Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
Iceland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Johannes Gustavsson
Jón Nordal (1926-2024) was an Icelandic composer. Born about 25 years after his better-known namesake Jón Leifs, Nordal eschewed the latter's austere, uncompromising style in favor of colorful, sensuous music, perhaps somewhat akin to the works of French composer (and approximate contemporary) Henri Dutilleux. Nordal, who spent several years in Zürich, Copenhagen, Paris and Rome, attended a summer course in Darmstadt, a fountainhead of new ideas in contemporary music, in 1957 and was thus influenced by the contemporary European avant-garde as well as by the works of Anton Webern.
After returning to Iceland, Nordal became an important figure in Icelandic musical life, both as a composer - founding "Musica nova", an association promoting the works of young Icelandic composers, in 1959 - and as a teacher (he was director of the Reykjavik School of Music from 1956 to 1992). He passed away in December 2024 and remains one of Iceland's most beloved composers.
Leiðsla ("rapture" or "trance" in English) was written in 1973 and continues the long tradition of the symphonic poem; it is a meticulously orchestrated work, imbued with dramatic flair and mystical-sounding harmonies.
If you enjoyed this score video, do stay tuned - I will be posting more orchestral music by Nordal soon!
Iceland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Johannes Gustavsson
Jón Nordal (1926-2024) was an Icelandic composer. Born about 25 years after his better-known namesake Jón Leifs, Nordal eschewed the latter's austere, uncompromising style in favor of colorful, sensuous music, perhaps somewhat akin to the works of French composer (and approximate contemporary) Henri Dutilleux. Nordal, who spent several years in Zürich, Copenhagen, Paris and Rome, attended a summer course in Darmstadt, a fountainhead of new ideas in contemporary music, in 1957 and was thus influenced by the contemporary European avant-garde as well as by the works of Anton Webern.
After returning to Iceland, Nordal became an important figure in Icelandic musical life, both as a composer - founding "Musica nova", an association promoting the works of young Icelandic composers, in 1959 - and as a teacher (he was director of the Reykjavik School of Music from 1956 to 1992). He passed away in December 2024 and remains one of Iceland's most beloved composers.
Leiðsla ("rapture" or "trance" in English) was written in 1973 and continues the long tradition of the symphonic poem; it is a meticulously orchestrated work, imbued with dramatic flair and mystical-sounding harmonies.
If you enjoyed this score video, do stay tuned - I will be posting more orchestral music by Nordal soon!
