Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

October 11, 1928

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Vocal

 

Jón Asgeirsson was a prominent Icelandic composer of classical music. He was born on October 3, 1928, in Reykjavik, Iceland. Asgeirsson was the son of a music teacher, and he grew up in a musical family. His father, Asgeir Jónsson, was a well-known composer and conductor in Iceland, and his mother, Sigridur Jónsdóttir, was a pianist. Asgeirsson began his musical education at a young age, studying piano and composition with his father. He later studied at the Reykjavik College of Music and the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. Asgeirsson also studied with the renowned composer and conductor Igor Stravinsky in Los Angeles. Asgeirsson's early works were influenced by the Icelandic folk music tradition, and he often incorporated elements of Icelandic folk music into his compositions. His early works include the orchestral piece "Fjallkonan" (The Lady of the Mountain) and the choral work "Hin fyrstu jól" (The First Christmas). In the 1950s, Asgeirsson began to experiment with serialism, a compositional technique that uses a series of pitches to create a musical structure. His works from this period include the piano piece "Sonata No. 1" and the orchestral work "Sinfonia No. 1." Asgeirsson's music continued to evolve throughout his career, and he became known for his use of unconventional techniques and sounds. His works from the 1960s and 1970s include the choral work "Hringur" (Ring) and the orchestral piece "Sinfonia No. 3." Asgeirsson was also a prolific composer of film music, and he wrote scores for several Icelandic films, including "Hrafninn flýgur" (When the Raven Flies) and "Ástin án þess að elska" (Love Without Loving). Asgeirsson's music has been performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world, and he received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to Icelandic music. In 1988, he was awarded the Order of the Falcon, one of Iceland's highest honors. Asgeirsson died on December 8, 2011, at the age of 83. His legacy as one of Iceland's most important composers continues to be celebrated today, and his music remains an important part of the Icelandic classical music tradition.

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