Jón Leifs
Born: May 1, 1899; Sólheimer Farm
Died: July 30, 1968; Reykjavik, Iceland
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Jón Leifs was a highly individual voice who ushered in a style of Icelandic nationalism in music, much the way Sibelius did in Finland. Not that his music sounded anything like that of Sibelius: Leifs was a modernist, perhaps not as radical as Schoenberg and his disciples, but a creator of imaginative, often compelling scores that were not easily accessible. His music typically features string tremolos, chordal progressions that evolve slowly,
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Works
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A Viking's Answer, Op. 54 (1)
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Baldr, Op. 34 (1)
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Boy's Song for Piano, Op. 49 (1)
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Church Songs (3) for voice & organ, Op. 12a: No. 1 Father Above (1)
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Church Songs (3) for voice & organ, Op. 12a: No. 2 Behold the Flower (1)
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Church Songs (3) for voice & organ, Op. 12a: No. 3 Arise my soul (1)
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Concerto for Organ, Op. 7 (1)
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Dettifoss, Op. 57 (1)
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Edda no 1, Op. 20 "Creation of the World" (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 1. Ar var alda (You (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 10. Scherzo. Allir (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 2. Ymir (Ymir) (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 3. _ursa _jódar sjó (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 4. Audhumla, Odinn (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 5. Sćr (Sea) (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 6. Jörd (Earth) (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 7. Himinn, sól, dag (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 8. Nótt, morgunn (N (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: 9. Asgardr, Askr ok (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: Finale. Ifing, níu (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: Vetr ok vindr (Wint (1)
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Edda, Part 1: The Creation of the World, for vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra: Vidr, sumar, logn ( (1)
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Elegy, Op. 53 (1)
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Etudes for Violin, Op. 3 (1)
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Fine I, Op. 55 (1)
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Fine II, Op. 56 (1)
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Galdra-Loftur Overture, Op. 10 (1)
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Galdra-Loftur Suite, Op. 6a (1)
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Geysir, Op. 51 (3)
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Groa's Spell, Op. 62 (2)
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Hafis, Op. 63 (1)
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Hekla, Op. 52 (3)
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Iceland Cantata, Op. 13 (1)
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Icelandic Dances, Op. 11 (3)
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Icelandic Dances, Op. 11: no 2 (1)
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Icelandic Dances, Op. 11: no 3 (1)
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Icelandic Dances, Op. 11: no 4 (1)
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Icelandic Folk Songs for Piano (1)
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Icelandic Folksongs (2), Op. 19b (1)
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Icelandic Hymns (3), Op. 12a (1)
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Icelandic Overture, Op. 9 (2)
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Images (3) for Orchestra, Op. 44 (2)
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Intermezzo for Piano, Op. 1 no 2 (1)
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Intermezzo for Strings, Op. 66 "Consolation" (1)
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Jónas Hallgrímsson in memoriam, Op. 48 (1)
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Landfall, Op. 41 (2)
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Lay of Gundrun, Op. 22 (2)
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Lay of the Hunding-slayer, Op. 61 (2)
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Love Verses from the Edda, Op. 18b (1)
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Memorial Songs on the Death of Jónas Hallgrimsson, Op. 45 (1)
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New Icelandic Dances, Op. 14b (1)
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Night, Op. 59 (2)
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Old Scaldic Verses from Iceland, Op. 31 (1)
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Patriotic Songs, Op. 27: no 3, Memory-Land (1)
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Pieces (4) for Piano, Op. 2 (2)
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Quartet for Strings no 1, Op. 21 "Mors et vita" (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 2, Op. 36 "Vita et mors" (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 3, Op. 64 "El Greco" (1)
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Réminiscence du Nord, Op. 40 (1)
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Requiem, Op 33b (3)
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Reverie (1)
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Rímnadanslög (No. 4 from Icelandic Dances), for piano, Op. 11/4 (1)
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Scherzo Concreto, Op. 58 (1)
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Songs (2), Op. 14a (2)
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Songs (2), Op. 14a no 2: Lullaby (1)
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Songs (2), Op. 18a (1)
