Prelude in C major

Páll Ísólfsson (1893–1974) — Prelude in C major for organ

Icelandic composer Páll Ísólfsson (1893–1974) studied organ in Germany and Paris before returning to Iceland. In 1938 he became organist of Reykjavik Cathedral and was also appointed director of both the Reykjavik Conservatory and the Iceland Radio. Though a less distinctive and original musical voice than his contemporary Jón Leifs (the greatest Icelandic composer), Ísólfsson’s works represent an appealing late-Romantic Icelandic aesthetic that draws primarily on the influence of German romanticism. In 1991 for the 25th anniversary of Ísólfsson’s death, he was honored by the government of Iceland with a postage stamp.