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Vikingur Olafsson

Continuum - Johann Sebastian Bach

Deutsche Grammophon
Release Date: October 18, 2024

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1 Cantata, BWV 159_Es ist vollbracht  
2 Cantata, BWV 21_Ich hatte viel Beku¨mmernis  
3 Cantata, BWV 150_Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich  
4 Das alte Jahr vergangen ist, BWV 614  
5 Cantata, BWV 12_Weinen, klagen, Sorgen, Zagen  
6 Komm, su¨ßer Tod, BWV 478  
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CONTINUUM, a new six-track EP of music by Johann Sebastian Bach from pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, is out now on Deutsche Grammophon. The release comes just days after Ólafsson’s recording of the same composer’s monumental Goldberg Variations was honoured with the prestigious OPUS KLASSIK Bestseller of the Year award. CONTINUUM presents piano arrangements of six works by Bach, four of them realised by Ólafsson himself, and all of which he recorded at Reykjavík’s Harpa concert hall in January. The EP is part one of a new series of recordings in which the pianist continues his dialogue with Bach’s music and pays tribute to his genius. “Not a day goes by without me playing Bach on the piano,” says Ólafsson. “This is the first instalment in what will be an ongoing Bach diary.”

CONTINUUM is released digitally and on vinyl today, 18 October 2024, with a deluxe version available exclusively from the DG Store. The latter features a 180g crystal-clear vinyl disc; high-quality prints of the individual black-and-white covers produced for each track’s single release over the last few months; and an LP-format signed art card.

  • Vikingur Olafsson discusses and plays from Bach's Goldberg Variations / In Studio with YourClassicalMPR
    Posted At: March 22, 2024
    On 6 October 2023, Víkingur Ólafsson released J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations via Deutsche Grammophon. The celebrated pianist is also devoting the entire next season to performing the Variations with a global tour across six continents. Ólafsson commented: “I have dreamed of recording this work for 25 years.”One of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, Víkingur Ólafsson who has been celebrated f...

  • Vikingur Olaffson takes us through Bach's 'solar system' of magic, beauty, and breathtaking mathematics / LIMELIGHT
    Posted At: March 18, 2024
    Iceland's Ólafsson performs Bach’s Goldberg Variations Sydney Symphony OrchestraLIMELIGHT's Steve Moffatt writes….There was a palpable feeling of anticipation as the audience awaited the appearance of Víkingur Ólaffson in the Opera House’s jam-packed Concert Hall, the stage set with the open Steinway grand and people chatting excitedly among themselves in various languages.I can’t recall a similar fever of ...

  • Vikingur Olafsson featured on ABC - Australia: Legends
    Posted At: February 21, 2024
    "I never think about music as classical and non-classical. I don't think about music like that. I don't like the word classical. It seems to imply that you are somehow in a museum or somehow in the past. But I think, when you play music even if it was written 300 years ago that if you approach it like yourself, it really becomes new music. So, when I play Bach I find it as contemporary as any film score or ...

  • Vikingur Olafsson delivers a titanic Goldberg Var. performance at Boston's Celebrity Series / The Classical Review
    Posted At: February 12, 2024
    The Classical Review's Jonathan Blumhofer writes….“Not every concert,” Erich Leinsdorf once quipped, “needs to be a spiritual experience.” Some, however, veer more naturally in that direction than others. Víkingur Ólafsson’s Boston recital on Saturday night was one of them.The Icelandic pianist, who was making his second appearance on the Celebrity Series and first at Jordan Hall, raised expectations early,...

  • Vikingur Olafsson's vision of the Goldberg Variations had a singular freshness at Bourgie Hall / La Scena Musicale
    Posted At: January 30, 2024
    La Scena Musicale's JUSTIN BERNARD writes…..When tackling the Goldberg Variations, it’s hard to take a path that hasn’t been trodden 100 times before. Víkingur Ólafsson’s vision of the work last Wednesday evening at Salle Bourgie, however, had a singular freshness that made the audience momentarily forget all the times they’d heard it before.The Icelandic pianist’s interpretation is a blend of elements and ...

