Poems Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir, Reykjavik Orkestra & Viktor Orri Árnason

• 1Rödd04:18
• 2Náttmyrkrið04:30
• 3Vera02:34
• 4Orð og draumar05:10
• 5Blikna03:20
• 6Til kvæðagyðjunnar03:10
• 7Ljóssins knörr05:10
• 8Líkaminn er þaninn fiðlustrengur04:00
• 9Jörðin bíður05:54
• 10Handan við haf07:21
• Total Runtime45:27

Info for Poems

Poems, the collaborative debut DG album from Icelandic composer, conductor and producer Viktor Orri Arnason, released worldwide on 10 November 2023. The album was conceived and co-written with soprano and visual artist Alfheidur Erla Gudmundsdóttir. Its ten exquisite tracks draw on the pair's shared cultural heritage, setting poems by Icelandic poets past and present, including lyrics by Arnason and Gudmundsdóttir themselves. Viktor adds piano accompaniment to Alfheidur's hushed, floating vocals throughout, at times playing violin and viola as well, with some tracks featuring additional strings (members of the Reykjavík Orkestra) and/or subtle electronic elements. Drawn to poetry that speaks of vulnerability and solitude, change and renewal, the beauty of the natural world, and the power of words to express our dreams and innermost selves, they were also inspired to write their own poems, each contributing one new text to the album. Arnason hopes Poems will encourage listeners to be mindful: 'Poems is in many ways about the joys and struggles in life and how being present can help you through'.

"Created by two of Iceland’s leading artists Poems is a superb album. It plays a significant role in introducing audiences to the words of some of Iceland’s most eminent poets, giving them a voice through these wonderful soundtracks. On that basis, it is an album that is built upon a foundation of words. However, an understanding of the Icelandic language is far from necessary to fall in love with this album. Guðmundsdóttir’s delivery atop Árnason’s intensely inventive music is such that you cannot fail to get an emotional grasp on the nub of these tracks." (Gordon Rutherford, louderthanwar.com)

Alfheidur Erla Gudmundsdottir, soprano
Reykjavik Orkestra
Viktor Orri Arnason, conductor

Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir
grew up in Reykjavík and studied at the Hochschule für Musik 'Hanns Eisler' Berlin. During her studies she made her debut at the Berlin State Opera in the title role of Wolfgang Mitterer's 'Snow White', followed by her Papagena debut in Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'. After taking on the role of the Angel in Olivier Messiaen's 'St. Francois d'Assise' at Theater Basel, she is an ensemble member at the house and has sung in 'Rigoletto' (Gilda), 'St. Matthew Passion', 'Carmina Burana' and Philip Glass' 'Einstein on the Beach', among others. She has interpreted leading roles in several world premieres, including 'Der Hetzer' by Bernhard Lang at Theater Dortmund, 'Persona' by Anda Kryeziu at Gare du Nord and 'Tolleranzia' by Alex Chorny at Deutsche Oper Berlin. She was awarded Singer of the Year in the Classical and Contemporary Music category at the Icelandic Music Awards 2021 and was selected to represent Iceland as one of the 16 participants in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition 2021. A passionate interpreter of song, she was a participant in the first SongStudio at Carnegie Hall in 2019 under the direction of world-renowned soprano Renée Fleming. She is a Young Artist with Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now and Britten-Pears, as well as a prizewinner of the 2019 Haydn International Competition and the 2015 Perotti International Competition. She was also a participant at the prestigious Orsay-Royaumont Academy.

Booklet for Poems