Main content

Festive sounds for winter warmth ft. The Staves

Join composer Ólafur Arnalds for a special wintry journey into calm, with a musical safe haven from The Staves, an old Icelandic tale of trolls and an exclusive live performance.

Ward off the winter cold and get cosy by the fire with a special seasonal episode of Ultimate Calm with Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds. Ólafur shares a selection of tracks to transport you out of the hectic noise that comes with this time of year, and reflects on how music can be an escape. With music from the likes of Anoushka Shankar and Erland Cooper.

We’ll visit the musical safe haven of some special guests - hearing the music that Ólafur’s special guests retreat to in times of stress. Jess and Millie from English indie folk band The Staves pick a soothing song that makes them take a deep breath and gives them respite from the busy chaos of life.

Ólafur also performs a very special live version of his piano piece ‘saman’, which means 'together' in Icelandic, and shares some reflections on the quirky festive folktales of Iceland, with stories of trolls and icy darkness.

Produced by Kit Callin
A Reduced Listening production

28 days left to listen

59 minutes

Last on

Christmas Eve 2024 21:00

Music Played

  • Ólafur Arnalds

    saman

    Ensemble: The Westerlies.
    • Re:member.
    • Mercury KX.
  • Erland Cooper

    Cold (mvmt 3)

    Performer: Erland Cooper. Performer: Scottish Ensemble.
    • Folded Landscapes.
    • Mercury Classics.
  • Hania Rani

    Whispering House

    Composer: Ólafur Arnalds. Performer: Hania Rani. Performer: Ólafur Arnalds.
    • Ghosts.
    • Gondwana Records.
  • Jim Perkins

    A Distant Sun

    Composer: Curve Ensemble. Performer: Curve Ensemble. Performer: Jim Perkins.
    • From the Deep.
    • bigo & twigetti.
  • JJJJJerome Ellis

    Movement VII

    Performer: JJJJJerome Ellis.
    • Compline in Nine Movements.
  • Anoushka Shankar

    Daydreaming

    Composer: Nils Frahm. Performer: Anoushka Shankar. Performer: Nils Frahm. Featured Artist: Nils Frahm.
    • Chapter I: Forever, For Now.
    • LEITER.
  • Harmonia

    Welcome

    Composer: Brian Eno. Performer: Brian Eno. Ensemble: Harmonia.
    • Grönland Records.
  • The Staves

    Sprig of Thyme

    Composer: yMusic. Performer: The Staves. Performer: yMusic.
    • The Way Is Read.
    • Nonesuch.
  • The Staves

    Bladed Stance

    Composer: yMusic. Performer: The Staves. Performer: yMusic.
    • The Way Is Read.
    • Nonesuch.
  • Kait Dunton

    this one's for you

    Performer: Kait Dunton.
    • Keyboards.
    • Real & Imagined Music.
  • Sin Fang

    Parallel Universes

    Performer: Sin Fang.
    • Sikadene.
    • I N N I.
  • Keith Jarrett

    Köln, January 24, 1975, Pt. II C

    Performer: Keith Jarrett.
    • The Köln Concert.
    • ECM Records.
  • Lara Somogyi

    acceptances (orchestral expansion)

    Performer: Lara Somogyi.
    • ! (expansion).
  • Hauschka

    Loved Ones

    Performer: Hauschka.
    • Philanthropy.
    • City Slang.
  • Kate Carr

    Snowstorm

    Performer: Kate Carr.
    • Songs From A Cold Place.
    • Flaming Pines.
  • Kjartan Hólm

    Begin

    Performer: Kjartan Hólm.
    • Horizon (Original Score from the Documentary).
    • INNI.
  • Daigo Hanada

    Asa

    Composer: Yoko Komatsu. Performer: Daigo Hanada. Performer: Yoko Komatsu.
    • Asa.
    • Modern Records.
  • Natalia Beylis

    Mermaids

    Performer: Natalia Beylis.
    • Mermaids.
    • Touch Sensitive.
  • Ólafur Arnalds

    Saman (Live)

    Performer: Ólafur Arnalds.
    • Saman (Live).
  • Chino Yoshio

    193193 [For Gentle Sine Bells]

    • 193193.
    • Bandcamp.

Broadcasts

  • Christmas Eve 2023 22:30
  • Christmas Eve 2024 21:00