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From Afar

Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)

From Afar

Awards:

Throughout, the playing is thoughtful and full of poetry, recorded in intimate sound. There’s an elusive quality to this multifaceted programme, for sure, but on balance it repays attentive...

BBC Music Magazine, December 20224 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 5 out of 5 stars (Recording)

More reviews

From Afar

Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)

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Awards:

Throughout, the playing is thoughtful and full of poetry, recorded in intimate sound. There’s an elusive quality to this multifaceted programme, for sure, but on balance it repays attentive...

BBC Music Magazine, December 20224 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 5 out of 5 stars (Recording)

More reviews

About

Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album From Afar. The highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations, recorded on both grand and upright pianos.

Contents and tracklist

Bach, J S: Chorale Preludes I, BWV599-644 'Orgelbüchlein'
Work length1:37
Christe, du Lamm Gottes, BWV 619 (Arr. Kurtág)
Track length1:37
Excerpt,Schumann: Studies (6) in Canonic Form, Op. 56
Work length1:56
No. 1, Nicht zu schnell
Track length1:56
Excerpt,Bach, J S: Sonata for solo violin No. 3 in C major, BWV1005
Work length4:14
I. Adagio (Arr. Víkingur Ólafsson)
Track length4:14
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 3
Work length0:59
Harmonica (Hommage á Borsody László)
Track length0:59
Bartók: 3 Hungarian Folksongs from Csik, BB 45b, Sz. 35a
Work length3:21
I. Rubato
Track length1:11
II. L’istesso tempo
Track length0:55
III. Poco vivo
Track length1:15
Excerpt,Brahms: Fantasies (7 piano pieces), Op. 116
Work length5:01
No. 4, Intermezzo (Adagio) in E Major
Track length5:01
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 5
Work length1:51
A Voice in the Distance
Track length1:51
Birgisson, S: Where Life and Death May Dwell (Icelandic Folk Song)
Work length1:53
Excerpt,Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 1 in E flat major, BWV525
Work length2:24
  • Víkingur Ólafsson (piano), Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir (piano)
  • Recorded: 2022-04-15
  • Recording Venue: Norðurljós Hall, Harpa Concert House, Reykjavík
I. (Allegro moderato) (Transcr. Kurtág)
Track length2:24
Sigvaldi Kaldalóns: Ave María (Arr. Víkingur Ólafsson)
Work length3:37
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 1
Work length1:07
Little Chorale
Track length1:07
Excerpt,Mozart: Vesperae solennes de confessore in C, K339
Work length4:56
V. Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (Arr. Víkingur Ólafsson)
Track length4:56
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 1
Work length1:04
Sleepily
Track length1:04
Excerpt,Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15
Work length2:40
No. 7, Träumerei
Track length2:40
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 7
Work length1:19
Flowers We Are
Track length1:19
Adès: The Branch
Work length1:21
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 1
Work length1:26
  • Víkingur Ólafsson (piano), Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir (piano)
  • Recorded: 2022-04-15
  • Recording Venue: Norðurljós Hall, Harpa Concert House, Reykjavík
Twittering
Track length1:26
Excerpt,Schumann: Waldszenen, Op. 82
Work length3:53
No. 7, Vogel als Prophet
Track length3:53
Excerpt,Brahms: Fantasies (7 piano pieces), Op. 116
Work length3:31
No. 5, Intermezzo (Andante con grazia ed intimissimo sentimento) in E Minor
Track length3:31
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 3
Work length3:20
Scraps of a Colinda Melody - Faintly Recollected (Hommage à Farkas Ferenc)
Track length3:20
Bach, J S: Chorale Preludes I, BWV599-644 'Orgelbüchlein'
Work length1:45
Christe, du Lamm Gottes, BWV 619 (Arr. Kurtág)
Track length1:45
Schumann: 6 Studies in Canonic Form, Op. 56
Work length1:57
No. 1, Nicht zu schnell
Track length1:57
Excerpt,Bach, J S: Sonata for solo violin No. 3 in C major, BWV1005
Work length4:01
I. Adagio (Arr. Víkingur Ólafsson)
Track length4:01
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 3
Work length0:43
Harmonica (Hommage á Borsody László)
Track length0:43
Bartók: 3 Hungarian Folksongs from the Csìk, Sz. 35a
Work length3:30
I. Rubato
Track length1:10
II. L’istesso tempo
Track length1:01
III. Poco vivo
Track length1:19
Excerpt,Brahms: Fantasies (7 piano pieces), Op. 116
Work length5:01
No. 4, Intermezzo (Adagio) in E Major
Track length5:01
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 5
Work length2:00
A Voice in the Distance
Track length2:00
Birgisson, S: Where Life and Death May Dwell (Icelandic Folk Song)
Work length1:45
Excerpt,Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 1 in E flat major, BWV525
Work length2:31
  • Víkingur Ólafsson (piano), Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir (piano)
  • Recorded: 2022-04-15
  • Recording Venue: Norðurljós Hall, Harpa Concert House, Reykjavík
I. (Allegro moderato) (Transcr. Kurtág)
Track length2:31
Sigvaldi Kaldalóns: Ave María (Arr. Víkingur Ólafsson)
Work length3:36
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 1
Work length1:34
Little Chorale
Track length1:34
Excerpt,Mozart: Vesperae solennes de confessore in C, K339
Work length4:57
V. Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (Arr. Víkingur Ólafsson)
Track length4:57
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 1
Work length1:18
Sleepily
Track length1:18
Excerpt,Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15
Work length2:41
No. 7, Träumerei
Track length2:41
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 7
Work length1:14
Flowers We Are
Track length1:14
Adès: The Branch
Work length1:19
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 1
Work length1:13
  • Víkingur Ólafsson (piano), Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir (piano)
  • Recorded: 2022-04-15
  • Recording Venue: Norðurljós Hall, Harpa Concert House, Reykjavík
Twittering
Track length1:13
Excerpt,Schumann: Waldszenen, Op. 82
Work length3:47
No. 7, Vogel als Prophet
Track length3:47
Excerpt,Brahms: Fantasies (7 piano pieces), Op. 116
Work length3:34
No. 5, Intermezzo (Andante con grazia ed intimissimo sentimento) in E Minor
Track length3:34
Kurtág: Játékok / Book 3
Work length3:27
Scraps of a Colinda Melody - Faintly Recollected (Hommage à Farkas Ferenc)
Track length3:27

Spotlight on this release

Awards and reviews

December 2022

Throughout, the playing is thoughtful and full of poetry, recorded in intimate sound. There’s an elusive quality to this multifaceted programme, for sure, but on balance it repays attentive listening.
4 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 5 out of 5 stars (Recording)

November 2022

Certainly this is an album that should be heard as a cycle and in the order of the disc, preferably in one sitting where ‘barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day’ and you yourself can ‘wander lonely as a cloud’.

15th October 2022

The sonic novelty of this double album is that the same programme is recorded twice, once on a grand piano, once on an upright: a reminder of the instruments Ólafsson played as a child. Few artists would be allowed such an experiment, but this pianist, now at the top of his game, has earned the privilege.
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