Nykken
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Nykken is a symphonic poem composed by the Norwegian composer Geirr Tveitt in 1957. It is written for orchestra and several solo instruments, although they do not have any solo roles. It was written on demand for the NRK and survived the fire in 1970 by beeing kept safe in the archives of nrk. It is built on a Norwegian legend about the sea-creature nøkken, and is based on a story about nøkken transforming into a beautiful, white horse and getting out of a silent pond, as it is described in the story. The horse lures a young boy onto its back and takes him with it back into the pond, generating a great disturbance in the normally so silent water. Geirr Tveitt uses this old legend for all it is worth, and makes it into a unique and interesting piece of music. A normal performance lasts about 16-18 minutes.
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Nykken (Norwegian) or Näcken (Swedish) originating from old Norse, is a spirit that exists along the boarders of water and land. People would often say prayers to the Nykken before swimming so that no harm would come to them.