  • Vikingur Olafsson's Bach: Goldberg Variations makes FINANCIAL TIMES: 'Best classical albums of 2023'
    Posted At: December 14, 2023
    Celebrated for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, one of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, now embraces Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson devotes his entire next season to touring the work globally across six continents, while October 2023 marks the anticipated album release on Deutsche Grammophon. “I have dreamed of recording this work for 25 years,...

  • Vikingur Olafsson glitters in Bach: Goldberg Variations / Financial Times
    Posted At: October 13, 2023
    Celebrated for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, one of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, now embraces Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson devotes his entire next season to touring the work globally across six continents, while October 2023 marks the anticipated album release on Deutsche Grammophon. “I have dreamed of recording this work for 25 years,...

  • Vikingur Olafsson's love for and study of the Bach: Goldberg Variations is apparent on new recording / Wild Mercury Rhythm
    Posted At: October 11, 2023
    Wild Mercury Rhythm's C. MICHAEL BAILEY writes…..Half the fun and adventure of reviewing a new Goldberg Variations recording is in the preparatory listening to comparison performances before the main event.  In this case, the main event is Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson’s reading of Bach’s soporific written for the insomniac Count Hermann Karl von Keyserling and performed by Johann Gottlieb Goldbe...

  • Vikingur Olafsson's 'Bach's Goldberg Variations' is rte Lyric fm: Lorcan's Pick of the Week
    Posted At: October 10, 2023
    Celebrated for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, one of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, now embraces Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson devotes his entire next season to touring the work globally across six continents, while October 2023 marks the anticipated album release on Deutsche Grammophon. “I have dreamed of recording this work for 25 years,...

  • One of the greatest musical minds today: Vikingur Olafsson, now embraces Bach's Goldberg Variations / Martin Cid Magazine
    Posted At: October 7, 2023
    Martin Cid Magazine's Diane T. Larsen writes…..Celebrated for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, one of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, now embraces Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson is devoting his entire 2023-24 season to touring the work globally across six continents, and the album is out now on Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Music Canada. “I ha...

  • Vikingur Olafsson's Royal Festival Hall concert brings magic and spontaneity to Bach / The Guardian
    Posted At: September 24, 2023
    Celebrated for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, one of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, now embraces Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson devotes his entire next season to touring the work globally across six continents, while October 2023 marks the anticipated album release on Deutsche Grammophon. “I have dreamed of recording this work for 25 years,...

  • NPR #NowPlaying... Vikingur Olafsson - Variation No. 1 from new 'Goldberg Variations'
    Posted At: September 19, 2023
    Celebrated for his visionary interpretations of J.S. Bach, Víkingur Ólafsson, one of the greatest pianists and musical minds of today, now embraces Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson devotes his entire next season to touring the work globally across six continents, while October 2023 marks the anticipated album release on Deutsche Grammophon. “I have dreamed of recording this work for 25 years,...

  • Vikingur Olafsson named 2023 'International Nordic Person of the Year' / BBC Music Magazine
    Posted At: January 31, 2023
    The Icelandic pianist calls the award his 'love letter to the UK'BBC Music Magazine's Steve Wright writes…..Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has received the 2023 International Nordic Person of the Year Award from CoScan, the Confederation of Scandinavian Societies in the UK. The award recognises Ólafsson as 'an extraordinary advocate for music across the generations', and was presented by the Ambas...

  • Vikingur Olafsson chats with Cincinnati Public Radio - Classical 90.9WGUC
    Posted At: January 16, 2023
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Released on 7 October via Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations.Recor...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - Mozart & Contemporaries makes 'New Classical Tracks: most coveted releases of 2022'
    Posted At: December 27, 2022
    After the global successes of Philip Glass · Piano Works, Johann Sebastian Bach, Debussy · Rameau and Debussy · Rameau Reflections (227.5 million career streams to date and over 320K albums sold), multi-award-winning pianist Víkingur Ólafsson now turns his attention to the music of MOZART. Ólafsson presents some of his favourite Mozart keyboard works in the company of pieces by a selection of the composer's...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - 'Schumann: Study in Canonic Form, Op. 56, No. 1' makes NPR's 'Best Music Of 2022'
    Posted At: December 15, 2022
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Released on 7 October via Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations.Recor...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - From Afar makes 'NPR's 10 Best Classical Albums of 2022'
    Posted At: December 8, 2022
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Released on 7 October on Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations.Record...

