Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
String section of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by En Shao
Unlike some of my other score videos, this score was not in very good condition when I scanned it, but it should nevertheless be readable. If you have any issues reading it, let me know in the comments.
Jón Leifs (1899-1968) was the most important Icelandic composer of the 20th century, and by far the most famous until the recent revival of interest in Icelandic contemporary music. Leifs was the first Icelandic composer to incorporate native folk music into his works; his distinct style draws strongly from tvísöngur, a traditional form of folk singing that - like the Gregorian chant from which it derived - makes frequent use of parallel fifths.
Leifs is perhaps best known for raw and imaginative orchestral works like "Hekla" and "Geysir" that depict some of Iceland's most impressive natural landmarks in sound. However, I find Leifs' works for string orchestra to be deeply personal and no less compelling than his compositions for larger forces. "Reminiscence du Nord", written in 1952, is a classic example of Leifs' writing for the ensemble, containing all the influences that shaped one of the most original compositional voices of the 20th century.
String section of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by En Shao
Unlike some of my other score videos, this score was not in very good condition when I scanned it, but it should nevertheless be readable. If you have any issues reading it, let me know in the comments.
Jón Leifs (1899-1968) was the most important Icelandic composer of the 20th century, and by far the most famous until the recent revival of interest in Icelandic contemporary music. Leifs was the first Icelandic composer to incorporate native folk music into his works; his distinct style draws strongly from tvísöngur, a traditional form of folk singing that - like the Gregorian chant from which it derived - makes frequent use of parallel fifths.
Leifs is perhaps best known for raw and imaginative orchestral works like "Hekla" and "Geysir" that depict some of Iceland's most impressive natural landmarks in sound. However, I find Leifs' works for string orchestra to be deeply personal and no less compelling than his compositions for larger forces. "Reminiscence du Nord", written in 1952, is a classic example of Leifs' writing for the ensemble, containing all the influences that shaped one of the most original compositional voices of the 20th century.
