Ensemble Promena
A concert coming up in Norðurljós, Harpa!
Ensemble Promena is a newly founded ensemble that specialises in performing late classical and romantic repertoire on historical instruments. Each project sees the ensemble vary in size from duo to small chamber orchestra, for its Icelandic debut it will appear as a string quartet together with soprano Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir. Tickets can be bought here
Aribert Reimann (b. 1936), one of Germany’s best-known living composers, has arranged many works from the German vocal repertoire for voice and chamber ensembles of different sizes. This concert presents the Icelandic premiere of his arrangements of Robert Schumann’s 6 Gesänge, op. 107 as well as of Mendelssohn’s ,,…oder soll es Tod bedeuten?”, in which he binds 8 of the composer’s Lieder together with his own modern-sounding Intermezzi for string quartet.
As a contrast to the dramatic songs and the modern sounds of Reimann’s music Ensemble Promena will perform the bright and rhythmic string quartet op. 67 by Johannes Brahms. His third and last string quartet, which was the composer’s favourite, this will be the first time that it is performed on historical instruments in Iceland.
Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir, soprano
Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir, violin
Laufey Jensdóttir, violin
Simone von Rahden, viola
Vladimir Waltham, cello
Reykholt Chamber Music Festival
This Friday the Reykholt Chamber Music Festival starts in Reykholt, Borgarfjörður. It’s one of the oldest Icelandic Music Festivals, held in historic Reykholt, the birth place of Snorri Sturluson, the last week of July every year. It´s repertoire mainly consists of classical music featuring both Icelandic musicians and well known foreign artists, although this year we’ll stick to only Icelanders - you can guess why… Reykholt festival has earned a reputation as being one of the most interesting cultural events in Iceland.
This year there’s a wonderful program, four concerts and a lecture on the Icelandic writer Þorsteinn frá Hamri. All the information on the Festival can be found here, as well as tickets and program.
Linos Festival in Cologne!
Das Linos Festival is held by the Linos Piano Trio in Cologne 11.-13. June 2021. This years theme is Stolen Music which is also the theme of the trio’s new CD, released next week. Originally the wonderful Australian Lotte Betts-Dean was supposed to sing but due to Covid restrictions she’s not allowed to travel and I jumped in to learn lots of new music and work with these fantastic musicians.
There are four concerts: Songs, Family Concert, Magic and Transfiguration.
All the concerts except the Family Concert will be streamed and available for a few days afterwards. Here you can buy your ticket to the streaming. Enjoy!
On the radio again!
Our concert from last Friday will be broadcast on the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service today at 16:05 (GMT) (“Úr tónlistarlífinu: Söngskemmtun ÍÓ”).
The program consists of passionate songs from Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Russia and one aria, songs by Ture Rangström, Grieg, Páll Ísólfsson, Rachmaninoff and others. Hope you enjoy!
Wir geniessen die himmlischen Freuden!
Oh how things change fast in the times of Corona!
On the 29th of April I will sing Mahler’s fourth symphony with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason, Iceland Symphony's Conductor-in-Residence. The symphony was written in 1899 and 1900, and in the fourth movement brings in a song that Mahler wrote in 1892: Das himmlische Leben. The song was originally part of the collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn but by the year of the collection's publication (1899) this song had been re-orchestrated and earmarked as the finale of the 4th symphony and thus was not published as part of the Des Knaben Wunderhorn collection, nor was it made available in a voice-and-piano version. I’m honoured to sing this beautiful music and the lovely lyrics and really excited to appear in front of an audience again after quite a long time! :)
Das himmlische Leben (aus Des Knaben Wunderhorn)
Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden,
D'rum tun wir das Irdische meiden.
Kein weltlich' Getümmel
Hört man nicht im Himmel!
Lebt alles in sanftester Ruh'.
Wir führen ein englisches Leben,
Sind dennoch ganz lustig daneben;
Wir tanzen und springen,
Wir hüpfen und singen,
Sankt Peter im Himmel sieht zu.
Johannes das Lämmlein auslasset,
Der Metzger Herodes d'rauf passet.
Wir führen ein geduldig's,
Unschuldig's, geduldig's,
Ein liebliches Lämmlein zu Tod.
Sankt Lucas den Ochsen tät schlachten
Ohn' einig's Bedenken und Achten.
Der Wein kost' kein Heller
Im himmlischen Keller;
Die Englein, die backen das Brot.
Gut' Kräuter von allerhand Arten,
Die wachsen im himmlischen Garten,
Gut' Spargel, Fisolen
Und was wir nur wollen.
Ganze Schüsseln voll sind uns bereit!
