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Jón Leifs: Edda, Part Ii: The Lives Of The Gods
BIS

Jón Leifs: Edda, Part Ii: The Lives Of The Gods

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Details

Composer
LEIFS, JON
Artist
Sturludottir, Gilbertsson, Sigmundsson, Schola Cantorum, Baumer
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
Jun 07, 2019
Catalog #
BIS-2420
UPC
7318599924205

About

The music of Jón Leifs is often inspired by Iceland's powerful nature and literary heritage. From early on he was profoundly influenced by the medieval tradition of Icelandic literature, preserved in a handful of manuscripts, including the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. Leifs' magnum opus is the Edda oratorio, a massive (although incomplete) work in three large parts which occupied him on and off for most of his composing career - from around 1930 to his death in 1968. A partial performance of Edda I - The Creation of the World - met with incomprehension, and Leifs only resumed work on his great project a decade later, completing the second part - The Lives of the Gods - in 1966. He immediately started on the third part of the oratorio, and was still working on it at the time of his death. Neither of the two finished parts were performed in his lifetime, Edda I receiving it's first complete performance in 2006 and Edda II in 2018, in conjunction with the recording of the present disc. Leifs' music is as ruggedly grandiose as it's subject matter and the score calls for vocal soloists, choir and large orchestra, making huge demands on the performers. Once again the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the intrepid Schola Cantorum join forces under the baton of conductor Hermann Bäumer, following up on their acclaimed recording of Edda I, which was described by reviewers as 'one of the recording events of the year' (Gramophone) and 'splendid in it's craggy and intensely individual lyricism and magnificence' (MusicWeb-International. Com).

Tracklist 6 tracks

  1. 1 Óðinn (Odin) 19:00
    Track
    1
    Title
    Óðinn (Odin)
    Duration
    19:00
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
    Performer
    Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir, Elmar Gilbertsson, Kristinn Sigmundsson
    Ensemble
    Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Hermann Bäumer
  2. 2 Synir Óðins (Sons of Odin) 10:18
    Track
    2
    Title
    Synir Óðins (Sons of Odin)
    Duration
    10:18
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
    Ensemble
    Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Hermann Bäumer
  3. 3 Ásynjur (Goddesses) 20:01
    Track
    3
    Title
    Ásynjur (Goddesses)
    Duration
    20:01
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
    Performer
    Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir, Elmar Gilbertsson, Kristinn Sigmundsson
    Ensemble
    Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Hermann Bäumer
  4. 4 Valkyrjur (Valkyries) 02:46
    Track
    4
    Title
    Valkyrjur (Valkyries)
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
    Performer
    Elmar Gilbertsson
    Ensemble
    Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Hermann Bäumer
  5. 5 Nornir (Norns) 04:58
    Track
    5
    Title
    Nornir (Norns)
    Duration
    04:58
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
    Ensemble
    Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Hermann Bäumer
  6. 6 Einherjar (Warriors) 06:55
    Track
    6
    Title
    Einherjar (Warriors)
    Duration
    06:55
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
    Ensemble
    Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Hermann Bäumer