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voiceovers, narration, website audio, emailable samplers, audio/visuals RPH Australia go to ... 'Ravensongs/Hrafnsongvar' go to ... This program has been acquired by the MBS Fine Music Network and the Australian Music Centre Permanent Archive.
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hrafnsongvar - ravensongs (return to top) Rosalind Page's first visit to Iceland inspired her to compose the tone poem Ravensongs (Hrafnsongvar) based on the beautiful, mystical poetry of Hrafn Andrès Harðason. The work received its World Première at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music on October 29th 2005, performed by Halcyon and sung by the company's Artistic Director, soprano Alison Morgan. In collaboration with Halcyon, Rosalind Page has released a CD, Cool Black, of her three major works Hrafnsongvar, Apollinairesongs and Sonetos del Amor Oscuro. The disc's artwork features the Icelandic landscape photography of Maria Guðmundsdóttir and is available in music stores (MCD396) and through Move Records. At the generous price of $A26.00 (plus p&h), perhaps the fastest way to get it is by emailing Halcyon direct. The two cello intermezzi in Hrafnsöngvar are dedicated by Rosalind to Hrafn's grandfather, Þorhallur Arnason, Iceland's first cellist. The program includes readings from the original texts in English and Icelandic, and a Sigur Rós piece, Starálfur, from the 2000 compact disc Ágætis byrjun.
listen on putfile.com Hrafnsongvar - Ravensongs (58 mins, 2 parts)
Acknowledgements: For their kind assistance and their agreement to this production, I wish to sincerely thank Rosalind Page, Hrafn Andrès Harðason, Alison Morgan & Jenny Duck-Chong, Patrick Mullins and all the splendid performers of Halcyon who are individually credited at the conclusion of the program. I particularly appreciate the interview time given by Rosalind and Hrafn, and the subsequent hospitality offered by Hrafn. Halcyon kindly provided admission to the premiere performance, through Simmi Valgeirsson of the Iceland Australia Association. A Variation on the Theme of the word Word new poetry from hrafn andrès harðason 1 Now, at this time I am using all-enhancing words. Words that count. Important ones and immortal. Like for ever. Like fever. Like elves. Why? You are the one with all the answers. I only have words, that count. 2 Before, I was used to choosing only quiet words, modest ones. Words that could not hurt. Pleads. Words of praise. Words in lace. Words in place of deeds. 3 I am a word. Am a word without man. I am a without man of words that fly. I am a man of my word. Am I. 4 Therefore I can use huge words, immense words. Words of promise. Words of hope. Immoral ones. 5 I am the word man. I am the word, man. I am the word. In the beginning. Was the word? Now is the end. 6 With my hammer, I crush, I cause harm with my hammering words. They are like Scuds of the American Bushmen. Iniraque – sounding like inuit lang uage US age of worlds. 7 And the word was with God. And the word was with Allah And the word was was with all. Ah!
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Myndir 2007 copyright: hrafn andres hardason 2007
RPH Australia (return to top) I've recently renewed, with great pleasure, a broadcasting association with RPH Australia, which provides a newspaper and book reading service throughout the country for visually impaired people. My first contribution, to be aired soon, will be Peter Ackroyd's superb short biography of the great English landscape painter, JMW Turner (Vintage Books, 2006). Turner is my favourite artist and the 1996 exhibition at The National Gallery was the occasion of two visits to Canberra.
Snowstorm - Steamboat off a Harbour's Mouth, Making Signals in Shallow Water and Going by the Lead oil on canvas Tate Gallery
RPH Australia broadcasts in Sydney on 1224 khz am and features regular BBC global news bulletins. Other frequencies are listed at the rph website.
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Hrafn (pictured) and his wife, Anna, travelled from Iceland for the first performance. A few days later, I shared a very enjoyable conversation with Rosalind and Hrafn; and when recording engineer, Patrick Mullins, kindly made available his fine concert recording it seemed natural to bring music and conversationtogether.
Hrafn has sent me this photograph, soon to grace the cover of his new book of poems. 
In 1842, Turner claimed to have lashed himself to the mast of the steamboat Ariel, so as to fully capture nature's full fury in this, one of his best-known paintings.