Gut' Äpfel, gut' Birn' und gut' Trauben;
Die Gärtner, die alles erlauben.
Willst Rehbock, willst Hasen,
Auf offener Straßen
Sie laufen herbei!
Sollt' ein Fasttag etwa kommen,
Alle Fische gleich mit Freuden angeschwommen!
Dort läuft schon Sankt Peter
Mit Netz und mit Köder
Zum himmlischen Weiher hinein.[note 1]
Sankt Martha die Köchin muß sein.
Kein' Musik ist ja nicht auf Erden,
Die unsrer verglichen kann werden.
Elftausend Jungfrauen
Zu tanzen sich trauen.
Sankt Ursula selbst dazu lacht.
Kein' Musik ist ja nicht auf Erden,
Die unsrer verglichen kann werden.
Cäcilia mit ihren Verwandten
Sind treffliche Hofmusikanten!
Die englischen Stimmen
Ermuntern die Sinnen,
Daß alles für Freuden erwacht.
Passions of the North
Bjarni Frímann, this wonderful multitalented musician, and I were supposed to sing in Harpa next Friday (April 16th) but we have postponed it for exactly three weeks. So on the 7th of May we will sing and play some passionate songs (and maybe one aria) from the north, specifically from Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Russia.
Let’s hope we can stick to this date, and I hope to see you there!
For native speakers ;)
For those who understand Icelandic, here the opera singer and the rapper have a little kiki about Icelandic music records! :D It was very fun and interesting to talk to Joey Christ (or Jóhann Kristófer). We come from rather different music-worlds but actually share a lot of feelings and opinions about how we listen and feel music. I enjoyed this a lot, and actually went home to listen to Gísli Pálmi and Jakobínarína and some more music he recommended to me. Thank you Joey and thanks to Nova and the Icelandic Music Awards for setting this up. Now let’s listen to and support Icelandic Music!
On the radio...
Yesterday the Icelandic Radio broadcast our concert from the 12th of September in Norðurljós, Harpa. This concert was to celebrate composer Haukur Tómasson’s birthday. Ensembles Caput and Benda performed four pieces, new or in a new arrangement by Haukur, I got to sing in the last two pieces, Echo Chamber Remix and Niður, þytur, brak (Murmur, whiz, squeak)
Recommend listening here, it was a wonderful concert!
On the program:
*Archipelago for violin and sound curtains.
*Split for trombone, percussion and cello.
*Echo Chamber Remix for viola and chamber orchestra.
*Niður þytur brak, 6 songs for soprano, three percussionists, violin, viola, cello and double bass. Poems by Sjón.
Soprano: Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir.
Soloists: Una Sveinbjarnardóttir, violin and Þórunn Ósk Marinósdóttir, viola.
Icelandic Songs in Ísafjörður
This next Saturday, pianist and conductor Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason and I will give a concert in my hometown, Ísafjörður, honouring the memory of my grandparents, Sigríður Jónsdóttir and Ragnar H. Ragnar. There is a long tradition of this memorial concert, the first dating back to 1988, the year after my grandfather died. He was the first director of the music school in Ísafjörður, founded in 1948. My grandparents played a great role in building up Ísafjörður’s music life and reputation as one of Iceland’s greatest musical town.
Bjarni and I have put together a wonderful program of our favourite Icelandic songs, rummaging through lots of scores and searching for barely known gems and we very much look forward to singing and playing in my old hometown. We will also be premiering a new song by composer Halldór Smárason, written especially for us and this occasion.
Concert will be held in the church of Ísafjörður at 17:00 on the 26th of September. Tickets are sold at the entrance, 3000/2000 kr. Free admission for children.
Murmur - Whiz - Squeak
This next Saturday I will be performing at a concert with works of icelandic composer Haukur Tómasson. The concert starts with Archipelago for violin and sound curtains, followed by Split, trio for trombone, percussion and cello. Then there will be a new version of the viola concerto Echo Chamber titled Echo Chamber Remix. The concerts ends with Murmur, Whiz, Squeak – six songs based on poems by Sjón for soprano, percussion and strings.
The soloists Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir soprano, Una Sveinbjarnardóttir violin and Þórunn Ósk Marinósdóttir viola will be accompanied by Benda and Caput Ensemble conducted by Guðni Franzson.
You can buy tickets here .
A recording from our Jón Ásgeirsson Homage concert
The annual Hafnarborg Songfest was held in Hafnarfjörður in the beginning of July, when life was almost back to normal here in Iceland. I was lucky to perform there along these fantastic musicians, Kristinn Sigmundsson bass, Hrólfur Sæmundsson baritone, Guðrún Jóhanna Ólafsdóttir mezzo-soprano, Gunnlaugur Bjarnason, baritone, Anna Guðný Guðmundsdóttir, piano and Francisco Javier Jáuregui Narváez on classical guitar.
