Hafliði Hallgrímsson - Composer of the Month
Hafliði Hallgrímsson (b. 1941) has, over the course of his long career, established himself as one of Iceland’s most beloved composers. His distinctive musical language is characterised by a sensitivity to line, colour, form and texture.
Hafliði began his musical career as a cellist, studying in Reykjavík, Rome and at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he was awarded the Madame Suggia Prize in 1966. He subsequently began studying composition with Dr Alan Bush and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. After graduating, he remained in Britain, where he was appointed Principal Cellist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
In 1983, he left his position with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to devote himself entirely to composition. Since then, he has written numerous solo, chamber and orchestral works and received many awards for his music. Most notably, he was awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1986 for Poemi for violin and string orchestra.
In this collection, we turn the spotlight on his choral music and present a selection of works from his diverse career as a composer. Among the most popular works in the collection are his arrangements of folk songs, which are familiar to choirs throughout Iceland.