{"id":2764,"date":"2023-08-27T19:46:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-27T18:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/?p=2764"},"modified":"2023-10-20T20:13:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T19:13:21","slug":"bloodhoof","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/bloodhoof\/","title":{"rendered":"BLOODHOOF"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Karin Rehnqvist (2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blodhov\/ Bloodhoof<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monodrama for mezzo-soprano and eight instruments
Composed for Lena Willemark and ensemble recherche
Text from the poem Blodhov by Ger\u2202ur Kristn\u00fd
Published in English as Bloodhoof, translation by Rory McTurk
Swedish translation by John Swedenmark
Adapted by Karin Rehnqvist and Svante Grogarn
Duration: 40 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u201cSabre-toothed darkness prowled through the firmament\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The libretto for Blodhov was adapted from Ger\u2202ur Kristn\u00fd\u2019s dramatic longform poem of the same
name. The poem is a retelling of an ancient Icelandic story. In it, the god Freyr catches sight of
the giantess Ger\u2202ur. He sends his servant Sk\u00edrnir to carry Ger\u2202ur to him, riding Blodhov, his
dark, high-withered, powerful horse. At first she says no, but when he threatens her, she goes
with him to save her family. Every night for nine nights, Freyr rapes her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ger\u2202ur herself narrates the poem, and the telling is extremely condensed and emotionally
powerful. I found the text arresting. I was incredibly inspired to make music of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUT, composing the piece took a long time. Several years. Every moment of the music\u2014every
bit of its expression and its emotion\u2014had to be completely true and believable. And in the fall of
2017, midway through the work, the real world intruded. The #metoo movement exploded and
with so many frightening and authentic stories of assault from women around the world, I was
unable to keep writing. I had to take a break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blodhov is composed for the Swedish folk singer Lena Willemark and the Freiburg-based
ensemble recherche, the well-known contemporary music specialists. With their help, and Lena\u2019s
refined and unique way of using her voice and other instruments, I tried to create a new sound
world: everything from animal sounds and gurgles to loud herding calls to subtle ornaments;
from thin, bubbling metal sheets that mimic water pools to gongs like clattering hooves. I used
uncommon instruments like the baritone oboe, the bass flute and the contrabass clarinet to
heighten the drama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I too tried to condense and reduce. A dark theme like assault requires saying just what is
absolutely necessary. For what remains of music or musicality in violence and rape?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy body faltered
In the face
of blows and kicks
no sooner
ripped apart
than cobbled
together\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Movements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prolog (Prologue)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Minnena (Memories)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. V\u00e5r (Spring) \u2013 instrumental<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Sk\u00edrnir<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Lament<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Huggtandsm\u00f6rkret (Sabre-toothed darkness)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Nej (No)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Mamma (Mother)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Tanken l\u00e4ngtar hem (In my mind I fly home)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Nio n\u00e4tter av fasa (Nine nights of fear)<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Blodhov was premiered at the Point Music Festival at the Gothenburg Concert Hall on 24 May 2019. Commissioned by the Swedish Performing Arts Agency (Musikverket)
Composed for Lena Willemark and ensemble recherche
Staged by Svante Grogarn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Text in English<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ger\u2202ur Kristn\u00fd,<\/em> translated from Icelandic<\/em> by Rory McTurk, <\/em>
adapted by Karin Rehnqvist<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Prologue \u2013 lamenting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Memories<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Memories<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    snow which I press<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    in my hands<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    knead into ball<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    and throw<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    but only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    in my mind<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    snow does not settle here<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The bridge reaches out<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    from waving grass<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    into smoky grey cloud<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There is my country<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    wrapped in calm of night<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    steeped in steel-cold ice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here the moon watches<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    over valleys and rivers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    in my homeland, over chasms<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    and dizzying steepness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Spring \u2013 instrumental<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. Sk\u00edrnir<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Sk\u00edrnir, –<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        fixed me<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        with his gaze<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        His horse <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        of ample stature<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        stood with head held high<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        dark of hue<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        as if hewn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        from darkness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        His mane<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        a sunlit field<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        his tail<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        a sheaf of corn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u00a8\u00a8\u00a8\u00a8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        To them I would tell<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        the story of the steed<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The clattering of hooves<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        on the slabs of rock<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        was like breaking of bones<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Skirnirs voice rose<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        over dusk-covered trees<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The god Freyr stole<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        into \u00d3\u2202inn\u2019s throne<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        looking over all worlds<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u00a8\u00a8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        his longing grew<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        His love had gone reeling<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        in mad career<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        not eating, not speaking<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        he would find no rest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        What was awaited<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        now was his bride<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        1. Lament<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          1. Sabre-toothed darkness<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            ( Whispered by the musicians)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Sorrow<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Solitude<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Suffering<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Evil the evening<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            That the day had reached<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            (Whispered by the singer, prerecorded)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Sabre-toothed darkness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            prowled through<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            the firmament<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I let myself fall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            In a heap in the grass<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            burrowed into the earth<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            descending<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            the