Reflections by Iceland Symph. Orch. Hwd. W/Ws, Cheng, Carlson, Langholt Choir

Egilsson's orchestral work Reflections summons the darkness of winter, using icy textures and isolated instrumental solos to paint a desolate atmosphere tinted with hope and yearning. The bellowing horn melodies in Blær evoke ancient hunting calls over the spirited backdrop of woodwinds. The piano solo Just A Thought lightly drifts about, repeatedly landing and taking flight. Again tapping into the Nordic psyche, Egilsson's mystical treatment of sound culminates with the vocal works Erinnerungen and Dies Irae. RN

Thanks for a superb CD.

Sheril Berkovitch

Nice One !!

Oli Massive

It's about time an album has been devoted to the works of Arne Egillson! It is very well-produced, and the performances are also well-done.

Stan H Wright

A great album of reflection that picks you up and embraces you in its depth.

Jeff Mifsud

THE ICELAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Founded in 1950, the ISO is probably the youngest national orchestra in Europe.

The ISO has toured extensively in Europe and the USA and over the years many renowned guest artists have enriched the orchestra's performances, including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yehudi Menuhin, Wilhelm Kempff, Claudio Arrau, André Previn, Daniel Barenboim, Luciano Pavarotti, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Emil Gilels and Mstislav Rostropovich to name a few.

The ISO has earned an international recognition for its many recordings on the Chandos, BIS and Naxos labels.

HANNU KOIVULA

studied conducting with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy in Finland and graduated cum laude in 1987. He received first prize in a conducting competition in Stockholm, Sweden in 1990 and has conducted most of the top symphony orchestras in Scandinavia.

THE HOLLYWOODS' STUDIOS WOODWIND QUINTET

consists of the very top studio musicians in Hollywood:

Louise Ditullio, flute, John Ellis, oboe, Emily Bernstein, clarinet, Michael O'Donovan, bassoon, James Thatcher, French horn.

They have enriched many thousands of film and television scores and all are famous soloists in their own right.

GLORIA CHENG

has appeared as a soloist and chamber artist at major festivals worldwide.

As a frequent guest artist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and its New Music Group, Ms Cheng has collaborated closely with John Adams, Pierre Boulez, Elliott Carter, Gyorgy Ligeti, Witold Lutoslawski, Esa-Pekka Salonen and many others.

Ms Cheng's solo recordings include music by Olivier Messiaen on Koch, and works of John Adams and Terry Riley on Telarc.

CLAUDINE CARLSON

has been hailed by international critics for her vocal elegance and complete musicianship,as well as the extraordinary scope of her repertoire, in her many performances with such eminent conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Daniel Barenboim, Antal Dorati, Charles Dutoit, Carlo Maria Giulini, Rafael Kubelik, Kurt Masur, Georg Solti and many others.

THE CHOIR OF LANGHOLT CHURCH

has existed in its present form since 1973. They have performed all major works by Bach as well as other major works such as Rossini's "Petite Messe Solenelle", Brahms' "Ein Deutsches Requiem", Händel's "Messiah", Beethoven's "Messe Solenelle", "The Creation" and Masses by Haydn as well as "Requiem" and Masses by Mozart. The choir regularly performs new Icelandic works and has toured extensively and concertized in all the Scandinavian countries, middle and southern Europe, Israel, Canada, The United States and England. The choir has recorded a large number of albums and CDs, some of which are released on the Swedish BIS label. "Dies Irae" is the first large work Árni Egilsson has composed for the choir.

JÓN STEFÁNSSON

received his cantor's degree as a solo organist in Iceland where he studied with Dr. Robert Abraham Ottoson and Dr. Páll Ísólfsson.

He then went to Germany to study with Prof. Karl Richter at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Munich and later to Vienna, Austria where he studied with Prof. Michael Radulesco at the Künstlerische Hochschule für Musik. Stefánsson has been the organist and choir director at the Langholt Church since 1964 and under his guidance the choir has grown and blossomed. Stefánsson has appeared many times as guest conductor with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra as well as the Iceland Opera and Ballet Company.

ÁRNI EGILSSON has earned an international reputation as a Double Bass soloist, having performed in his native Iceland, and throughout Europe and the United States. He was brought to the United States by the late Sir John Barbirolli to play with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. While there, he established an enduring relationship with André Previn. A versatile instrumentalist, equally comfortable in jazz and classical venues, he has recorded a classical solo album with Vladimir Askenazy and a jazz album with Ray Brown. Egilsson is highly regarded as a leading session player in the orchestras of the Los Angeles recording studios serving as Principal Bassplayers for most of Hollywood's top composers. He has been a Professor of Double Bass at California State University, Northridge. In recent years he has become well known as a composer of works for Double Bass, Chamber Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra as well as Solo Voice and Choral works.

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