  • Vikingur Olafsson taps into Mozart's complexity and discovers a freshness and vitality / the arts fuse
    Posted At: November 30, 2022
    Classical Concert Review: Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson — A Fresh Look at Late MozartVíkingur Ólafsson’s bold keyboard presence gave us a composer pressing against the conventions of his time while absorbing everything his ears took in.the arts fuse - Aaron Keebaugh writes… He had been raised to be a star. And usually that suited him.But by the 1780s, Wolfgang Amadé Mozart had encountered significant difficulti...

  • Throughout 'From Afar,' Vikingur Olafsson's playing is thoughtful and full of poetry / BBC Music Magazine
    Posted At: November 2, 2022
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Released on 7 October on Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations.Record...

  • Cuts from Vikingur Olafsson's 'From Afar' makes NPR's favorite music of October
    Posted At: November 1, 2022
    NPR's favorite music of October from All Songs Considered & Tom Huizenga. Tom selects 'Robert Schumann's Study in Canonic Form, Op. 56, No. 1 and Béla Bartók's 3 Hungarian Folks Songs from Csík, III. 'White Lily' from Víkingur Ólafsson's 'From Afar Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life s...

  • Inspired by meeting Gyorgy Kurtag, Vikingur Olafsson maps his life in music on new album / The Guardian
    Posted At: October 15, 2022
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Released on 7 October via Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations.Recor...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - From Afar is the WFMT: Featured New Release
    Posted At: October 12, 2022
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Due for release on 7 October on Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations...

  • Vikingur Olafsson Q&A's with Texas Public Radio... 'From Afar'
    Posted At: October 5, 2022
    Pianist Vikingur Olafsson stands amidst a rocky Icelandic landscape.Texas Public Radio's Nathan Cone writes….Víkingur Ólafsson's new album, "From Afar," releases on October 7. Despite the changing nature of the way we listen to music, pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is a purist and “a romantic” when it comes to producing albums. Carefully sequenced and programmed, he describes them as “a letter to all my listener...

  • Vikingur Olafsson is taking up residence at London's Southbank Centre / CultureWhisper
    Posted At: September 19, 2022
    The thrilling Icelandic player takes up residence at Southbank Centre, and quite simply changes the way we hear musicCultureWhisper's Claudia Pritchard writes…There's a new neighbour in town. At Southbank Centre, the scintillating Icelandic pianist Vikingur Ólafsson is taking up residence, and that's very good news for the London music scene.Ólafsson became known to millions in the UK when he broadcast live...

  • Vikingur Olafsson discusses: 'From Afar' with classical radio
    Posted At: September 12, 2022
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Due for release on 7 October on Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - From Afar is the CLASSIC fM: Album of the Week
    Posted At: August 29, 2022
    Celebrated for his innovative programming and award-winning recordings, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson is offering a window into his musical life story with his new album, From Afar. Due for release on 7 October via Deutsche Grammophon, the highly personal double album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspiration...

  • Vikingur Olafsson set to release: 'From Afar' / Pianist
    Posted At: July 26, 2022
    Pianist - Ellie Palmer writes….Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson will release an album featuring new transcriptions, dedications and a world premiere this October 7 via Deutsche Grammophon. The album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations.There is plenty of variety featured on the album, with Bach, Mozart, Schumann, Br...

  • Any release by Vikingur Olafsson is a cause for celebration. 'From Afar' is his most personal disc yet / Classical Explorer
    Posted At: July 23, 2022
    Classical Explorer's Colin Clarke writes….Any release by Víkingur Oláfsson is a cause for celebration. Here on Classical Explorer, we have already covered three releases by the Icelandis pianist: Refllections, a disc of Debussy and Rameau, and a disc of Mozart and his Contemporaries. On release day, Friday October 7, it will be a pleasure to cover this one.Celebrated for his innovative programming and award...

