Icelandic Folksongs (Book)

“Icelandic Folksongs, arranged by Guitar Islancio” (JRBK019)

 

The book has sheet music for 22 Icelandic folksongs with chord diagrams for the guitar and piano. The poetry text under the melody indicates which part of the song is the original folksong and which part is Guitar Islancio’s addition. The users are therefore not restricted to the trio’s arrangement, which provides a source of ideas about the arrangement of the music. Also, this is not just a book of sheet music . You will also find a lot of lore about the songs in the book. It virtually covers everything known about the songs and their likely origin. In addition, all the poems are full-length. The book, therefore, gives you copious information as well as value as a keepsake.

All the text in the book is in Icelandic, English, and German.

  1. Austan kaldinn á oss blés – The East Wind Blows
  2. Á Sprengisandi – Riding over the Desert
  3. Á Sprengisandi – Riding over the Desert (S. Kaldalóns)
  4. Bí, bí og blaka – Little Bird and Light of Wing
  5. Bíum, bíum, bamba – Lullaby
  6. Dýravísur – Animal Verses
  7. Ég veit eina brúði skína – I Know of a Shining Bride
  8. Fagurt galaði fuglinn sá – Beautiful was the Rooster´s Crow
  9. Gilsbakkaþula – Gilsbakki Rhymes
  10. Góða veislu gjöra skal – A Merry Feast Shall Now Be Made
  11. Guð gaf mér eyra – God Gave Me Ears
  12. Hættu að gráta hringaná – Stop Crying Now, My Dear Girl
  13. Kindur jarma í kofunum – Sheep are Bleating in their Pens
  14. Krummi krunkar úti – Outside Cronks the Raven
  15. Krummi svaf í klettagjá – The Raven Slept in a Ravine
  16. Ólafur liljurós – Olafur Lilyrose
  17. Sofðu unga ástin mín – Sleep My Tiny Dear
  18. Stóð ég úti í tunglsljósi – As I Stood in the Moonlight
  19. Sæll Jesú sæti – All Hail Sweet Jesus
  20. Veröld fláa – Deceitful World
  21. Vísur – Rhymes
  22. Þorraþræll – Close of Winter Hardship

Listen to all the songs on Spotify 

The Book is available at the following stores

ICELAND
Tónastöðin, Skipholt 50d, Reykjavik – WEBSTORE
Lucky Records, Rauðarárstígur 10, Reykjavik – WEBSTORE
Hljóðfærahúsið, Síðumúli 20, Reykjavik
Hljóðfæraverslunin Rín, Grensásvegur 12, Reykjavik
Penninn Akureyri

SWEDEN
Notlagret, Borås – WEBSTORE
Gottfrid Johansson Musik AB, Stockholm – WEBSTORE

GERMANY
Pankebuch, Berlin – WEBSTORE
Bunt Buchhandlung, Köln – WEBSTORE
Hrímnir, Frankfurt – WEBSTORE

Order direct from jon@jrmusic.is kr. Icel. kr. 5.000,- + Shipping

Björn Thoroddsen, Gunnar Thórdarson and Jón Rafnsson founded the trio Guitar Islancio in 1998. They have devoted themselves to folksongs that people have played and sung through the centuries. Folksongs are an inseparable part of cultural heritage that the trio approaches attentively and respectfully. While performing the songs, the threesome improvises. Simple tunes take on a modern nuance that is at once Icelandic and international.

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