Oliver Caplan Siglufjörður
horn, cello, piano
Siglufjorður
Instrumentation: Horn in F, Cello, Piano
Duration: 13’00”
Year: 2023
Program Note:
Siglufjörður, Iceland’s northernmost town, is tucked in a narrow fjord, with towering mountains that dive straight into the sea. It is a land of extremes, flooded with light in the summer, plunged into darkness in winter.
True to its name, Iceland is a realm of water. The element helped shape Iceland’s dramatic landscape, defines its borders, and provides power, transportation, social gathering spots and sustenance. Siglufjörður’s economy is dependent on its storied herring industry. The town’s population swelled to over 3,000 people during the 1950’s herring boom and has, since then, declined to about 1,200 people.
In July 2021, I spent a rainy morning at Siglufjörður’s Folk Music Centre, founded by composer Gunnsteinn Ólafsson. Exploring the collection, I was particular moved by a short song called “Blástjarnan þótt skarti skær.” This hauntingly beautiful melody was collected by ethnomusicologist Benedikt Jónsson (1846-1939) in northern Iceland. Blástjarnan is the blue star Vega.
This trio is a theme and variations built on the theme of Blástjarnan. The melody is first introduced by the cello and then taken up by the horn. The piece develops from there, on a musical journey inspired by my travels in the fjords.
©2023 Oliver Caplan Music (ASCAP)
Oliver Caplan | music@olivercaplan.com | 617.894.0359 | www.olivercaplan.com