Lögberg-Heimskringla - 06.07.1967, Page 5

LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 6. JÚLÍ 1967
5
Photo by J. Luther.
Newsletter from Los Angeles
This picture taken at the re-
ception for Miss Iceland in Los
Angeles, California. From left
to right: Teresia Dodge, 5
years old; her sister the famed
violinist nationally known for
her excellent performance
with the Jack Benny show
Doris Dodge, 11 years old;
Miss Iceland of 1967 and con-
testant in the International
Beauty Pageant Kolbrún Ein-
arsdóttir; Ásta, 10 years old;
her sister Helga, 8 years old.
Doris and Teresia are the
daughters of Eugene and
Olivia Dodge, Ásta and Helga
are the daughters of Hreiðar
and Halla Haraldson, all live
in the Los Angeles area.
Miss Iceland was presented
with a gorgeous golden trophy
by Mrs. Olive Swanson on be-
half of the Icelandic-Ameri-
can Club. The food was just
out of his world, never before
have we seen such artistic
display of the many varieties
of delicious food; all prepared
and arranged in such a mar-
velous style by a young man
who has only been in this
country 8 months, Mr. Ragn-
ar Ragnarsson.
Iceland has won more than
her share of the Beauty Con-
test honors here in Long
Beach: winning the crown
once, winning place in the best
five 3 times, winning place in
the best fifteen 4 times, plus
other prizes such as: most
photogenic, best in playsuit
division, speech and costume
division, popularity and talent
divisions.
For much of this success we
are indebted to Mrs. Swan-
son: who has worked with,
looked after, instructed and
trained these girls in poise,
grace, charm and personality.
Now Mrs. Swanson tells us
she is gojng to retire from
being a Queen maker, but she
won’t. These contests are not
between the girls alone, it is
a contest between nations, 50
of them to be exact, and com-
petition is keen. However, in
the nine years since these con-
tests came into being, statist-
ics plainly show Iceland in
the lead with the best record
to date, in other words Iceland
is on top of the World as far
as feminine beauty and love-
liness are concerned.
* * *
Just how many have plan-
ned to go to Iceland this sum-
mer is not known, we only
know of two who are in Ice-
land now and will return at
the end of this week; they are
Mary Joan Luther, laboratory
technologist with Kern Coun-
ty, Bakersfield, California and
Lorna Crocker, student nurse
at the University of California,
San Francisco. They are stay-
ing with Marv’s cousins: Jón
Þórðarson, Laugavegi 81;
Jóna Þórðardóttir, Hrísateig
5; Þorbjörg Þórðardóttir,
Safamýri 65; all in the Capital
and Helga Þórðardóttir at
Auðsholti, Biskupstungum,
next ranch to Skálholt. They
are having a wonderful time
traveling on horseback, boat
and car all over the place,
met the Bishop and President
Ásgeir Ásgeirsson.
If you are planning a trip
abroad the one important
thing to remember is if you
look like your picture on the
passport you are too sick to
travel.
1917 West California Ave.,
Bakersfield, California,
June 21, 1967.
— John Luther.
Lýsir upp móðuna
Þegar ég þjónaði Gimli-prestakalli, sagði einn af vinum
mínum á Betel mér, að Pálmi Lárusson, dóttursonur Bólu-
Hjálmars, hefði kastað fram þessum vísuhelmingi:
„Enn er fróðum hulið hvar
horfnar þjóðir byggja;“
en Lúðvík Kristjánsson, sem var þar viðstaddur, tók við og
botnaði á þessa leið:
„Inn í móðu eilífðar
engar slóðir liggja.“
Og í tilefni af þessari fallegu vísu orti ég eftirfarandi ljóð:
Enn þó móða hylji hér
háum fróðleik manna
hvar nú þjóðin horfna er,
og hennar slóð ei sjáum vér.
Samt fær Hann, — það vitum vér, —
Vegur sanna lífsins,
leiðbeint manna hjörtum hér
heim í rann Guðs ljóss hjá sér.
Hann er Góði Hirðirinn
hér á slóðum jarðar,
eyðir móðu, anda minn
inn í fróðleik leiðir sinn.
Mikli Kristur minn, hjá þér,
mig æ lystir fræðast;
ekkert mistur eg vil hér
óttast fyrst þú ert hjá mér.
