The death from cancer of Hjálmar Helgi Ragnarsson is being felt in all corners of Iceland’s musical life.
‘He was a pillar of power in so many ways and leadership was in his blood. He always approached them with that tenderness, humanity and joy, which characterized all his conduct and work,’ writes consultant Steinunn Ragnarsdóttir.
Hjálmar, who was the keading authority on the great composer Jon Leifs, served as chairman of the Icelandic Society of Composers and president of the Federation of Icelandic Artists while producing a large body of work in mostly traditional forms.