Víkingur Ólafsson

Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as an artist who "creates unique aural landscapes," Icelandic pianist V¡kingur Olafsson continues his acclaimed recording partnership with Deutsche Grammophon with the release of Debussy ú Rameau.

Between tradition and modernity - Víkingur Ólafsson's repertoire is extremely extensive and spans several centuries. In his previous recordings, contemporary composers such as Philip Glass play just as important a role as the early music by Bach, or the impressionistic sounds of Debussy.

Between tradition and modernity - Víkingur Ólafsson's repertoire is extremely extensive and spans several centuries. In his previous recordings, contemporary composers such as Philip Glass play just as important a role as the early music by Bach, or the impressionistic sounds of Debussy.

Víkingur Ólafsson has just completed his world tour with Bach's Goldberg Variations and is already releasing six new interpretations of the composer's music, four of which he arranged himself. He recorded the piano arrangements of Bach's sacred music in Reykjavík's Harpa concert hall in January.

"From Afar" is a new album full of beautiful arrangements recorded on two pianos with the repertoire mirrored on both grand piano and upright piano.

For his new Deutsche Grammophon album, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson explores the wellspring of Johann Sebastian Bach’s keyboard music, delivering experimental, innovative and timeless performances: Víkingur Ólafsson is a musical free spirit with a mission. He first made the classical world sit up and listen in early 2017 with his recording of solo piano works by Philip Glass – a fascinating journey through the time and space of their minimalist structures. Glass is now followed by Bach. Set for release in September, Ólafsson’s second Deutsche Grammophon album, the pithily entitled Bach, contains a mixture of original works and transcriptions, which the pianist has woven together in intriguing style.

Following the release of Reflections Pt 1, which focused on the music of the two revolutionary French composers, Debussy and Rameau, pianist Víkingur Ólafsson prepares for the second instalment in the series with the release of this single.

Víkingur Ólafsson’s new project “Reflections” is now available for pre-order. This project will showcase contemporary reworks of the music of the two revolutionary French composers, Debussy and Rameau, that Ólafsson released earlier this year.

This is a tribute to the master of minimal music, legendary Philip Glass, who turns 80 on 31.01.2017. A year ago Philip Glass handpicked some pianists to perform all of his Etudes together at the Barbican in London. Víkingur Ólafsson was one of them and according to the press he was “the highlight of the evening” (Sean and Heard International). The Financial Times claimed: “Best of all was Ólafsson in the supersensitive stillness of Etude 5”.

Víkingur Ólafsson’s latest album, From Afar, was met with widespread acclaim, praised for its evocative and contemplative beauty. Recorded on both upright and grand pianos, From Afar reflects on the pianist’s childhood memories in Iceland and features works by Bach, Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Bartók, Thomas Adès and György Kurtág, alongside Icelandic and Hungarian folk songs.