 2005 (Hungary), Palladius/Barcelona (Spain), and many more...

Til today FAUN has released 8 longplay CD´s:

"Zaubersprüche" (Incantations) - 2002
"Licht" (Light) - 2004
"Renaissance" - 2005
"Totem" - 2007
"FAUN & the pagan folk festival - LIVE" – 2008
„Buch der Balladen“ (book of ballads) (acoustic CD) – 2009
„Eden“ – 2011
¨Von den Elben“ - 2013

“Luna“ - 2014

and two DVD´s:

"Lichtbilder" (Light pictures) - 2004 (not sold anymore)
"Ornament" - 2007

FAUNS latest CD „Von den Elben“ (Electrola / Universal / We love music) was 4 weeks in the top ten of the German Album charts, reached Gold Status and got the band two nominations fort he biggest german music price „ECHO“.

In 2014 FAUN will mostly be on tour with their main concert show, where they combine up to three layered vocals, a great variety of old / medieval instruments and modern influences like samples, beats and synthesizers, for an unseated (dancing) audience at rock & folk festivals, medieval & renaissance fairs and other concert venues.

Also they will tour with their „FAUN ACOUSTIC Show“ with mostly medieval music through seated venues like churches and theaters.

Core Members:
Oliver S. Tyr: Vocals, Irish bouzouki, Nyckelharpa, Mandocello, Celtic Harp, Saz, Tar, Guitar & various Lutes.

Fiona Rüggeberg: 
Vocals, Bagpipes, Flutes, Rebab, Recorder, Fujara, Seljefloit, Harmonium, Chalumeaux & Pommer.

Katja Moslehner: 
Vocals, Percussion.

Stephan Groth
Vocals, Hurdy-Gurdy, Cistern, Whistles

Rüdiger Maul: 
Darabouka, Davul, Bendir, Tamborello, Riq, Berimbao & other percussion instruments.

Niel Mitra: 
Computer Sampler & Synthesizer

Wardruna Runaljod - Yggdrasil

Runaljod - Yggdrasil is the second album by Norwegian Nordic folk Wardruna. It is an interpretation of the Elder Futhark and is sung in Norwegian, Old Norse and Proto-Norse. The lyrics center around Norse spiritual themes.

Lyrical content and themes:

The song "Fehu", used in the first season of TV series Vikings during a raiding scene, tells of the dangers of gold and wealth and how greed takes over the hearts of men.

The title of the opening song, "Rotlaust Tre Fell", meaning "a rootless tree falls", is based on the philosophy of the band. The song is an invocation of the Allfather Odin and "my mother Frigg" and "wise Vanir", "ancient Thurs" and the Norns. "Rotlaust Tre Fell" was used in the third season of Vikings during preparation for an attack on Paris.

The final track, "Helvegen" ("the Road to Hel") is essentially a funeral song. The song (and album) closes with the famous stanza from Hávamál: "Cattle die, kinsmen die, You yourself will also die, but the word about you will never die, if you win a good reputation. Cattle die, kinsmen die, You yourself will also die, I know one that never dies: the judgement of those who died".

TRACK LISTING...

01. Rotlaust Tre Fell

02. Fehu

03. NaudiR

04. EhwaR

05. AnsuR

06. IwaR

07. IngwaR

08. Gibu

09. Solringen

10. Sowelu

11. Helvegen

Wardruna - Runaljod – Gap Var Ginnunga

Band: Wardruna

Album: Runaljod – Gap Var Ginnunga

Year: 2009

TRACK LISTING

1. Ár var alda 2:19

2. Hagal 7:40

3. Bjarkan 5:53

4. Løyndomsriss 3:15

5. Heimta Thurs 4:18

6. Thurs 1:16

7. Jara 5:02

8. Laukr 4:05

9. Kauna 2:34

10. Algir - Stien klarnar 4:17

11. Algir - Tognatale 5:39

12. Dagr 5:38

CREDITS

Runaljod – gap var Ginnunga was written and arranged by Kvitrafn.

Lindy Fay Hella: Vocals.

Gaahl: Vocals.

Hallvard Kleiveland: Hardanger fiddle (7 and 10).

Kvitrafn: Vocals and all other instruments and sounds.

Recorded and engineered by Kvitrafn at Fimbulljóð studio and various outdoor locations, 2003-2008. Mixed by Kvitrafn and Herbrand Larsen at Fimbulljóð studio. Mastered by Kvitrafn and Morten Lund at Masterhuset.