  • Vikingur Olafsson chats about 'Mozart & Contemporaries' with All Classical Portland
    Posted At: February 23, 2022
    "I feel like, when I play Mozart, that I get to know myself as a musician. I get to know sides that I didn't before. He seems to reflect your innermost core in music."  - Víkingur ÓlafssonAfter the global successes of Philip Glass · Piano Works, Johann Sebastian Bach, Debussy · Rameau and Debussy · Rameau Reflections (227.5 million career streams to date and over 320K albums sold), multi-award-win...

  • Vikingur Olafsson wants to change how we think about Mozart / New Classical Tracks
    Posted At: January 5, 2022
    After the global successes of Philip Glass · Piano Works, Johann Sebastian Bach, Debussy · Rameau and Debussy · Rameau Reflections (227.5 million career streams to date and over 320K albums sold), multi-award-winning pianist Víkingur Ólafsson now turns his attention to the music of MOZART. Ólafsson presents some of his favourite Mozart keyboard works in the company of pieces by a selection of the compo...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - Mozart and Contemporaries makes Pianist Magazine's 'Top 10 piano album releases of 2021'
    Posted At: December 15, 2021

    Pianist Magazine' writes....2021 has treated us to a huge number of new releases from our favourite pianists. Here we've gathered our favourite 10 of the year... Included on our list is Mozart and Contemporaries – Víkingur Ólafsson.   Ólafsson presents some of his favourite Mozart keyboard works in the company of pieces by a selection of the composer's lead...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - Mozart & Contemporaries makes NPR's 'Top 10 Classical Albums of 2021'
    Posted At: December 8, 2021

    NPR's Tom Huizenga writes......The opening lines of Franz Schubert's song "An die Musik," his love letter to music from 1817, speaks of personal troubles, of being "caught in life's unruly round," and how the power of music can "lift you to a better world." Those sentiments have been hitting very close to the bone for many of us over the last year or so. Most of the albums on the list bel...

  • Vikingur Olafsson - Mozart & Contemporaries wins 'Limelight Instrumental Recording of 2021'
    Posted At: November 29, 2021

    Limelight writes.....The votes are in, the judges have spoken, and the winner is...Over the past two months, Limelight's panel of critics has been busy scrutinising the 50 outstanding recordings that made the not-­so-­shortlist for our 2021 Recording of the Year.   Mozart & Contemporaries from Víkingur Ólafsson is the shimmering follow-up to last year's award-­w...

  • Vikingur Olafsson talks about his latest 'Mozart' album with 89.5RadioIQ
    Posted At: November 26, 2021

    After the global successes of Philip Glass · Piano Works, Johann Sebastian Bach, Debussy · Rameau and Debussy · Rameau Reflections (227.5 million career streams to date and over 320K albums sold), multi-award-winning pianist Víkingur Ólafsson now turns his attention to the music of MOZART. Ólafsson presents some of his favourite Mozart keyboard works in the ...

  • Vikingur Olafsson chats with Classical Radio about 'Mozart & Contemporaries'
    Posted At: November 22, 2021

    After the global successes of Philip Glass · Piano Works, Johann Sebastian Bach, Debussy · Rameau and Debussy · Rameau Reflections (227.5 million career streams to date and over 320K albums sold), multi-award-winning pianist Víkingur Ólafsson now turns his attention to the music of MOZART. Ólafsson presents some of his favourite Mozart keyboard works in the ...

  • There's warmth and clarity on Vikingur Olafsson's 'Mozart & Contemporaries' / LIMELIGHT - Editors Choice
    Posted At: November 2, 2021

    After the global successes of Philip Glass · Piano Works, Johann Sebastian Bach, Debussy · Rameau and Debussy · Rameau Reflections (227.5 million career streams to date and over 320K albums sold), multi-award-winning pianist Víkingur Ólafsson now turns his attention to the music of MOZART. Ólafsson presents some of his favourite Mozart keyboard works in the ...
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