James Zehm <[log in to unmask]> asked about Jon Leifs's
"Hekla":

>Is it in the same style as his intriguing "Geysir"?

Yes, but much wilder, more savage.  At a certain point you get the aural
equivalent of lava and stone flying all around!  Leifs met sheer contempt
not only in Germany (he was accused of complacency towards nazis during
WWII, but actually his music was very remote from nazi standards and was
practically forbidden until he fled with his family to Sweden), but also in
Finland and other Nordic countries.  For myself I find his music more than
just utterly original or weird, it sometimes achieves a high degree of
sophistication, orchestral splendour, and even elevation.  You can also
experience emotion of a rare kind -- but probably not in Hekla!

To come back to the farcical thread, if "Hekla" drives actors mad, maybe
you could try excerpts from the string quartets (CD Bis).  They are quite
different, not meant to be farcical, but could probably be used in such a
contemporary theatrical context.

Best regards,

Thanh-Tam Le
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