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BIS

Leifs: Vikingasvar, Etc / Bäumer, Gunnarsdóttir, Bjarnason

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Details

Composer
LEIFS, JON
Artist
Jo, Hafsteinn, Palsson, Sigurdur, Gudmundsson, Hermann, Flosason, Baumer
Format
CD
Label
BIS
Released
May 01, 2004
Catalog #
BIS-CD-1080
UPC
7318590010808

About

It is possible that the reviewer who characterized Jón Leifs (1899-1968) as "a composer in no danger of being lost in the crowd once his music is heard" was thinking primarily of works such as Geysir (BIS-CD-830), Hekla (BIS-CD-1030) or Hafís (BIS-CD-1050) - works which contain some of the most astoundingly loud music ever recorded! If the present CD is less generous in terms of decibels or special effects such as the sound of Icelandic rock cascades, the music is still unmistakeably Jón Leifs. All but one of the works are for choir or solo voices and orchestra, and their subject matter is, as often with Leifs, either Iceland itself or the ancient myths of the country. Gróa's Spell and The Lay of Helgi the Hunding-slayer, for instance, are both based on texts from the Poetic Edda, while Landfall for male choir and orchestra was inspired by Leifs' first glimpse of land on his return to Iceland after the 2nd World War. Also included on this disc is the Iceland Cantata (from 1930), a work in seven movements for mixed choir and orchestra which Árni Heimir Ingólfsson, the expert on Jón Leifs, in his generously informative liner notes calls the composer's "first real masterpiece, and one of the high points of his entire career." A curiousity for those who follow our Leifs series is Spring Song, a short work which is strikingly - for Leifs - light-hearted and joyous. As surprising will be the orchestration in Viking's Answer (Víkingasvar).The only instrumental work on the disc, it is scored for a wind orchestra with four saxophones (the only time in Jón Leifs' music), violas and double basses! As on previous CDs in the series, it's the Iceland Symphony Orchestra which gives us this rare - three of the works are World Première Recordings - opportunity to hear the music of their great countryman. (The orchestra's latest offering, Baldr BIS-CD-1230/31, was termed an account of "enormous conviction" by the reviewer in BBC Music Magazine.)

Tracklist 13 tracks

  1. 1 Viking´s Answer (Vikingasvar), Op. 54 03:47
    Track
    1
    Title
    Viking´s Answer (Vikingasvar), Op. 54
    Duration
    03:47
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  2. 2 The Lay of Helgi the Hunding-slayer (Helga kvida Hundingsbana), Op. 61 08:22
    Track
    2
    Title
    The Lay of Helgi the Hunding-slayer (Helga kvida Hundingsbana), Op. 61
    Duration
    08:22
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  3. 3 Groa´s Spell (Grogaldr), Op. 62 18:38
    Track
    3
    Title
    Groa´s Spell (Grogaldr), Op. 62
    Duration
    18:38
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  4. 4 Jonas Hallgrimsson in memoriam (Jonasar minni Hallgrimssonar), Op. 48 06:48
    Track
    4
    Title
    Jonas Hallgrimsson in memoriam (Jonasar minni Hallgrimssonar), Op. 48
    Duration
    06:48
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  5. 5 Spring Song (Vorvisa), Op. 46 04:48
    Track
    5
    Title
    Spring Song (Vorvisa), Op. 46
    Duration
    04:48
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  6. 6 Landfall - Overture (Landsyn - forleikur), Op. 41 09:50
    Track
    6
    Title
    Landfall - Overture (Landsyn - forleikur), Op. 41
    Duration
    09:50
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  7. 7 I. Moderato, maestoso, ma animato 01:38
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Moderato, maestoso, ma animato
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  8. 8 II. Andante 03:04
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Andante
    Duration
    03:04
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  9. 9 III. Allegro spirituoso 01:41
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Allegro spirituoso
    Duration
    01:41
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  10. 10 IV. Adagio 04:38
    Track
    10
    Title
    IV. Adagio
    Duration
    04:38
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  11. 11 V. Larghetto 01:48
    Track
    11
    Title
    V. Larghetto
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  12. 12 VI. Allegro furioso 02:42
    Track
    12
    Title
    VI. Allegro furioso
    Duration
    02:42
    Composer
    Jón Leifs
  13. 13 VII. Andante 02:57
    Track
    13
    Title
    VII. Andante
    Duration
    02:57
    Composer
    Jón Leifs