Jórunn Viðar (7 December 1918 – 27 February 2017) was an Icelandic pianist and composer.

Biography

Jórunn Viðar was born and grew up in

Reykjavík Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

. In 1937 she graduated from Reykjavík Grammar School, and the same year travelled to

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

to study for two years at the Music Academy in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. She returned to Iceland and married Lárus Fjeldsted (1918–1985). In 1943–1945 the family lived in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

where she studied composition with

Vittorio Giannini Vittorio Giannini (October 19, 1903 – November 28, 1966) was an American neoromanticism, neoromantic composer of operas, songs, symphonies, and band works, and member of the Giannini family. Life and work Giannini was born in Philadelphia on Oct ...

at the

Juilliard School of Music The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named afte ...

. After they moved back to Iceland, Jórunn worked as a pianist and accompanist. She gave several solo recitals and performed with the

Iceland Symphony Orchestra Sinfóníuhljómsveit Íslands (Iceland Symphony Orchestra) (ISO) is an Icelandic orchestra based in Reykjavík. Its primary concert venue is the Harpa (concert hall), Harpa Concert Hall. The Iceland Symphony is an autonomous public institution u ...

, for example in concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann, as well as her own composition, ''Slátta'' (1977). She was awarded the

Order of the Falcon The Order of the Falcon () is the only order of chivalry in Iceland, founded by Christian X of Denmark, King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland on 3 July 1921. The award is awarded for merit for Iceland and humanity and has five degrees. Nowaday ...

, Knight's Cross class (''Riddarakross''), for accomplishments in music.

Works

Jórunn Viðar has written a number of compositions based on Icelandic folk songs. She also composed music for the film ''Síðasti bærinn í dalnum'' (The last farm in the valley). Selected works include: *''Gestaboð um nótt'' (Text: Einar Bragi Sigurðsson) *''Glugginn'' (Text: Halldór Kiljan Laxness) *''Hvítur hestur í tunglskini'' (Text: Aðalsteinn Kristmundsson) *''Im Kahn'' (Text: Cäsar Flaischlen) *''Júnímorgunn'' (Text: Tómas Guðmundsson) *''Kall sat undir kletti'' (Text: Halldóra B. Björnsson) *''Mamma ætlar að sofna'' (Text: Davið Stefansson) *''Sönglað á göngu'' (Text: Valgarður Egilsson) *''Þjóðvísa'' (Text: Tómas Guðmundsson) *''Únglíngurinn í skóginum'' (Text: Halldór Kiljan Laxness) *''Varpaljóð á Hörpu'' (Text:

Jakobína Sigurðardóttir Jakobína Sigurðardóttir (8 July 1918 – 29 January 1994) was an Icelandic writer. The daughter of Sigurður Sigurðsson and Stefanía Guðnadóttir, she was born in Hælavík on the Hornstrandir peninsula and grew up there. Her sister F ...

) *''Við Kínafljót'' (Text: Þorgeir Sveinbjarnarson) *''Vökuró'' (Text: Jakobína Sigurðardóttir) (covered by

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

on her album ''

Medúlla ''Medúlla'' is the fifth studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. It was released on 30 August 2004 in the United Kingdom by One Little Independent Records and in the United States by Elektra Entertainment. After the release of her ...

'') *''Vorljóð á Ýli'' (Text: Jakobína Sigurðardóttir) *''Það á að gefa börnum brauð'' (Text: Folk poetry) *''Vort líf'' (Text: Aðalsteinn Kristmundsson) *''Eldur'' (Fire), ballet score (orchestra, 1950) *''Ólafur liljurós'' (Olaf the Lily-Rose), ballet score (orchestra, 1952) *''Mansöngur fyrir Ólafs rímu Grænlendings'' (The Rhymes of Olaf the Greenlander), SATB choir and piano or string orchestra (ca. 1955; text: Einar Benediktsson) *''Slátta'', piano concerto (1977) Some of her compositions have been recorded and issued on CD, including: *''Vidar - Orchestral Works'' (2003) Smekkleysa, ASIN: B0000D9Y6S *''Tapestry of Dreams'' (2003) Smekkleysa, ASIN: B0000AQVMO

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vidar, Jorunn 1918 births 2017 deaths 20th-century classical composers Icelandic classical composers Icelandic women classical composers Jorunn Vidar Icelandic pianists Icelandic women pianists Jorunn Vidar Juilliard School alumni 20th-century women composers Icelandic expatriates in Germany Icelandic expatriates in the United States