The Sound of the Middle Ages

27. september

LECTURES

What did music in the Middle Ages actually sound like? And what would you have heard if you had walked through the streets of Bergen 750 years ago? Join us for a themed day at Bryggens Museum, where we invite visitors of all ages to explore the soundscape of the Middle Ages through concerts, hands-on activities, and talks.

Try your hand as a craftsman and make your own medieval flute, and at the concerts with Bergens Consort you will hear how a medieval minstrel might have used it! Kongshirden 1260 actively demonstrates part of the medieval soundscape in an exciting fight show. Finally, Linda Røyseth Sandhåland brings medieval ballads about Åsmund Frægdagjeva and other heroes to life. Outside the museum, you can meet Bjørgvin Håndverkslag and the editorial team of RISS at their stands, and pick up some trinkets. For those who enjoy a challenge, there will also be a quiz in the exhibitions with a chance to win a prize.

For those who wish to delve deeper into the topic, the day offers talks and conversations with researchers and specialists who shed light on the medieval sound world from different perspectives – from music and skaldic poetry to noise, signals, and the everyday sounds that surrounded people in the Middle Ages.

Welcome to a day filled with music, experiences, and new perspectives on the Middle Ages!

Programme:

10:00 – 16:00 Workshop: Make your own Medieval flute

11:00 Concert with Bergens Consort: A selection of pieces from the Middle Ages

12:00 Miriam Conti: «Roaring axes, resounding swords: the acoustic effect of battle in Glymdrápa»

12:30 Fight show with Kongshirden 1260

14:00 Concert with Bergens Consort: A selection of pieces from the Middle Ages

15:30 Concert with Linda Røyseth Sandhåland: Medieval ballads in the West