Jón Leifs believed the spirit of Icelandic folk-song was forged by the country's nature and calamities, conveying deep seriousness, intensity, and harshness.
Composer Biography
Jón Leifs, an Icelandic composer, received private piano tutoring in Reykjavik before leaving for Germany at age seventeen to study at the Konservatorium der Musik in Leipzig.
Composer Biography
Jón Leifs faced professional difficulties in Germany after 1937 because his wife, Annie Riethof (a German pianist), was of Jewish descent, leading to his compositions no longer being performed publicly.
Recording & Production
This album marks Örn Magnússon's first recording for the BIS label.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Jón Leifs's interest in folk music was sparked by a desire to find unique Icelandic musical material that could be renewed to create new music.
Historical Context
Jón Leifs conducted the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra on a tour in 1926, which allowed the people of Iceland to hear a symphony orchestra for the first time.
Performer Biography
Örn Magnússon, the pianist on this recording, was born in Ólafsfjörður, Iceland, in 1959 and has performed extensively as both a soloist and chamber musician.
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