descent roaring<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            in the portals of my ears<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I dived<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            deep under rocks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            then sprang<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            from gullies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            walked over stretches<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            of ice hard as iron<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            skin wasting away<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            flesh bruised and broken<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            from crushing of bones<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            My eyes <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            peered ahead<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            flickering like fish<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I was reduced<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            to terror<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            He scored <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            a new scar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            on my skin each night<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            My body faltered<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            in the face<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            of blows and kicks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            no sooner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            ripped apart<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            than cobbled<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            together<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            with a foot stuck fast<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            under a chair<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            a hand<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            in the corner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            fingers all over the floor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u00a8\u00a8\u00a8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. No!<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              No<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              I would stay<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              remain in the place where I knew<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              every cranny <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              and creek<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              No<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A leaf-branched forest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              bearing apples of gold<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Would I care for A bite?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              No<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              It would only<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              stick fast in my throat<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              No<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              I had gifts in full<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              from my father<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              No<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              with an envoy brandishing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              a hate-infused sword<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              I said yes, I would come<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              and saw my face,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              dead, reflected<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              in Sk\u0131rnir\u2019s sword<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              1. Mother<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                In the midst of the darkness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                my mother<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                enfolded me<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                in her armes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                conjured me to appear<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                before her once more<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                in a shade that glided<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                from under a rock<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                in the mist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                of a forest dawn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                1. In my mind I fly home<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                  Night spreads<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  its blue veil<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  over hill and dale<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  My son lies awake<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Unwilling to sleep<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  I carry him<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  over cornfields and meadows <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The waves pay away<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  at the foreshore<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Mother, behold my son!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Tiny, with hairy brows<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  and wolf-grey eyes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Sleek as a sea-fish<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  On the shoreline stands<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  a handsome throne<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  It\u2019s homewards with longing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  that my heart flies on<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \n
                  1. Nine nights of fear<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                    Nine nights<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    nine nights\u2019 worth <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    of fear<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    one night<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    after the other<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    each worse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    than the last<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u00a8\u00a8\u00a8\u00a8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    skin wasting away<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    flesh bruised and broken<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    from crushing of bones<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u00a8\u00a8\u00a8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Mother<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u00a8\u00a8\u00a8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    no sooner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    ripped apart<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    than cobbled<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    together<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u00a8\u00a8\u00a8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Mother<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Karin Rehnqvist (2019) Blodhov\/ Bloodhoof Monodrama for mezzo-soprano and eight instrumentsComposed for Lena Willemark and ensemble rechercheText from the poem Blodhov by Ger\u2202ur <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2252,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-programme-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p79arM-IA","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4296,"url":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/autumn-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":2764,"position":0},"title":"Autumn 2026","author":"Kulturpartikeln","date":"October 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Upcoming performances during the autumn and winter.","rel":"","context":"In "Latest"","block_context":{"text":"Latest","link":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/category\/latest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bakgr_abstr_kalendarium25namnteckn_2.jpg?fit=1200%2C643&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bakgr_abstr_kalendarium25namnteckn_2.jpg?fit=1200%2C643&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bakgr_abstr_kalendarium25namnteckn_2.jpg?fit=1200%2C643&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bakgr_abstr_kalendarium25namnteckn_2.jpg?fit=1200%2C643&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bakgr_abstr_kalendarium25namnteckn_2.jpg?fit=1200%2C643&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/programme-note_cirkel_2A.png?fit=576%2C358&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2764"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2777,"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2764\/revisions\/2777"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karin-rehnqvist.se\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}