The Faroese term „Kingosangur“ refers to the particularly Faroese kind of melodies used for hymns and other religious songs. There have been many different hymnbooks used in the history of the Faroese church. First and foremost, however, is the well-known „Kirke-Psalmebog“ (1699) of Thomas Kingo. There was a hymn for every occasion, and the texts were often known by heart. The folk melodies took on their own characteristic flavor, from island to island, community to community, and singer to singer, in part due to the fact that there were no instruments to accompany them and no standardized forms. Many of the songs are characterized by a melismatic singing style. A characteristic of Faroese tradition was the tremendous extent to which religious songs pervaded everyday life. For example, a hymn might be sung before the men went out to fish, when they returned to land, or when they went out to collect bird eggs from the steep cliffs. The hymns were also sung at home, for example at the family prayers. The liturgical language of the church was Danish well into the 1900s, and the singing was in Danish. The first organ was installed in Tórshavn in 1831, but it was not until much later, well into the 20th century, that organs were installed in most of the village churches. Newer hymnbooks came to the islands, along with the church organs, and printed sheet music as well. The older songs faded out of use or were replaced. The individualistic singing style also fell out of use, especially as the organist with his chorale books determined how each song should be sung. Today, church organs are found in most villages, and few living people remember or know the old singing style. Petra and Hans Iversen are both well-known in various musical contexts in the Faroes. Their grandfather was Hans Iversen (Hanus í Kollinum), the original informant for many of the hymns on this cd. Over the past years, Petra, especially, has familiarized herself with the old „Kingosong“ tra dition, and she has performed the songs on many different occasions. Petra’s renditions are as close as possible to the songs as they originally sounded; that is to say, in many cases, she sings just as the Faroese „kingo-singers“ sang for musicologist Karl Clausen around 1970. Part of the material he collected was transcribed and published by Marianne Clausen in „Åndelig visesang på Færøerne“, 1975 (Úr Føroyum/Fra Færøerne vol. VII–VIII). Other older recordings have also served as sources for Petra and Hans’ melodies. The texts date as far back as the 17th century, e.g. from Kingo’s hymnal or other collections of hymns and spiritual songs from the same period, but we also hear newer texts, e.g. „Rejs op dit hoved, al kristenhed“ by N.F.S.Grundtvig. The songs on this recording have been chosen in collaboration with Marianne Clausen. For each track, we have noted the name of the singer, place and date of the original recording of the song or hymn that has been the basis for Petra and Hans’ interpretation.