Kolbeinn Sæmundsson.
The lcelandic Singers at Expo 67
ByFRANCESGOLTMAN
Choirs from many countries
have been drawn to the World
Festival to exhibit the music
of their nation. On Friday
night, the Icelandic Singers
presented a grand program in
Theatre Maisonneuve, adding
four encores to the 24 items
on the printed list.
The 35 member all-male
chorus proved to be an expert
group, under the leadership of
Pall Pampicler Palsson. With
a minimum of effort Palsson
was able to draw the maxi-
mum of detail from the fine
singers. There were high,
medium and low voices, yet
they blended so well that no
section overpowered the
other.
The program notes stated
that the choir has had but two
leaders since it was founded
in 1926. In 1946 it gave a series
of 56 concerts in the United
States and Canada and has
toured to Scandinavian coun-
tries and several in Europe
also. Seven years ago it gave
another successful seven week
tour.
Songs by Icelandic com-
posers dominated the pro-
gram, as well as one each by
Schubert, Sibelius, Gershwin
and Lumbye.
The chorus sang with ex-
treme precision and even
though the words were not
understood, the interpretation
spoke through the title of each
number. There were drama-
tic contrasts, as in the staccato
singing of Animal Songs and
the legato Berceuse in which
Fridbj. G. Jonsson, a fine lyric
tenor with the choir for ten
years, was soloist.
Folksongs of Iceland Nos. 6
to 15 were sung without inter-
ruption. One might call them
a sequence of changing moods
and pictures that were most
effective.
Two special soloists also
participated, tenor Sigurdur
Bjornsson and Svala Nielsen.
The tenor has a powerful voice
that is \frarm. His singing of
Schubert’s, The Almighty
was majestic and pure. A
Finnish Folksong, Far Does
He Stay, was delightful. —
Bjornson also had the solo
part in two of the Folksongs
with the choir. Each song was
accorded much applause.
Miss Nielsen’s share was an
Icelandic song, The Days Pass
On and Gershwins’ Summer-
time. — Having heard this
famous number sung so much
better on many occasions, I
did not enjoy her efforts but
the audience clapped plenty.
Gudrun Kristinsdottir was
the hard working accompanist
throughout (with the excep-
tion of a few a cappella songs)
and it to too bad that the
piano was the only real flaw
of the event. In the dimensions
of Theatre Maisonneuve a
pianist for a group of thirty
five voices is not adequate, an
organ or small orchestra
should have been in attend-
ance. Miss Kristinsdottir plays
with a metallic touch and
keeping military precision
with a few inflections is just
not enough to be called a good
accompanist.
The concert ended with the
group singing Champagne-
Gallop by Lumbye, a Danish
composer of dance music who
died nearly a century ago. It
was an excellent final num-
ber. Four encores were added.
First the tenor singing an
Italian song with beautiful
bel canto and clear diction,
then Miss Nielsen in a Spiri-
tual that was much better
than her other solos, next the
soprano and tenor in a duet
and lastly the choir in a spirit-
ed Tarantella. It was a real
pleasure to hear a group with
such warmth and making no
attempt to show off in vir-
tuoso flashiness.
There was a very small
audience, but those present
certainly were delighted with
this vocal ensemble.
The Gazette, June 26.
Icelandic Singers Draw Ethnic House
By JOHN KRAGLUND
MONTREAL — For anyone
who is interested in the broad
sweep of musical culture, Ex-
po ’67 World Festival offers
an exceptíonally broad hear-
ing, not only of the interna-
tionally famous organizations
but groups from countries one
associates only vaguely with
music. Unfortunately, there
are few persons with really
catholic interests, so that such
groups are limited to audi-
ences of expatriates.
It was an audience of this
sort that the Icelandic Sing-
ers attracted to the Theatre
Maisonneuve on Saturday
night for the second of their
two performances. Naturally,
they proved enhusiastic listen-
ers; but the performers de-
served a less partisan hear-
ing.
The choir, founded in 1926
by composer Sigurdur Thord-
arson, who remained conduc-
tor until 1962, has gained an
international reputation since
its first Scandinavian tour in
1935. During its first North
American tour, in 1946, the
Icelandic Singers gave 56 con-
certs in Canada and the Uni-
ted States, and a similar suc-
Framhald á bls. 7.