Windbells

From my perspective, the musicians were like tiny ants in one corner of the enormous stage and they could not see me at all. Despite these outlandish circumstances, we somehow managed to perform the piece. It has since become one of my most performed chamber pieces and has received several awards and recognitions. It has never been recorded in a studio up until now. So, after a recent performance with Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra, where it received very warm reviews, we decided it was time to do something about it. That snowballed into what is now this album.

Equilibrium IV: Windbells is the oldest piece on the album, which spans seventeen years of my career. Looking back at this composition now, I almost feel like I’m again in that surreal air traffic control tower in Japan. I can also see early patterns emerging in this relatively early piece. Patterns that echo throughout the album. There are the contrasts of Crumb, the meditativeness of Messiaen and the atmospheric dramaturgy of my uncle and great musical influence Hafliði Hallgrímsson. There are plenty of other influences, and I have long since given up on hiding them or being ashamed of them. On the contrary, I find it fascinating how one composer can plant a seed that germinates within another composer. It is a process as organic and natural as life itself.

Hildigunnur Einarsdóttir – Mezzo-Soprano
Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra
Asbjørn Ibsen Bruun – Conductor (Tracks 4–7)