Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson

Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson ( born June 28, 1847 in Seltjarnarnes, † February 2nd 1927 in Copenhagen) was an Icelandic composer, pianist and music teacher.

Life

Sveinbjörnsson grew up with seven siblings and showed early musical traits. His father, Oberlandesgericht Director Þórður Sveinbjörnsson already died, was as Sveinbjörn only nine years old. As a result, he was later trained as a priest in Reykjavík; a career as a professional musician would be in Iceland at that time practically impossible and not been lucrative. In 1867, in the middle of the pastor teaching, which he finally did in 1868 yet successfully completed to Sveinbjörnsson decided to go to Johan Svendsen's encouragement, but not to study music abroad. In Copenhagen he was a pupil of Carl Vilhelm Ravns in piano and harmony and a member of the choir music Foreningen by Niels Gade. Between 1872 and 1873 he took piano lessons from Carl Reinecke in Leipzig.

Soon it verschlug Sveinbjörnsson in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, where he in 1873 and 1919 self- taught piano, a pianist and music teacher was active. In 1874 he composed the later Icelandic national anthem Lofsöngur to the text of the poet Matthías Jochumsson occasion of the celebration of the 1,000 years of the settlement of Iceland. 1890 married Sveinbjörnsson the Scottish lady Eleanor, with whom he had two children. In his last years he and his family moved often to: 1919 in Canada, in 1922 returned to his native Iceland, and in 1924 finally to Copenhagen. 1925 and 1926, he played a few music recordings before he died in 1927.

Works

To work Sveinbjörnssons mainly include pieces of piano and chamber music; it can be found in his oeuvre but also choral works. He spent most of his life in Edinburgh, which is also reflected in his music: one can notice a clear reference to the then British salon entertainment music, only rarely is there really icelandic embossed Appeals. Elsewhere weaves Sveinbjörnsson melodies of Icelandic folklore to a piece of music together, such as in his two " Icelandic Rhapsodies ".