Lebensfries by Icelandic composer Hafliði Hallgrímsson is set for release, performed by the acclaimed Norwegian ensemble Ssens Trio. Written as a string trio for violin, viola and cello, Lebensfries stands as one of Hallgrímsson’s most intimate and reflective chamber works, and is dedicated to Ssens Trio, for whom the piece was commissioned.

Composed in 2020, Lebensfries is subtitled Homage to Lars Hertervig, referring to the Norwegian Romantic painter whose life and art are marked by lyricism, fragility and inner intensity. Hallgrímsson translates this painterly inspiration into a musical landscape of long, unfolding lines and concentrated expressive detail, inviting the listener into a meditative space where time feels suspended and memory takes on a central role.

Hafliði Hallgrímsson, born in 1941 in Akureyri, Iceland, is internationally recognised for a body of work that combines Nordic clarity with a deeply personal, lyrical voice. A former principal cellist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, he has devoted himself fully to composition since the early 1980s, creating music that spans orchestral, vocal and chamber genres. His works have been performed and recorded widely, and he has held prestigious