Concerts in the Caves
Concerts in the caves of the islands Hestur and Nólsoy.
Some years ago Kristian Blak, the composer, and Birgir Enni, the skipper of the boat "Norðlýsið", began arranging concerts in various caves around the Faroe Islands. The music played in these caves, accessible only by small boats, makes special use of the natural acoustics found within the caves. The concerts are part of the Summartónar programme. The concert-excursions includes sailing with the schooner "Norðlýsið" to the island of Hestur or Nólsoy, depending on the weather, and then entering the caves in smaller boats: an unforgettable musical experience. Reservations are required, as a limited number of tickets may be sold for each "Norðlýsið" excursion.
”Caves have been compared to cathedrals and the similarity is obvious. A tiger may, in the same way, be described as a pussycat! Old cathedrals clearly aim towards an effect similar to that encountered in large caves; yet in spite of their spacious power, Nôtre Dame in Paris and the cathedrals of Cologne and Trondheim are nothing more than the tame work of man when compared to this overlooked Faroese northern sea cave. Its rough walls, green light, the sacred glass-sound of the sea within are all, without consecration and ritual, even without faith, simply by virtue of themselves, something sacred.
And there must be hundreds of caves of this kind… …they are simply anonymous holes in the cliffs that gape out to the open sea. The surf thunders in them all through the winter, filling them with water and darkness and compressing the air to a terrible pressure, until the light suddenly returns as a roaring explosion that may be heard far away. This is Nature at work, the sea drilling with its pneumatic hammer, and no one can possibly witness this frantic drama at close quarters. But in a single unpredictable moment the sea calms and then the gates to the Underworld stand wide open. Man may, like Orpheus, go in and look.” (Jørgen Frantz Jacobsen, Handasta land, 1936)
Karsten Vogel
During the last few years, Birgir Enni, the skipper of the vessel Norðlýsid, and Kristian Blak have arranged trips with musicians and audiences to caves, into which - weather permitting - one can enter in smaller boats. These events have taken place in collaboration with the festival Summartónar, which brings visiting musicians together with local performers to these very special concert halls utilizing the natural sounds and unique acoustics of the caves as integral parts of the music.
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