Runaljod – Gap Var Ginnunga

RUNES

Ever since the first runemasters started to carve their ‘charged’ signs thousands of years ago, the runes has had a strong symbolic value and has also gone hand in hand with knowledge and insights of some sort, often esoteric. Besides being a writing system the Norse mythology speaks of the runes as knowledge of divine origin –reginkunnr. In Hávamál, Odin – the god of wisdom – tells how he sacrificed himself to himself, hung from the world tree Yggdrasil, while pierced by his own spear Gungnir for nine whole nights. In this death-transcending state of mind, at one with the great gap (Ginnungagap), he found the runes and learned their meanings. According to the mythology Odin shared his knowledge to both gods and humans, and thus the runes came to our ancestors use.

RECOMMENDED LITERATURE:

Hávamál and Sigrdrífumál (Edda).

The Norwegian, Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon rune poems.

RUNALJOD

After many years of working with and studying runes and the ancient and ever young Norse pagan beliefs, the need for me to do a musical project like Wardruna became inevitable. In early 2003 I began doing the first recordings. From then on the concept and methods has slowly evolved and fallen into place. Wardruna search in the scattered ruins of Norse history and use the runes as a tool to understand and evoke the depths of the old nordic pagan beliefs. Musically, the main focus is on recreating the Norse cultic musical language and the near forgotten arts of galder and seidr, as well as the daily acts of life. This is mixed with impulses from Norwegian/Nordic folk music and music from other indigenous cultures.

Runaljod – gap var Ginnunga is the first part in theRunaljod trilogy. Each album features eight runes of the Elder Futhark, but not in accordance with the order of the three aettirs (families), which is most common when working with this futhark. Many of the recordings have taken place outdoors at locations relevant to the different runes. We have primarily used old, historical instruments such as self-made frame drums and ceremonial drums, mouth harp, tagelharpe (‘viking fiddle’), flutes, goat horns, tongue horns and Hardanger fiddle. Also more unconventional inputs like trees, stones, bones, water, fire etc. are employed to enhance the nature of the rune being ‘portrayed’.

Keeping in mind that there will always be a certain room for disagreement and discussion when working with the runes, I would like to emphasize that in my songs it is not necessarily a goal for me to approach the respective rune from every conceivable angle, nor to unravel all the different aspects of it. My approach is both of runologic and mystic nature, but I concentrate on the core of each rune and the qualities that serve the whole concept and purpose of Wardruna best: sowing new seeds and strengthening old roots!

Einar Kvitrafn

Wardruna

Wardruna Biography 2013

Wardruna is a Norwegian music group founded by Einar Kvitrafn Selvik. In 2009 Wardruna enchanted their listeners with their mesmerizing debut album ‘gap var Ginnunga’, which also was the first part of a planned trilogy. In the ensuing years the group have spent a lot of time on adapting their music to a live format and establishing a live band. This resulting in a handful of very special concerts, perhaps most notably when they performed in front of the majestic 1100-year-old Gokstad ship at the Viking Ship Museum in Norway.

With the use of the oldest of Nordic instruments and poetic metres as well as lyrics written in Norwegian, Old Norse and Proto-Norse tongue, Wardruna is now, after nearly three years in the making, finally ready to return with the second album in the ‘Runaljod’ trilogy entitled ‘Yggdrasil’. Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Einar Kvitrafn Selvik has, together with vocalists Kristian Espedal (aka Gaahl) and Lindy-Fay Hella, managed to make a strikingly beautiful and intense continuation of what was started with their first album, but without falling into the trap of merely repeating themselves. ‘Yggdrasil’ is also graced with guest appearances by renowned Icelandic composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and Iceland’s leading rímur singer Steindór Andersen.

The ongoing ‘Runaljod’ trilogy is a musical rendition of the 24 runes in what is often referred to as the elder futhark. Some of the recordings are done outdoors in places or under circumstances of significance to each rune. Wardruna primarily use old and historical instruments such as primitive deer-hide frame drums, Kraviklyra, tagelharpe, mouth harp, goat horn, lur and more. Non-traditional instruments and other sources of sound like trees, rocks, water and torches are also used.

All of these elements are carefully woven into a rich musical landscape and complemented with whispering voices, melodic song and mighty choirs. Although Wardruna’s music share characteristics with music typically labeled as folk, world and/or ambient, none of these genres can really describe their unique style. It truly must be experienced.

Core Members:

Einar Kvitrafn Selvik: Founder of Wardruna. Writes all music and lyrics, sings and plays most of the instruments.

Lindy-Fay Hella: Vocals.

Gaahl: Vocals. Conceptual contributions.

Wardruna - Discography

Runaljod – gap var Ginnunga (2009)



Runaljod – Yggdrasil (2013)



Runaljod – Ragnarok (2016)