These Eighteen Reflections on Icelandic Folksongs originated between 1999 and 2002. I wrote them partly on personal impulse and partly at the instigation of pianist/teacher Ólafur Elíasson, who urged me to make some arrangements for advanced piano students.  At his suggestion, Nos. 1-12 have been placed in order of difficulty.  The last six are more demanding.

Most of the tunes are taken from the monumental collection by the Rev. Bjarni Þorsteinsson, Íslenzk þjóðlög (1906-1909), which unfortunately has never been revised.  Several of its "Icelandic" folksongs may, accordingly, prove spurious.  The same goes for the present selection, where neither Nos. 8 & 13, nor the second melody in No. 12 (ABCD, strilla), do strike one as being particularly indigenous.

For the benefit of interested readers, the ÍÞ-number in parentheses after the melody title in the Index refers to the relevant page in Þorsteinsson's collection.  This is long out of print, but should soon be browseable at the <www.musik.is/ismus> website on the Internet.

Reykjavik, October 14, 2004
Ríkarður Ö. Pálsson
<rikardur@mbl.is> Phone +354 557 7516

Rikarður Orn Palsson (b. 1946) grew up in Copenhagen and settled in Iceland in 1960. Working primarily as a music critic since 1979, he has written or arranged vocal and instrumental music for various occasions and media, including film, TV and the stage.

"Palsson, Rikarður f. 15.6.1946. Islandsk komponist og musikkritiker (opvokset i KBH.). Studerede kontrabas ved Reykjavik Musikskole, musikhistorie ved Indiana University. Anmelder fra 1978, ved Morgunblaðið fra 1994. Deltager i nordisk TV's Kontrapunkt 1990-98. P har skrevet og arrangeret musik for bl.a. film, TV og teater. I egne arbejder påvirket af flere stilepoker fra renæssance til neo-klassik og genrer som folkemusik og jazz." (Gads Musikleksikon / Bjarki Sveinbjörnsson)

Reviews

Jonas Sen – Morgunblaðið, October 22, 2004

"...Icelandic folksong arrangements for piano of substance are few and far between; (...) The present collection consequently makes up a most welcome addition – not only to the particular genre but to the general flora of icelandic piano music as well.

The pieces are in fact incredibly wide-ranging; these are fantasies where the development of straightforward ditties constantly surprises without ever sounding pretentious.. ..the progress always remains natural; Ríkarður seems capable of making anything sound convincing and logical in its context without disturbing the whole..."

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Poul Rosenbaum, pianist – leder for Ishøj Kulturskole, Øresunds Solist og Copenhagen Summer Festival

"The music posesses both pedagogical, instrumental and artistic qualities that make them very interesting to a broad audience."