Víkingur Ólafsson has become one of the most identifiable classical pianists of his generation. His artistic personality is restrained, studious, rather austere, and extremely Icelandic.

Víkingur Ólafsson © Markus Jans

Today, we’re looking at his seven most-viewed performances on YouTube, which feature repertoire from Bach to Philip Glass. All of these performances have resonated strongly with listeners.

We’re listing the performances from least popular to most, with the number one performance at the end.

7. Mozart: Laudate Dominum omnes gentes, arranged for piano

596k views

In 2022, Ólafsson released a deeply personal album on the Deutsche Grammophon label called “From Near and Far.”

In the liner notes, he writes:

“Many of the works [on this album] come from my own musical past and indeed my childhood: Bach, Mozart, Schumann and Bartók, the love for whom my parents instilled in me from a very young age, and whose music I played extensively as a child.”

He also writes:

“When we finally moved into a larger apartment and I stopped sharing a room with my two sisters, I was happy to acquire a new roommate: an old upright piano which had been in the extended family. A little worn out and not entirely in tune, it had a most tender tone, and I soon grew very fond of the warm, dreamy sound of my bedroom piano.”

Ólafsson created and recorded his own piano arrangement of Mozart’s Laudate Dominum for this album.

The official music video features a performance of that arrangement in a piano showroom on an upright piano.

It’s beautifully played, and a deeply personal performance of deeply personal repertoire.

6. Bach: Prelude & Fugue in C-minor

732k views

This excerpt from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier chugs along with the speed and precision of a well-oiled machine.

Ólafsson’s tone here is fascinating. He is clearly inspired by the staccato sound of Baroque harpsichords, but he also employs the subtlety made possible by the modern piano.

It’s a joy to hear how he voices the fugue in particular: i.e., which lines he chooses to emphasise, when, and how.

5. Glass: Étude No. 5

933k views

This moody music video showcases minimalist composer Philip Glass’s fifth etude.

It was filmed in the Harpa concert hall in Reykjavik. The repertoire (and cinematography) reflects the Icelandic aesthetic: cool, raw, and austere.

This is repertoire and piano playing that draws a listener in. Ólafsson’s performance is hypnotic.

4. Rameau: Les Boréades: The Arts and the Hours, arranged for piano

1.2 million views

Here’s another Ólafsson arrangement: his reimagining of an interlude from Rameau’s 1760 opera Les Boréades.

Director Magnús Leifsson created the music video for this track. It features footage of three passionate collectors interacting with their beloved collections.

Ólafsson described the inspiration behind the music video’s concept:

“It is about time’s passing and art – ‘Ars longa vita brevis’ – and as a counterpoint to the three verses in the music, we have three different characters appearing in their respective homes, surrounded by objects they are passionate about and which they have gathered over a long period of time. It is about listening to your heart.”

Leifsson expanded on Ólafsson’s explanation:

“As we continued to talk about this, we started to discuss people who are obsessive collectors and go through their whole life collecting specific things, archiving them and taking care of their collection at their home. It is often really fascinating how people can be in love with random things, and to see the sensitivity and delicacy that go into these collections.”

3. Kaldalóns: Ave María

1.4 million views

Sigvaldi Kaldalóns was an Icelandic composer born in 1883 who, in contrast to his contemporaries like Stravinsky or Bartók, wrote in a lush and romantic style.

This is another track from Ólafsson’s “From Near and Far” project, underlining the pianist’s Icelandic roots.

In the video, Ólafsson plays on an island outside of Reykjavik (the hometown of both composer and pianist), on an upright piano that calls to mind the beloved instrument of Ólafsson’s childhood.

The “Ave María” is a lovely lyric work, originally for voice and piano, rearranged by Ólafsson. His interpretation sounds like a soulful lullaby, featuring his trademark quiet, intensely controlled dynamics.

2. Bach: Concerto in D Minor, BWV 974: Adagio

2.5 million views

This work began life as an oboe concerto by Venetian composer Alessandro Marcello, but apparently Bach liked it so much that he transcribed it for solo keyboard. Nowadays it’s often played on the piano.

This repertoire plays into Ólafsson’s strengths as a musician, showcasing his subtlety and control, and his knack for creating a sense of intimacy with his listeners. Every note sounds suspended in time.

It’s interesting to note how low Ólafsson’s wrists are in this particular repertoire, and how much of the tone is coming from his fingers.

1. Bach: Organ Sonata No. 4: Adagio

4 million views

This is the most popular Víkingur Ólafsson video on YouTube, and it’s easy to see why.

It’s a recording of the adagio from Bach’s fourth organ sonata, transcribed for piano by August Stradal, a Czech pianist who lived from 1860 to 1930.

In modern concert life, Romantic Era rearrangements of Baroque repertoire – like this one – tend to be unfashionable. But Ólafsson is clearly passionate about it, and it works.

In this music video, people wander out from their homes in the Icelandic countryside, all independently intrigued by something. Until now, they’ve been busy living their own disconnected lives. Finally, they arrive in the room in which Ólafsson is playing, transfixed by Bach, sharing a profoundly human experience together.

It goes without saying that Ólafsson’s playing is stunning. The final minute is especially striking: virtuosic control married to sheer beauty.

Conclusion

Víkingur Ólafsson © Ari Magg

The rise of Víkingur Ólafsson is an interesting phenomenon.

He has made his reputation playing hypnotic music that requires huge amounts of control, subtlety, and imagination to pull off. He clearly gravitates towards unusual arrangements, minimalism, and arty music videos.

As a result, his online artistic identity is extremely specific, extremely recognisable, and extremely popular.

Intrigued? Read more about Víkingur Ólafsson’s career.

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