Iceland

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.

Donald begins his travels around Iceland with an exploration of its earliest art music - with Romantic-era songs by the lonely doctor Sigvaldi Kaldal　ns, whose name means 'cold lagoon', and the composer of Iceland's national anthem: Sveinbj怀rn Sveinbj怀rnsson, who later made his home in Edinburgh. He meets the Icelandic musicologist @rni Heimir Ing　lfsson to discuss the influence of Iceland's ancient folk music on its classical tradition, and introduces the work of 'Iceland's Sibelius' - the 20th-century composer, Jon Leifs.

J　n Leifs: The Throwing Game (Baldr)

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Kari Kropsu (conductor)

Sveinbj怀rn Sveinbj怀rnsson: Allegro (Piano Trio in E minor)

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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.

J　n Leifs' symphonic poem 'Geysir' portrays the awe-inspiring geothermal eruption of one of his nation's most famous natural wonders. Donald Macleod pays a visit to Geysir to introduce Leifs' own highly-imaginative musical explosion, before discussing the composer's dramatic, experimental organ concerto - described by one critic as 'like Bach walking on the tundra' - with the musicologist @rni Heimir Ing　lfsson. He ends with a series of pieces by Icelandic music's provocateur-in-chief, the wickedly mischievous Atli Heimir Sveinsson - a composer able and willing to compose in almost any style, from Baroque to avant-garde to hip hop - ending with Sveinsson's bizarre and beguiling postmodernist fantasy, 'Icelandic Rap'.

J　n Leifs: Geysir, Op 51

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Osmo V䀀nsk䀀 (conductor)

J　n Leifs: Two Songs, Op 15

Igveldur Yr Jonsd　ttir (mezzo)

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Anne Manson (conductor)

J　n Leifs: Organ Concerto, Op 7

Bj怀rn Steinar S　lbergsson (organ)

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, En Shao (conductor)

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Intermezzo No 1 (Dimmalimm)

Benedikte Johansen (flute), Thomas Jensen (harp)

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Af hreinu hjarta

Suzanne Kessel (piano)

Atli Heimir Sveinsson: Icerapp

Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra, Bernhar

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)

J　n Leifs: Iceland Cantata, Op 13

Hallgrumskirkja Motet Choir and Schola Cantorum

Iceland SO, Hermann B䀀umer (conductor)

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

J　runn Vi

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.

Donald Macleod ends his visit to Iceland with two utterly different works by Jon Leifs - his quiet, valedictory Fine II for strings and vibraphone, and the colossal orchestral poem 'Hekla' - possibly the loudest piece of classical music ever written. He also introduces works by two key contemporary Icelandic voices: Haflidi Halgrimsson and Dan퀀el Bjarnason, and talks to the latter about how his music bridges the worlds of rock, classical and electronic music.

J　n Leifs: Fine II, Op 56

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Petri Sakari (conductor)

J　n Leifs: Ymir (Edda: Part 1. The Creation of the World)

Gunnar Gudbjornsson (tenor), Bjarni Thor Kristinsson (bass-baritone)

Schola Cantorum

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Hermann B䀀umer (conductor)

Haflidi Hallgrimsson: Metamorphoses for Piano Trio, Op 16

Fidelio Trio

Daniel Bjarnason: Bow to String I: 'Sorrow Conquers Happiness

Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir (multitracked cello)

Jon Leifs: Hekla, Op 52

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, En Shao (conductor)

First broadcast December 2012.

Donald Macleod on works by two key musicians: Haflidi Halgrimsson and Daniel Bjarnason.