Heyr Himna Smiður (Hear me, Creator of Heaven - Hear, Smith of Heaven)

Mods please move to Music forum if needed. Thought it would get more attention here and reach the more appropriate group. You decide.

Heyr himna smiður is a Hymn to God composed by Kolbeinn Tumason a chieftain of the clan Ásbyrningar around 1200 - 1208.

It is said that he wrote it as he laid on his deathbed the night he died, so that would make it 1208, if true.

Kolbeinn Tumason More info can be found here. Also lyrics in Icelandic and two in English.

I will include two different versions of the song for you. I decided to put this in the religious forum as it deeply touches upon the suffering of a man in despair. It always makes me cry and vibrate in all my body and thought you all might want to know of it's existence. Hope it will strengthen one's faith regardless of religious tendencies.

First, a version sung by Eivör Pálsdóttir a singer and composer from Faroe Islands who spends most of her time in Iceland and is accompanied and assisted by the Icelandic singer Margrét Eir:



And here's a version sung by the Icelandic group Árstíðir in a train station in Germany:



enjoy and god bless

a reply to: Sump3

And...Bright Blessings to you Sump3.

I really enjoyed the train station in Germany version....the reaction of the passing people was a treat.

Des

Very nice on many levels. .

Namaste Soul brother

a reply to: Destinyone

Bless you too.

Yes, I prefer that version. It is more genuine and frank. Although I like them both for their differences, I wanted to include them both as the difference between male and female voices is quite much.

Thank you for your kind comment

a reply to: LittleByLittle

Namaste to you too.

Thanks for dropping by and commenting, love to see that people appreciate these old lyrics and haunting singing.

Wow.. what a beautiful and haunting cry to Heaven.. thank you so much for sharing it. Thank you for posting the different versions also.. interesting how they seem to invoke different emotions.

a reply to: Sump3

Absolutely beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this, so much.

B x

a reply to: beansidhe

I'm glad that this touches so many hearts

To me this is one the most beautiful hymns lyrically wise. And the melody appointed to it is so fitting. A true call to the first.

Hope many more will hear this and enjoy it.

Thanks for dropping by!

a reply to: Starcrossd

Yes, I feel that way also. Though it's the same song it gives two totally different vibes as per the differences with a male group reverb singing and female studio singing accompanied with instruments.

a reply to: Sump3

First, a version sung by Eivör Pálsdóttir a singer and composer from Faroe Islands who spends most of her time in Iceland and is accompanied and assisted by the Icelandic singer Margrét Eir:

This is something people should know about.
Also, just the Faroe Islands, probably a lot of people don't know about them, situated in basically the middle of nowhere.

a reply to: jmdewey60

Yep, just between Iceland and Great Britain.

The funny thing is, being a Icelander and having talked to people from Faroe Islands I can understand them pretty well, although some different words mean almost the complete opposite or something else altogether. Their tongue use while speaking is much softer than ours, while ours being much harsher and direct.

Despite that fact, our languages, Icelandic and Faroe Islands are the closest of all the Scandinavian languages. Though I would rank the list like this (number 1 being closest).

#1 Faroe Islandish
#2 Norwegian
#3 Swedish
#4 Danish
and then finnish is something else altogether.

Simply wonderful.

Also, Eivør Pálsdóttir has a truly beautiful voice.

a reply to: Unity_99

Truly beautiful indeed. She has this special feel in her voice that just makes your bones shiver out of beauty.