-video below- Today took place the world premiere of my “new” song from 2014 "Fossinn minn" ("My Waterfall" / "Mein Wasserfall") at Landstheater Coburg, Germany. It was programmed as part of the concert Isländische Lieder in the Klassik am Sonntag series.
Soprano: Rannveig Káradóttir (https://www.rannveigkaradottirsoprano.com/)
Piano: Mairi Harris Grewar
Composer: Helgi R. Ingvarsson
Poet: Steingrímur Thorsteinsson (1831-1913)
Video recording:
Score sample:
A review in Coburger Tageblatt
“Born of fire and ice — this how Iceland is often described. And it’s not just from a geological point of view that the volcanic island just outside the northern arctic circle is a cosmos all of its own. Iceland is also artistically fascinating, as the latest episode of “Klassik am Sonntag” shows. After all, this episode, with Icelandic soprano Rannveig Káradóttir and Mairi Harris-Grewar on the piano, is dedicated exclusively to works by Icelandic composers. “This music is unique” explains Rannveig Káradóttir, and also reveals why this is the case: “Because Iceland was isolated for a long time.” As a result “one can hear old sounds in new music” — influences from classical-romantic song composers Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann. Rannveig Káradóttir interprets these songs with great artistic intensity, including the world premiere of “Fossinn minn”, a song dedicated to her by composer Helgi R. Ingvarsson. As she sings, the soprano develops long melodic arcs with finely differentiated dynamics. Pianist Mairi Harris-Grewar accompanies on the Steinway grand piano in Coburg’s Reithalle with sensitivity and artistic intensity. “Klassik am Sonntag” thus becomes an exciting musical trip to Iceland.”
-Coburger Tageblatt