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Songs (3) from Icelandic Sagas, Op. 24 (1)
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Songs (3), Op. 23 (1)
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Songs from the Saga Symphony, Op. 25 (1)
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Stand, House of Stone, Op. 47a (1)
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Symphony no. 1, Op. 26 "Saga" (1)
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Söngvar Sögusinfóníunnar, for voice & piano (1)
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Tears of Stone: After the Concert (Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Andante (Sumri hallar)_Last Supper (1)
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Tears of Stone: Composing Overture_Variation I (Leifs, arr Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Composing Overture_Variation II (Leifs, arr Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Composing Overture_Variation III (Leifs, arr Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Elegy, Op. 53_The Tear of Stone (1)
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Tears of Stone: From 'Baldr', Op. 34_Fairy-Tale in the Wood (1)
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Tears of Stone: From 'Elegy', Op. 53_Reunion (1)
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Tears of Stone: From 'Elegy', Op. 53_Separation (1)
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Tears of Stone: From Fine I, Op. 55 (1)
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Tears of Stone: From Funeral March, Op. 6 (1)
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Tears of Stone: Funeral March (1)
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Tears of Stone: Iceland Cantata, Op. 13/4 (1)
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Tears of Stone: Icelandic Dance, Op. 11/2_Tempo giusto (1)
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Tears of Stone: Lif's Theme II_Night Prayer (Leifs, arr Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Lif's Theme_On the Beach (Leifs, arr Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Lovers' Duet (Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Lullaby_After the Riots (1)
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Tears of Stone: Meine kleine Freundin_Annie Listens to the Radio (Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Meine kleine Freundin_In the Ballroom (Ragnarsson) (1)
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Tears of Stone: Overture to Galdra Loftur, Op. 10 (1)
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Tears of Stone: Preludia Organo, Op. 16/3_In the Church (1)
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Tears of Stone: Requiem (1)
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Tears of Stone: Reverie (1)
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Tears of Stone: Valse Lento, Op. 2/1 (1)
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The Lord's Prayer, for voice & organ (1)
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Torrek, Op. 33a (1)
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Trilogia Piccola, Op. 1 (1)
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Variations on a Theme of Beethoven, Op. 8 (2)
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Variazioni pastorale, Op. 8 (1)
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Verses (3) from Hávamál, Op. 4 (1)
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Vorvísa, Op. 46 (1)
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Biography |
by Robert Cummings
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Jón Leifs was a highly individual voice who ushered in a style of Icelandic nationalism in music, much the way Sibelius did in Finland. Not that his music sounded anything like that of Sibelius: Leifs was a modernist, perhaps not as radical as Schoenberg and his disciples, but a creator of imaginative, often compelling scores that were not easily accessible. His music typically features string tremolos, chordal progressions that evolve slowly, frequent use of parallel fifths, as well as thirds and fourths, and an often harsh and primitive sound. He also frequently used folk melodies and styles, and like Bartók, made several efforts to collect folk themes. As an orchestrator he set himself apart from most of his contemporaries in his colorful manner of scoring and use of primitive-sounding percussion instruments: anvil, chains, and even rocks. His choral and vocal writing is often just as unusual, making enormous demands on the performer, with challenging leaps and uncomfortably high notes, as well as other bewildering requirements. While Leifs' music is not internationally popular, many of his compositions are available on recordings, and renewed interest in his works since the late twentieth century augurs well for his future reputation.
Leifs was born in Sólheimar, Iceland, on May 1, 1899. From 1916 he studied composition at the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany with Aládar Szendrei and Paul Graener. He also studied piano and conducting there, and graduated in 1921.
Leifs mostly lived in Germany from 1916-1944 and ran afoul of the Nazis during the latter years of this period, owing to his marriage to Jewish pianist Annie Riethof and to his progressive-sounding music. His 1941 Organ Concerto received a poor reception and afterwards little of his music was played in Germany. After settling in Sweden in 1944, Leifs and his wife divorced, and he returned to Iceland in 1945. Following the drowning death of his daughter in 1947, Leifs was inspired to write several important compositions, including the string quartet Vita et Mors and the moving choral work Requiem.
The 1950s were a turbulent time for Leifs: because of the poor reception of several older works, including the Saga-Symphony (1941-1942), he lost all confidence in his compositional skills; in addition, his second marriage failed. Leifs rebounded after he married again (1956) and thereafter produced a string of highly imaginative works, including the massive tone poem for orchestra and chorus, Hekla (1961). |
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