Björgvin Guðmundsson
Encyclopedia
Björgvin Guðmundsson was an Iceland
ic composer. He was born at Rjúpnafell, Vopnafjörður
, Iceland
, where he grew up. In Vopnafjörður he showed inclination for music, and in his twenties Björgvin moved with his family to the Icelandic colonies in Canada
, where he stayed until 1926. In 1923 Björgvin married Hólmfríður Frímann, a Canadian-born woman of Icelandic descent. During this period Björgvin composed the oratorios
Strengleikar
(English: Stringed Instruments) and Friður á jörðu (English: Peace on Earth), in addition to the cantata
Adveniat regnum tuum. The cantata was performed in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
in the fall of 1925, after which the Icelandic Canadian
population organized to support Björgvin to study musicology
in London.
Björgvin studied at London's Royal College of Music
for two years. During that time, Icelandic
poet Stephan G. Stephansson
sent him his work Þiðrandakviða, to which Björgvin composed one of his greatest works, the oratorio Örlagagátan (English: Riddle of Fate). Björgvin moved back to Winnipeg, where he completed his last major composition in 1929, Íslands þúsund ár (English: Iceland's Thousand Years), a cantata to Davíð Stefánsson
's Alþingishátíðarljóð. At this time, Björgvin was offered teaching positions in his native Iceland, at both Akureyri Junior College
and Akureyri
's primary school.
In 1931, Björgvin moved back to Iceland to teach singing in Akureyri. He held his position at Akureyri Junior College until 1957, when he resigned for health reasons. In Akureyri Björgvin composed numerous songs and minor musical works. He founded a cantata choir, which performed many of his works.
Back in Iceland Björgvin started writing. He wrote articles for journals, the play Skrúðsbóndinn from an Icelandic fairy tale
, and his memoirs. Many of his literary works have never been published. He died in 1961, and was buried in Akureyri. A bust of Björgvin can be found in Akureyri Junior College.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic composer. He was born at Rjúpnafell, Vopnafjörður
Vopnafjörður
Vopnafjörður is a village and municipality in Northeast Iceland, standing on a peninsula in the middle of a mountainous bay by the same name. The main industries of Vopnafjordur are fish processing, agriculture, and tourism and other services....
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, where he grew up. In Vopnafjörður he showed inclination for music, and in his twenties Björgvin moved with his family to the Icelandic colonies in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where he stayed until 1926. In 1923 Björgvin married Hólmfríður Frímann, a Canadian-born woman of Icelandic descent. During this period Björgvin composed the oratorios
Oratórios
Oratórios is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais. The city belongs to the mesoregion of Zona da Mata and to the microregion of Ponte Nova.-See also:* List of municipalities in Minas Gerais...
Strengleikar
Strengleikar
Strengleikar is a collection of twenty-one Old Norse prose tales based on the Old French Lais of Marie de France. It is one of the literary works commissioned by King Haakon IV of Norway for the Norwegian court. The collection is anonymous...
(English: Stringed Instruments) and Friður á jörðu (English: Peace on Earth), in addition to the cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
Adveniat regnum tuum. The cantata was performed in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
in the fall of 1925, after which the Icelandic Canadian
Icelandic Canadian
Canada has the largest ethnic Icelandic population outside Iceland, with about 88,875 people of Icelandic descent as of the Canada 2006 Census. Many Icelandic Canadians are descendants of people who fled an eruption of the Icelandic volcano Askja in 1875....
population organized to support Björgvin to study musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
in London.
Björgvin studied at London's Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
for two years. During that time, Icelandic
Icelanders
Icelanders are a Scandinavian ethnic group and a nation, native to Iceland.On 17 June 1944, when an Icelandic republic was founded the Icelanders became independent from the Danish monarchy. The language spoken is Icelandic, a North Germanic language, and Lutheranism is the predominant religion...
poet Stephan G. Stephansson
Stephan G. Stephansson
Stephan G. Stephansson was a Western Icelander, poet, and farmer. His original name was Stefán Guðmundur Guðmundsson....
sent him his work Þiðrandakviða, to which Björgvin composed one of his greatest works, the oratorio Örlagagátan (English: Riddle of Fate). Björgvin moved back to Winnipeg, where he completed his last major composition in 1929, Íslands þúsund ár (English: Iceland's Thousand Years), a cantata to Davíð Stefánsson
Davíð Stefánsson
Davíð Stefánsson from Fagriskógur was a famous Icelandic poet and novelist, best known as a poet of humanity....
's Alþingishátíðarljóð. At this time, Björgvin was offered teaching positions in his native Iceland, at both Akureyri Junior College
Akureyri Junior College
Akureyri Junior College is an Icelandic gymnasium . It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Iceland.It is located in Akureyri, "the Capital of the North", and traces its origin back to the school in Möðruvellir in the valley of Hörgárdalur, which was founded in 1880...
and Akureyri
Akureyri
Akureyri is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality ....
's primary school.
In 1931, Björgvin moved back to Iceland to teach singing in Akureyri. He held his position at Akureyri Junior College until 1957, when he resigned for health reasons. In Akureyri Björgvin composed numerous songs and minor musical works. He founded a cantata choir, which performed many of his works.
Back in Iceland Björgvin started writing. He wrote articles for journals, the play Skrúðsbóndinn from an Icelandic fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
, and his memoirs. Many of his literary works have never been published. He died in 1961, and was buried in Akureyri. A bust of Björgvin can be found in Akureyri Junior College.