Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Haflidi Hallgrimsson (born 1941) is a significant Icelandic composer (and the only one I could name besides Bjork). Haflidi trained as a cellist but now concentrates on composition and this digital-only release, made up entirely of world premiere recordings, features most of Hallgrimsson's smaller-scale choral works, including the three-movement work "Niunda Stund" ("Ninth Hour") originally written in 1993 and revised in 2006 together with "Rura, Rura Barni" ("Sleep, Sleep Now Darling") which is a deceptively simple arrangement of a traditional lullaby from the Faroe Islands. As you can tell, this is not an explicitly Christian collection although "Lofd Gud I Hans Heigidomi" ("Praise The Lord In His hallowed House") is clearly an exception and the more ambiguous "Endurkoma" ("Return") might be. The music is spiritual even when it is not specifically religious and if ever I make it to Iceland I will put this into my portable music player and listen while I view the Northern Lights. The Schola Cantorum Reykjavik under Hordur Askelsson sing very well indeed and although the music is sometimes stronger on atmosphere than melody it is still most enjoyable. Any readers with an interest in contemporary Icelandic choral music should click on www.resonusclassics.com at their earliest opportunity and those that enjoy an excursion out into the great unknown may find this worth investigating.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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