The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1946, Page 18

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Winter 194G
16
men. He is completely self-effacing,
while his authority is sure. . . .”
Like their gifted leader, many of
whose compositions were sung by the
choir, the 36 members are all engaged in
some business or other to earn their
living. But music is their love rather
than a hobby or a sideline.
Two outstanding soloists accompany
the choir and did impressive solo
sequences in many of the works pres-
ented, as well as a number of solo
numbers. Stefan (GuSmundsson) Island:
possesses an exceptional tenor voice
which he uses with great artistry and
technical skill. GuSmundur Jonsson’s
baritone is rich in quality and fluent
in expression and modulation. A special
word of praise must go to the pianist,
Fritz Weissappel, who accompanied
With such a sensitive, yet unobtrusive
skill.
In Winnipeg, the only city in Canada
visited by the singers, they were accord-
ed the warmest reception and whole-
hearted admiration, as elsewhere. But
they were given something more! It was
here, as also in Icelandic communities
that they visited in the States, that they
experienced that deep and abiding
warmth of feeling which lives in the
hearts of Canadians and Americans of
Icelandic descent, for their kinsmen
beyond the Atlantic.
Winnipeg was the only city where the
choir gave two performances, both be-
ing sponsored by the Celebrity Concert
series. At the second concert, November
19th., Icelanders from far and wide
came to hear it and almost filled the
vast Auditorium. They came in cars, and
in specially chartered buses and rail-
way coaches, from Saskatchewan, Ont-
ario, and outlying districts in Manitoba
It was unthinkable to miss this unique
event.
The citizens did what they could in
the short space of the Singers’ visit, to
make them welcome. The city of Winni-
peg, through the person of Mayor-
Garnet Coulter and his council, accord-
ed them the signal honor of tendering
them a luncheon-reception at the Fort
Garry Hotel, November 18th., and in-
viting about 200 of the Icelandic citiz-
ens to attend. A reception was held in
the afternoon of the same day, at the
First Lutheran church, where the public
was given an opportunity to meet the
singers.
Following the concert Tuesday even-
ing, a banquet was held at “The Flame”
under the auspices of the Icelandic
National League and the Winnipeg Ice-
landic Male Voice choir, and attended
by 400 people. On behalf of the League,
the president Rev. V. J. Eylands present
ed the choir with an illuminated add
ress. Gubmundur Stefansson brought
greetings from the Winnipeg choir, and
on its behalf presented the singers with
an original poem on a decorated scroll.
Each member of the Karlakor Reykja-
vikur was presented with a bound copy
of the book, Iceland’s Thousand Years,
from the Icelandic Canadian Club and
the League. G. L. Johannson, Icelandic
consul in Winnipeg, spoke briefly.
Reports have come from some other
communities where the choir visited. At
Gardar, N. D., the choir was entertained
at a banquet attended by 150 people; at
Grand Forks, Dr. and Mrs. R. Beck were
hosts to the singers at a dinner; Dr. Arni
Helgason entertained them at luncheon,
at the Norse club, Chicago. On this oc-
casion he invited a large number of
Icelandic citizens to meet the singers.
Wherever the Karlakor sang, all over
America, there have no doubt been
among the listeners, some descendants
of the Icelandic pioneers in this country,
and they have felt once more an upsurge
of that feeling of kinship with their own
stock, their ancestry and the country of
their origin. And they have been pro-
foundly touched and thrilled listening
to the exquisite “voice” from the “old
country”. It is an experience they will
not soon forget. H. D.