R$35
My Mother Told Me – Þat mælti mín móðir
Series: Vikings
Original text: Egill Skallagrímsson – Iceland, 10th century
Original text / Culture: Icelandic / Old Norse / Viking Age
Modern melody / text adaptation: Trevor Morris (Canadian)
Key: E minor
Time signature: 4/4
Tempo marking: ♩ = 70
Arrangement: Tin Whistle
Arranger / Edition: Maiko Thomé de Araujo
Style / Character: Nordic / Old Norse-inspired / Neo-Medieval / cinematic
Type: Viking-themed song / Tin Whistle arrangement
Special features: note names, Tin Whistle fingering diagrams, additional rhythmic Study Version, separate Cutting + Basic Ornaments version, reference MP3
Format: Digital download (PDF + MP3) — 2 files (6.1MB)
Musical material: 3 useful pages — regular version + Study Version + Cutting & Basic Ornaments version
“My Mother Told Me,” also known by its Old Norse opening “Þat mælti mín móðir,” has become one of the most recognizable musical pieces associated with the modern Viking and Nordic music aesthetic, especially through the television series Vikings.
Its historical roots go much further back.
The text comes from the medieval Icelandic tradition and is attributed to the poet Egill Skallagrímsson, one of the best-known figures connected with Old Norse skaldic poetry and Egils saga.
The famous stanza evokes the idea of a young man whose mother tells him that he will one day have a ship and good oars, sail away with Vikings and take his place in the adventurous seafaring world associated with the Viking Age.
The edition credits the familiar modern melody and text adaptation to Trevor Morris, a Canadian composer strongly associated with the music of the Vikings television series.
This creates an interesting meeting between two musical and cultural layers:
Historical source: Icelandic / Old Norse / Viking Age
Modern musical treatment: Trevor Morris – Canadian / cinematic
The result has become especially popular with musicians interested in Nordic music, Viking repertoire, Neo-Medieval music, historical soundtracks and fantasy-inspired folk music.
This edition by Maiko Thomé de Araujo presents My Mother Told Me in E minor specifically for Tin Whistle.
Rather than offering only a plain melody transcription, the material includes several didactic and interpretative resources designed to help the player learn the tune and gradually develop a more characteristic whistle performance.
The PDF contains three different ways of approaching the same melody:
This allows the player to begin with the basic melody and progressively add rhythmic understanding and stylistic ornamentation.
The first page presents the melody in a clear performance format.
It includes:
The connection between written notation, note name and fingering position makes the score useful even for players who are still developing confidence in music reading.
Instead of consulting a separate fingering chart, the player can see the required whistle position directly below each note.
The second page provides a dedicated Study Version.
It retains the written melody, note names and Tin Whistle fingering diagrams while adding a visual beat and subdivision guide above the staff.
This rhythmic line shows where the notes fall in relation to the principal beats and their internal subdivisions.
The purpose is not simply to show what notes to play, but to help the player understand exactly when each note occurs.
This creates a connection between:
written rhythm → pulse → subdivision → fingering → sound
The Study Version can be particularly helpful for players who can reproduce the fingering positions but still have difficulty reading or maintaining rhythmic precision.
The third musical page adds another important layer to the edition:
Cutting + Basic Ornaments
Tin Whistle performance is not defined only by the notes of a melody. Small articulations and ornaments can dramatically change the character of a tune.
This additional version presents the same melody with suggested ornamental figures marked directly in the score, including cutting and other basic ornamentation examples.
The ornament indications are labeled so the player can identify where the embellishments occur while still seeing the original melody and fingering information.
This allows the material to function progressively:
Step 1: learn the basic melody
Step 2: understand the rhythm through the Study Version
Step 3: begin adding Tin Whistle ornamentation
This is especially valuable for players moving from simply reproducing notes toward developing a more idiomatic and expressive whistle style.
In Tin Whistle playing, ornaments are often used not merely as decoration but also as a way of articulating repeated notes, shaping phrases and giving rhythmic definition to the melody.
Learning where a simple cut or ornamental figure can be introduced helps the player move beyond a purely literal reading of the score.
The ornamented page in this edition therefore serves as an introduction to the idea that a written melody can be interpreted and shaped according to the expressive possibilities of the instrument.
The player does not have to use every suggested ornament.
They can first learn the basic version and then gradually experiment with the additional figures, choosing the degree of ornamentation that best suits their technical level and musical taste.
E minor is a natural and useful tonal environment for the standard D Tin Whistle.
The key allows the melody to sit comfortably within the familiar fingering system of the instrument while preserving the dark, restrained and Nordic character associated with the piece.
For players accustomed to Celtic and traditional whistle repertoire, the relationship between D major and E minor also makes the tonal language immediately familiar.
This makes the arrangement particularly suitable for musicians who use Tin Whistle not only for Irish or Scottish repertoire but also for:
The cultural origin of the text and the nationality of the modern composer should be understood separately.
Original text / historical culture:
Icelandic / Old Norse / Viking Age
Modern melody and adaptation:
Trevor Morris – Canadian
This distinction preserves the historical identity of the ancient material while also recognizing the modern cinematic treatment through which many contemporary listeners discovered the piece.
The arrangement therefore belongs naturally in a collection that connects historical Nordic themes with modern interpretations for folk instruments.
Begin with the regular version and make sure the melody can be played comfortably and evenly before adding ornamentation.
The tune benefits from a restrained, dark and narrative character rather than excessive speed or aggressive articulation.
At ♩ = 70, allow the melody enough space to breathe.
If rhythmic placement is uncertain, move to the Study Version and use the guide above the staff to understand how shorter notes relate to the main pulse.
Once both melody and rhythm are secure, begin experimenting with the Cutting + Basic Ornaments version.
Do not feel obliged to add every ornament immediately.
Start with only a few clearly placed cuts, then gradually introduce additional embellishments while maintaining:
Ornamentation should enhance the melody rather than obscure it.
The three-stage structure makes this material especially practical for teaching.
A student can begin by connecting:
notation + note names + fingering
The Study Version can then develop:
pulse + subdivision + rhythmic reading
Finally, the ornamented version introduces:
interpretation + articulation + Tin Whistle style
This creates a natural progression within a single short piece and makes the material useful for players at different stages of development.
My Mother Told Me (Vikings)
Key: Em
Arrangement: Tin Whistle
Composer: Text: Egill Skallagrímsson - Iceland (904 - 995), Melodie and text adap: Trevor Morris
Period: Séc. XXI - 21th Century (Neo-Medieval)
Region - Culture: Canada - Nórdic
Type: Canção - Song