This was a concert to honour a very beloved Icelandic composer, Jón Ásgeirsson, who will turn 92 in October, and who mercifully was able to attend. It was a beautiful moment at the end of the concert where everyone stood up and sang Maístjarnan together, a cherished song, known by every Icelandic child.
The Icelandic radio broadcasted a recording from the concert last Sunday, and here you can have a listen. Enjoy!
Mysterium
The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, RÚV, has finally showed the recording from the magical premiere of Mysterium by Hafliði Hallgrímsson at Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík last summer. Sadly the broadcast is only available to those located in Iceland, but still: here it is!
Cancellations
Due to COVID-19 my next concerts in Reykjavík, Garðabær, Stockholm and Copenhagen have all been postponed to a later date. Probably they will take place in the autumn. I’m still hopeful I’ll be able to travel to Iceland for a very exciting concert in May, but who knows by now. Stay safe and wash your hands everyone!
Kafka Fragments
Kafka-Fragments in Berlin/Chemnitz and Reykjavík
The masterpiece and cycle of Kafka Fragments by György Kurtág is based on prose texts from Franz Kafka's diaries and from posthumously published letters and stories. The texts, which range from quick jottings to sketches for stories, permit a large variety of musical settings.
György Kurtág (b. 1926) is the best known worldwide and most frequently played living Hungarian composer.
Elfa Rún Kristindóttir studied violin at the Freiburg and Leipzig conservatories. As a soloist and chamber musician, she performs throughout the world in renowned concert halls and festivals. As first violin, she performs with ensembles such as the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin or the Concerto Köln.
22.01.20 in Berlin: Kultursalon Die Flaneure https://kultursalon-dieflaneure.de/veranstaltungen/
24.01.20 in Chemnitz: https://weltecho.eu/
27.01.20 in Reykjavík: https://mengi.net/
Christmas Concert
The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV :) ) showed Kristján Jóhannsson’s Christmas Concert from last year again on Boxing day. It’s always such a pleasure to work with Kristján, sadly they don’t show the whole concert and the duet I sang (and danced a little!) with Kristján is missing. Still, it’s a wonderful show, orchestra and choir, great soloists and Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason conducts the whole thing. Here you can watch until the 25th of March.
Gleðilega hátíð!
Händel’s Messiah at Hallgrímskirkja
On the 7th and 8th of December I finally sang Messiah for the first time, (except when I sang in the Ísafjörður Festival Choir in I think 1999!) and the Icelandic Radio recorded the first concert. They played it on the radio yesterday evening and here one can have a listen until the 24th of March 2020.
Soloists: Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir, David Erler, Martin Vanberg og Jóhann Kristinsson.
The Hallgrímskirkja Motet Choir and the International Baroque Orchestra.
Conductor: Hörður Áskelsson.
A nice review from the Opera magazine
About our La traviata at the Icelandic Opera, Amanda Holloway wrote this:
"The lovers in particular were classy performers. Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir has a brilliant, glittering soprano that could be heard across the big sound of the Icelandic Opera Orchestra. A soignée and self-confident Violetta, pathos was not in her armoury, and nor did she fall immediately for the preening Alfredo, sung with an Italianate sob and a large helping of ego by the impressive tenor Elmar Gilbertsson."
"The orchestra is made up of members of the excellent Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason.
"Maintaining an opera company in a country of only 340,000 people is an economic challenge, and it’s a credit to the artistic director and CEO Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdóttir that standards are so high in this, its 40th year."
Gríman – Singer of the Year!
Tonight I was granted The Icelandic Theater Prize as Singer of the Year for my role in La traviata with the Icelandic Opera. I am incredibly grateful to everyone at the company, the fantastic artistic team, especially director Oriol Thomas and conductor Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason, and of course my colleagues on and behind the stage.
Here’s a list of all the winners 2019.
Mysterium
The world premiere of The Oratorio Mysterium by Hafliði Hallgrímsson at the Festival of Sacred Arts was Saturday the 1st of June. An audio recording was made and played on the Icelandic Radio today. Here you can listen and enjoy.
Performers: The Hallgrimskirkja Motet Choir, Schola cantorum, Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir soprano, Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir alto, Elmar Gilbertsson tenor, Oddur A. Jónsson bass and Hallgrimskirkja Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Hörður Áskelsson.
Isabelle Demers consert organist plays from O. Messiaen’s L ́Ascension at the beginning of the concert.