Jón Laxdal (13 October 1865 – 7 July 1928[1][2]) was an Icelandic composer. The book, New Music in Iceland, by the Swedish music historian, Göran Bergendahl (1938 – ?), in which it portrays[3] the pioneering introduction of Icelandic music history, depicts Jón Laxdal as a minor composing figure on page 26 in contrast to Magnús Einarsson (1848 – 1934). He was noticeable as the co-founder of the Reykjavík Orchestra (Hljómsveit Reykjavíkur) with Sigfús Einarsson.[4] Laxdal's well-known works include two song cycles, Helga in fagra and Gunnar at Hlíðarendi.[5]
He is not to be confused with the Icelandic-Swiss actor, Jón Laxdal (1933 – 2005).
Legacy
editThe fourth and last song of the 2008 work, Four Songs, by Snorri Sigfús Birgisson, is a variation of a song composed by Laxdal.[6]
References
edit- ^ Andrésson, Baldur. Tónlistarsaga Reykjavíkur: með inngangi um sögu sönglífs í landinu frá því land byggðist [Music History of Reykjavík: with an introduction about the history of music in the country from the time the country was founded] (in Icelandic).
- ^ "Guðrún Laxdal". mbl.is. 2006-09-26.
- ^ Christensen, Jean (2002). New Music of the Nordic Countries. Pendragon Press. p. 295. ISBN 978-1576470190.
- ^ Elliott, Rachelle Anne (2021). Ég tala ekki íslensku: Exploring the performance of Icelandic mixed-voice choral music for non-Icelandic speaking conductors and singers (PDF) (Thesis). University of Sydney. p. 122.
- ^ Ingólfsson, Árni Heimir (2019-09-27). Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0253044082.
- ^ "Four Songs". Iceland Music Information Centre.
The first three movements are based on Icelandic folk songs but the last movement is a variation on a work composed by Jón Laxdal (1865-1928).