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From the Ancients to Bjork

Composer of the Week Iceland
Episode 3 of 5

Donald Macleod introduces music inspired by the world's oldest parliament and explores the remarkable, genre-crossing voice of the most celebrated Icelandic musician, Bjork.

Donald Macleod visits the site of the world's oldest parliament - and explores the remarkable, genre-crossing voice of the world's most celebrated Icelandic musician: Bjork.

For more than a millennium, Iceland's composers have drawn upon the sounds of its unique geology: sounds created in a glacial, geothermal landscape like nowhere else on earth. Searing water explodes from fissures; the earth steams spongily underfoot; vast, electric-blue hunks of solid ice crack and collide as they bob down otherwise silent fjords. Yet Iceland's classical music tradition remains barely known. This week, Donald Macleod explores the landscapes and vistas of the world's most northerly island nation - to discover its unique musical culture.

The fleeting flute dreams of Atli Heimir Sveinsson's "21 Sounding Minutes" thread together today's story of Iceland's past both ancient and modern. At Thingvellir, historic site of the world's oldest continuous democratic parliament, Donald Macleod introduces a cantata by Jon Leifs that looks back at his hardy Scandinavian forebears, before bringing us into the 20th century with a charming piano concerto by Iceland's leading female composer Jorunn Vidar. He ends by exploring the remarkable, genre-crossing career - and voice - of unquestionably Iceland's most famous musical export: Bjork.

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Sounds of the Night (21 Sounding Minutes)
Manuela Wiesler (flute)

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Sounds of Flowers; Sounds of Heaven (21 Sounding Minutes)
Manuela Wiesler (flute)

J贸n Leifs: Iceland Cantata, Op 13
Hallgrumskirkja Motet Choir and Schola Cantorum
Iceland SO, Hermann B盲umer (conductor)

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Sounds of Men; Sounds of Women (21 Sounding Minutes)
Manuela Wiesler (flute)

J贸runn Vi冒ar: Allegro (Slatta - Piano Concerto)
Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdottir (piano)
Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Petter Sundquist (conductor)

Jon Leifs: Viking's Answer, Op 54
Iceland SO, Hermann Baumer (conductor)

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Sounds of Rain (21 Sounding Minutes)
Manuela Wiesler (flute)

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Sounds of Sound (21 Sounding Minutes)
Manuela Wiesler (flute)

Jorunn Vidar: Vokuro
Bjork (vocals).

1 hour

Last on

Wed 16 Dec 2015 18:30
大象传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes - Sounds of the Night

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler (flute). Performer: Robert von Bahr (percussion).
    • BIS CD456.
    • 9.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes -Sounds of Flowers/Sounds of Heaven

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler (flute).
    • BIS CD456.
    • 12 & 7.

  • Leifs

    Iceland Cantata, op.13

    Performer: Hallgrumskirkja Motet Choir. Performer: Schola Cantorum. Performer: Iceland SO. Performer: Hermann B盲umer.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes -Sounds of Men/Sounds of Women

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler (flute).
    • BIS CD456.
    • 2-3.

  • J贸runn Vi冒ar

    Sl谩tta (Piano Concerto, 1977) - I. Allegro

    Performer: Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdottir (piano). Performer: Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Petter Sundquist.
    • SMEKKLEYSA SMK9.
    • 1.

  • Leifs

    Viking聮s Answer, Op.54

    Performer: Iceland SO. Performer: Hermann B盲umer.
    • BIS CD1080.
    • 1.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes -Sounds of Rain

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler (flute).
    • BIS CD456.
    • 11.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes -Sounds of Sound

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler (flute).
    • BIS CD456.
    • 13.

  • J贸runn Vidar:

    痴枚办耻谤贸

    Performer: Bj枚rk (vocals).
    • ONE LITTLE INDIAN TPLP358CD.
    • 4.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes - Sounds of the Night

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 2.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes - Sounds of the Night

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 2.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes - Sounds of Flowers/ Sounds of Heaven

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 9.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes - Sounds of Flowers/ Sounds of Heaven

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 9.

  • J贸n Leifs

    Iceland Cantata Op 13

    Orchestra: Iceland S O. Conductor: Hermann B盲umer. Choir: Hallgrumskirkja Motet Choir. Choir: Hallgrimskirkja Schola Cantorum.

  • J贸n Leifs

    Iceland Cantata Op 13

    Orchestra: Iceland S O. Conductor: Hermann B盲umer. Choir: Hallgrumskirkja Motet Choir. Choir: Hallgrimskirkja Schola Cantorum.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes - Sounds of Men/ Sounds of Women

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 2.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding Minutes - Sounds of Men/ Sounds of Women

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 2.

  • Jorunn Vidhar

    Slatta

    Performer: Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdottir. Orchestra: Iceland S O. Conductor: Petter Sundkvist.
    • SMEKKLEYSA: SMK9.
    • SMEKKLEYSA.
    • 1.

  • Jorunn Vidhar

    Slatta

    Performer: Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdottir. Orchestra: Iceland S O. Conductor: Petter Sundkvist.
    • SMEKKLEYSA: SMK9.
    • SMEKKLEYSA.
    • 1.

  • J贸n Leifs

    Viking'S Answer Op 54

    Orchestra: Iceland S O.
    • BIS: CD1080.
    • BIS.
    • 1.

  • J贸n Leifs

    Viking'S Answer Op 54

    Orchestra: Iceland S O.
    • BIS: CD1080.
    • BIS.
    • 1.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding - Sounds of Rain

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 12.

  • Atli Heimir Sveinsson

    21 Sounding - Sounds of Rain

    Performer: Manuela Wiesler.
    • BIS: CD456.
    • BIS.
    • 12.

Broadcasts

  • Wed 11 Dec 2013 12:00
    大象传媒 Radio 3
  • Wed 20 Aug 2014 18:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3
  • Sun 21 Dec 2014 03:00
    大象传媒 Radio 6 Music
  • Wed 16 Dec 2015 12:00
    大象传媒 Radio 3
  • Wed 16 Dec 2015 18:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3

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