🎶 This Saturday at 9 AM: A Musical Journey Through Iceland

As Gimli lights up for the 136th Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, we’re proud to present a broadcast hour devoted entirely to music by Icelandic composers and pieces inspired by the stunning landscapes and stories of Iceland. Tune in at 9:00 AM local time this Saturday—right in the heart of festival long‑weekend!

Festival Context: Gimli’s Icelandic Heritage

The Icelandic Festival (Íslendingadagurinn) has been held annually since 1890 and has taken place in Gimli since 1932, making it one of the oldest continuous ethnic festivals in North America. This vibrant celebration honors New Iceland’s rich culture through music, crafts, reenactments, food, and community spirit.

🎵 The Playlist & Composer Background

9:00 — Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson: Heyr himna smiður (performed by Voces 8)

Sigurbjörnsson (1938–2013) was a prominent Icelandic composer whose Heyr himna smiður is a radiant setting of a medieval Icelandic hymn. Known for blending choral traditions with deep spiritual resonance, this piece here is rendered in crystalline polyphony by Voces 8.

9:04 — Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson: Violin Sonata in F Major

Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson (1847–1927) was one of Iceland’s first composers trained abroad. His Violin Sonata in F Major is lyrical and heartfelt—here performed by Nina Margaret Grímsdóttir and Auður Hafsteindóttir, bringing early Icelandic classical style to vivid life.

9:21 — Björk: Overture to Dancer in the Dark

Avant‑garde icon Björk, internationally celebrated, composed this overture for Lars von Trier’s film Dancer in the Dark. Her music evokes Iceland’s haunting beauty and emotional gravity, bridging pop innovation with dramatic orchestral texture.

9:25 — Johan Svendsen: Two Icelandic Melodies (performed by Bournemouth Sinfonietta & Richard Studt)

Norwegian composer Johan Svendsen (1840–1911) was inspired by Icelandic folk themes in his Two Icelandic Melodies, reflecting Nordic cultural exchange. In this performance by the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Studt brings out the rustic grace and melodic charm of the originals.

9:32 — Sigurður Sævarsson: Introit and Kyrie from his Requiem (Choir of Clare College, Cambridge under Oscar Simms)

Born in 1963, Sigurður Sævarsson composed his Requiem in 2016 as a meditation on memory and loss, blending Latin text with echoes of Icelandic folk poem traditions. The Introit and Kyrie are serene and spiritually evocative, performed here by Clare College Choir.

9:41 — Carl Nielsen: Saga‑Dream (performed by Göteborg Symphony under Esa‑Pekka Salonen)

Danish composer Carl Nielsen (1865–1931) created Saga‑Drøm, inspired by Njáls saga—one of the great thirteenth‑century Icelandic family sagas. The music dramatizes saga characters and landscapes with bold orchestral color, here interpreted by Göteborg Symphony under Esa Pekka-Salonen.

9:49 — Jón Leifs: Icelandic Dances, Nos. 2 & 4 (performed by Susanne Kessel)

Jón Leifs (1899–1968) was Iceland’s most fiercely original composer. His Icelandic Dances, Op. 11 (1929‑30), draw on folk rhythms and haunting ancient chant. The fourth movement, a vivace folk‑dance finale, and the expressive second movement both capture Iceland’s elemental musical energy.

9:54 — Kenley Kristofferson: Movements 3 & 4 of his Icelandic Folk Song Suite (performed by the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble)

Local Manitoban composer Kenley Kristofferson, hailing from Gimli, presents a contemporary suite rooted in Icelandic folk song tradition. His third and fourth movements integrate modal melodies and wind ensemble textures, connecting personal heritage to the festival’s spirit.

Why This Hour Means So Much

Each piece in this hour highlights a unique facet of Icelandic culture—medieval hymnody, folk tradition, film modernism, saga‑inspired tone poems, and modern local creativity. It’s a curated musical reflection of Gimli’s Icelandic roots, synchronized with the festival unfolding just across Lake Winnipeg.

Final Invitation

Join us this Saturday at 9 AM as our airwaves become a sonic bridge from Gimli to Reykjavík. Celebrate Icelandic composers, cultural heritage, and the communal joy of Islendingadagurinn. Don’t miss this special live musical salute to Iceland in Manitoba. Velkomin!