Björgvin Guðmundsson

Björgvin Guðmundsson (16 April 1891 – 4 January 1961) was an Icelandic composer. He was born at Rjúpnafell,

Björgvin studied at London's Royal College of Music for two years. During that time, Icelandic poet Stephan G. Stephansson sent him his work Þiðrandakviða, to which Björgvin composed one of his greatest works, the oratorio Örlagagátan (English: Riddle of Fate). Björgvin moved back to Winnipeg, where he completed his last major composition in 1929, Íslands þúsund ár (English: Iceland's Thousand Years), a cantata to Davíð Stefánsson's Alþingishátíðarljóð. At this time, Björgvin was offered teaching positions in his native Iceland, at both Akureyri Junior College and Akureyri's primary school.

In 1931, Björgvin moved back to Iceland to teach singing in Akureyri. He held his position at Akureyri Junior College until 1957, when he resigned for health reasons. In Akureyri Björgvin composed numerous songs and minor musical works. He founded a cantata choir, which performed many of his works.

Back in Iceland Björgvin started writing. He wrote articles for journals, the play Skrúðsbóndinn from an Icelandic fairy tale, and his memoirs. Many of his literary works have never been published. He died in 1961, and was buried in Akureyri. A bust of Björgvin can be found in Akureyri Junior College.

External links

• A 1961 obituary in Icelandic

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