The CAPUT Ensemble opens this disc with the typically Icelandic musical heritage of the rímur songs, similtaneously honouring two of the most importanta Icelandic musicains of the 20th century, Jón Leifs (1899-1968), the musical pioneer of the first par ot the century, and Atli Heimir Sveinsson (b.1... More

The CAPUT Ensemble opens this disc with the typically Icelandic musical heritage of the rímur songs, similtaneously honouring two of the most importanta Icelandic musicains of the 20th century, Jón Leifs (1899-1968), the musical pioneer of the first par ot the century, and Atli Heimir Sveinsson (b.1938), the revolutionary of the latter par of the century who imtroduced Iceland to new ideas about the composition of music. Rímnadansar op. 14 (Icelandic Dances) by Jón Leifs is here performed in the arrangement of Atli Heimir Sveinsson for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano. The arrangement dates from 1994, light, playful and sparkling with the humour that characerises so much that the composer has written. Atli Heimir Sveinsson arranged the dances for CAPUT for their concert in Wigmore Hall in London in June 1994. Elja for chamber group by Áskel Másson was compose for the CAPUT Ensemble in 1994 and premièred at the Myrkir Músíkdagar in February 1995. Myrkir Músíkdagar (Dark Music Days) is the biennal music festival held in Reykjavík by the Society of Icelandic Composers and provides an opportunity to hear a large number of new Icelandic compositions. The work is written for ten instruments: flute (and piccolo), oboe, clarinet (and bass clarinet), bassoon (and contra bassoon), horn, first and second violins, cello and double bass. It is in one movement divided into an energetic and exciting introduction (allegretto), a calm middle section (andante), and a short coda (allegretto, moderato) that brings the work to a quiet and tranquil end. The old Icelandic theme of the Elja Poem is heard in three places, in the first section, at the end of the first and beginning of the second section, and again at the end of the work. "Elja" is an old word, said of a woman, who competes with other women for a man's attention, a lover or a mistress. A newer meaning of the word denotes eagerness and struggle, and the title of the work points first and foremost to this newer meaning fo the word. For this work the conductor of the CAPUT Ensemble is Guðmundur Óli Gunnarsson. Tales from a Forlorn Fortress by Lárus H. Grímsson was composed for bassoon, viola, and cello in 1993. This short chamber music piece is divided into a slow, lyrical introduction for the cello (with the background voices of the violin and viola) and a slightly faster main section where the bassoon usually has the principal part, playing against the strings. The piece is virtually a short concerto for bassoon and strings and, in fast, the composer says he had especially in mind the very gifted bassoon player, Brjánn Ingason. In light of the name of the piece, the listener can play with the idea that the bassoon is the voice of the storyteller. String Quartet, op. 2 by Snorra Sigfús Birgisson was composed in 1991 and premièred at the CAPUT concert for Myrkir Músíkdagar in February 1995. The three sections of the quartet are played without a break. The composer says of the work: "The fi