Einherjar - Warriors of Valhalla
Artwork by Marcello Zibetti:
Einherjar
Warriors of Valhalla
Jeremy Bell
In Norse mythology, warriors that died in combat were chosen by Odin to enter Valhalla to prepare for Ragnarok or went field to the field Fólkvangr ruled by the goddess Freyja. Those that were chosen to enter Valhalla were known as the Einherjar, (pronounced “En-hair-ee-are”). Einherjar: Warriors of Valhalla evokes the courage, strength, and valor of these Viking soldiers, with it’s heroic sound characterized by heavy accents, aggressive percussion, and driving ostinatos. This challenging work brings a feeling of adventure and excitement to the concert band setting that is sure to excite the listener and challenge the players.
Einherjar: Warriors of Valhalla has been selected as one of J.W. Pepper's Editor's Choice, is one of Band World's top 100 picks, and is published through Alfred Music.
Einherjar: Warriors of Valhalla was chosen as a Reviewer's Choice in The Instrumentalist Magazine's February edition, stating:
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Subtitled "Warriors of Valhalla," this dynamic work evokes the valor, courage, and strength of Viking soldiers. According to Norse mythology, Vikins that died in battle were either chosen to enter Valhalla or sent to the field Folkvangr. Those chosen to enter Valhalla were know was Einherjar. Conveying a sense of forward motion and adventure throughout, the composition includes bold and heroic melodic material, energetic rhythmic figures, driving ostinatos, and effective contrasts of texture and dynamics. Aggressive, well-conceived percussion scoring for seven players includes parts for chimes, xylophone, snare drum, bass drum, suspended cymbal, crash cymbals, toms, tambourine, and timpani. A challenging and engaging work for performers, the composition is appropriate for concert or contest programming.