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Katerina Gimon
Katerina Gimon
The Frost Myth (SATB)
A captivating retelling of the Norse story of how our universe was born — from fire and frost.
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The Frost Myth
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The Frost Myth
SATB choir a cappella (with divisi) and opt. percussion
*Note: the optional percussion part is suitable to be played by choristers.
Set to the text of American poet Alice Williams Brotherton, The Frost Myth brings to life the Norse story of how our universe was born — from fire and frost. To paint this captivating tale, the music swirls and tumbles through a myriad of exciting textures, from persistent and driving rhythmic figures to powerful Viking-like chant. This is a great work for programs that explore themes like myths and legends, storytelling, winter, as well as the spooky and strange.
The Frost Myth was commissioned by the Canadian Men’s Chorus, Artistic Director, Greg Rainville, and premiered on October 26, 2019, at “Wicked Imagination” at Church of the Redeemer in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The SSAA and cello voicing was commissioned by Interlochen Arts Academy Chorale and premiered on May 27, 2022, in Interlochen, Michigan, USA.
Composer’s Notes
I wrote “The Frost Myth” for the Canadian Men Chorus to program on their Halloween-adjacent concert “Wicked Imagination” — a concert that explored the spooky, mysterious, haunting, and strange, as well as incredible possibilities of our imaginations. So, when I came across Alice Williams Brotherton’s poem “The Frost Myth”, a riveting retelling of the Norse myth creation full of mysterious and chaos, I knew it was just what I was looking for!
In performance of this work, I encourage choirs to dive in wholeheartedly into the storytelling spirit — bringing to life the mystery, wonder, and chaos of this tale.
-Katerina Gimon
Text
Out of Frost and Fire sprang Ymir,
Type of Chaos, long ago;
Mighty Odin slew the giant,
As the Norse-folk know.*
From the rushing blood the ocean
In swift thunderous torrents whirled;
From the ponderous carcass Odin
Carved the Mitgard world,–
Of his hair made waving forests,
Of his skull the vaulted sky,
Moulded from his bones the mountains
Which around us lie.
Lo, today, upon my window
Odin carves on every pane,
(To rebuke my skeptic smiling),
A new world again.
Mountain, forest, plain and river,
Flash upon my raptured sight;
Here is Summer’s perfect joyance,
And Spring’s dear delight.
Ferny cliff, cascade and grotto,
Glitter on the frosty pane–
Miracle the Norse-folk chanted*
Here is wrought again.
And who shall say the gods have left us,*
Or that Odin’s power is lost,
When new Mitgards rise before us
Out of Fire and Frost?
— Alice Williams Brotherton (1848-1930)
* These lines have been adjusted from the original text by the composer.
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