Helgi R. Ingvarsson

Composer / Tónskáld

Choral

– vocal –

featured recordings of original works

by Helgi R. Ingvarsson

in chronological order


click here to contact ingvarsson for scores

Music and the Brain

opera (2020)

(excerpts)

The Doctor and The Singer simultaneously sing the English and Italian lyrics to the same pastiche aria by Helgi R. Ingvarsson.

All excerpts above were recorded live during the October 2021 Reykjavik production of Music and the Brain.

Performers were Gunnar Guðbjörnsson tenor, Þórgunnur Anna Örnólfsdóttir soprano, Helen Whitaker flute, Antonía Hevesí piano and Helgi R. Ingvarsson electronics.

Þrjú ljóð fyrir loftslagið

(Three poems for the climate)

SATB (2021)

Better recordings will be uploaded soon.

Styrkt af Tónskáldasjóði RÚV / Sponsered by RUV Composer Fund.

The poems – all about the effect of climate change on our planet – were written by four Icelandic elementary school students: Sigurbjörn Hermannsson (7th grade), Svava Dröfn Davíðsdóttir (7th grade), Vigdís Sara Vignisdóttir (3rd grade) and Þórir Sólbjartur Ínuson (7th grade).

Premiered in Norðurljós hall, Harpa, Reykjavík, Iceland, on 6th November 2021. Singers were Ingibjörg Fríða Helgadóttir soprano, Kristín Sveinsdóttir alto, Þorkell Helgi tenor and Örn Ýmir Arason bass. More here: https://helgiingvarsson656278093.wordpress.com/news/2021/11/22/rj-lj-fyrir-loftslagi-three-poems-for-the-climate

Hátt í 400 grunn­skóla­börn úr öll­um lands­hlut­um sendu inn ljóð í ljóðasam­keppni sem efnt var til á Ljóðadög­um Óperu­daga árið 2019. Krakk­arn­ir voru hvatt­ir til að senda inn ljóð um nátt­úr­una, lofts­lagið, framtíðar­sýn sína og drauma eða annað sem féll að viðfangs­efn­inu: breyt­ing­um á lofts­lag­in­u. Óperudagar, með aðstoð frá Tónskáldasjóði RÚV, réð svo tónskáld sem settu nokkur af þessum ljóðum í tóna.

Nú er á himni og jörð / Festum nunc celebre

SSAATTBB (2020)

Icelandic – Latin – English

Styrkt af Tónskáldasjóði RÚV.

Based on a 16th century Icelandic melody. The piece was a commission from Kordía Chamber Choir, Reykjavík Iceland. Conductor Guðný Einarsdóttir. Funded by the National Broadcaster of Iceland (RÚV) Composer’s Fund.

Premiered in Háteigskirkja church, Reykjavík, April 2020.

Can be performed in Icelandic as “Nú er á himni og jörð” or Latin as “Festum nunc celebre”.

Heim himnaveginn

(Heavenly road home)

SATB (2020)

Based on an 18th century Icelandic melody.

Premiered by Kordía Chamber Choir in Háteigskirkja church Reykjavík in April 2020. Conductor Guðný Einarsdóttir.

Vorsól / Spring Sun

SATB & piano (2020)

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Performed by Söngfjarkinn Vocal Quartet and Guðný Einarsdóttir on piano. Premiered summer 2020 in Reykjavík.

Read more about Vorsól here: https://helgiingvarsson656278093.wordpress.com/news/2020/6/16/vorsl-spring-sun-satb-amp-piano-world-premiere

Sumarsöngur / Summer song

(Ríður Harpa í tún)

SSATTBB (2019)

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literal English translation

“Harpa” is the first month of summer in the old Nordic calendar. “Harpa” is also a woman’s name, so Thoroddsen creates a nice personification of summer in his poem, where Harpa is a young beautiful woman who rides into town on a horse, spreading flowers and good-will where-ever she goes.

Summer Song was premiered by Kordia Chamber Choir (Kordía, kór Háteigskirkju) in Reykjavík, Iceland, in 2019. Conductor was Guðný Einarsdóttir.

Vetrarþoka / Winter Fog

song (2016)


Listen on Spotify

Vetrarþoka (Winter Fog) for voice and piano was commissioned by soprano Rannveig Káradóttir and pianist Birna Hallgrímsdóttir, and released on their album Krot in 2016. The song is available to perform in both Icelandic and English.

Music by Helgi R. Ingvarsson, poem by Árni Kristjánsson. Official English translation by Snorri Kirstjánsson.

Broken Line trio later commissioned an instrumental version of the piece for flute, piano and vibraphone which was premiered 6 April 2018 in Brighton, UK.

Fossinn minn

song (2014)

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“Fossinn minn” (“My Waterfall” / “Mein Wasserfall”) was written in 2014, London, and world premiered at Landstheater Coburg, Germany, 16 may 2021. 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)

More here: https://helgiingvarsson656278093.wordpress.com/news/2021/5/16/fossinn-minn-world-premiere-in-germany