Víkingur Ólafsson: Tiny Desk Concert

Tom Huizenga | March 28, 2024
Top-tier concert pianists commonly perform on nine-foot grand pianos. However, when they visit the Tiny Desk, it's our job to convince them to scale down to our diminutive upright. We got no argument from Víkingur Ólafsson, the 40-year-old star pianist from Iceland.
His eyes lit up when he saw our instrument. He immediately removed its upper panel, then secured the practice pedal, which drops a curtain of felt between the hammers and the strings, producing a muted, intimate sound, allowing the music to be practically whispered to us.
The pieces Ólafsson chooses are gentle, and for him nostalgic, recalling the countless hours spent at his own upright piano in his childhood bedroom.
J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations is "an encyclopedia of how you can think and dream on the keyboard," Ólafsson says, after opening with the work's featherlight Aria and vigorous first variation. His phrasing is warm and lilting, and as detailed as a Vermeer.
Ólafsson is also a gifted arranger. His rendition of an interlude from Jean-Philippe Rameau's 1763 opera Les Boréades unspools as a calm procession. Ólafsson titled it "The Arts and the Hours" because, he says, "art is long and life is short."
Filtered through Béla Bartók, Three Hungarian Folksongs from Csík have been part of Ólafsson's repertoire since childhood. The wistful melodies and tangy harmonies are irresistible. And Ólafsson closes with another personal arrangement, "Ave María," something close to Iceland's national prayer.
The pianist insisted on placing our grumpy-looking Bach bobblehead on the piano for companionship, joking that the frowning little toy "seems permanently displeased with everything I do." But judging from this performance, and his wise words, Ólafsson is doing everything just right.
SET LIST
J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations - Aria, Variation No. 1
Jean-Philipe Rameau (arr. Ólafsson): "The Arts and the Hours"
Béla Bartók: Three Hungarian Folksongs from Csík
Sigvaldi Kaldalóns (arr. Ólafsson): "Ave Maria"
MUSICIANS
Víkingur Ólafsson: piano
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Tom Huizenga
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Hannah Gluvna
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Kwesi Lee
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Estefania Mitre
Tiny Desk Team: Kara Frame, Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
#nprmusic #tinydesk #vikingurolafsson

[@vikingurolafsson]

Thank you for having me 🙏

[@timb350]

Thank you for being haved.

[@hamacaboy]

Amazing soft touch!! Love your style man

[@99Percent2one]

Good job!

[@fatandproud1]

Thank you for a lifetime of dedication leading to such virtuosity and exquisite sensibility. What a gift to our ears!

[@hakeemmatthias2619]

Beautiful job on the Goldberg variations. As someone who’s just beginning to study Bach do you have any practice tips. I recently purchased a book with his chorales and I’m starting from there but it is proving a challenge.

[@gwojcieszczuk]

I'm positively surprised. Well done NPR. More classical musicians, please.

[@jlaurson]

Yes to that.

[@bencritchley2005]

Some opera would be cool

[@vecernicek2]

Sol Gabetta!

[@abstersdictionary]

best you can get is Jonny Greenwood

[@deutschegrammophon]

So beautiful! Thank you Víkingur and thank you NPR Music for this magical concert 🥰

[@kimschube]

Thank you DG for discovering him. 😊

[@myrose0123]

❤love classic music❤️

[@BenjaminJahnke]

I respect the tradition of the "Classical Concert" experience, but I also truly wish there was more classical music played with this atmosphere. Casual, unpretentious, and insightful... draws more attention to the music rather than the "maestro" (although, it goes without saying that Olafsson truly deserves that title)

[@guyf3115]

Honestly, as a classical musician, i hope the tradition of the "Classical Concert" ends for once and for all.

[@cab3688]

Well in the time of Chopin for example, you could listen to classical music either at a big venue, or in the more intimate setting of a salon. Chopin, unlike Liszt for example, did not enjoy playing in front of big audiences. But since we now have recordings available, these less impressive concerts are no longer a thing. It's quite sad, as I'd rather listen to a decent pianist in real life than listen to a recording of the greatest musicians to ever live.

[@seheyt]

It’s never been way. Just harder to find. But musicians really love this intimacy as well.If you ask they will happily play in your living room/small venue. And there’s tons of excellent chamber music and songs. Source: musician

[@maitressedelouest]

‘Art is long and life is short’

[@The_Invisible_Man]

No art is life, there is no long or short.

[@___xyz___]

No, longcat is long.

[@rjmalcolm8066]

Actually if you think about it long is the and the short of life is within itself a long. Basically art is more or less a short and life, technique-based, long and music

[@staffanolofsson8201]

Art is long and in short glimpses we can understand it, and so our lives becomes longer, in understanding the beauty of art. We can always return to this specially moments. And so our lives becomes longer and better. So I hope.

[@jandrewscali]

Wait! What? Vikingur on Tiny Desk??? I'm there in a heartbeat. Only a magical artist could make a small tiny desk piano sound like a concert grand! And I think J.S. would feel fine in the middle of the tiny desk paraphernalia!

[@angelofasciani5031]

I love the contrast between the strength of his name, that can be roughly translated as "Viking, son of Olaf" and the pure and gentle touch he has on the keys. Very beautiful

[@Moto_Cruiser316]

He savagely desiccated that piano. 😂

[@rrogers4757]

L😊Like Like 😊listen 😊😊😊from k 91.5😊 I😊I'll km😊 lookk😊😊k😊 okkkl😊9oikk😅😅i8😅 4:48 ok9>😅😅😊😊I I😅 I've I've kl I l😊I😅😊😊

[@stephenhancock1062]

So beautiful. Listening to this on a Saturday morning, eating a late breakfast, enjoying the March sunshine, gazing out to sea (Devon, England)... thank you for the music, all you musicians - and NPR folk behind the scenes... much appreciated

[@roisin252]

Lovely description. Similar scene in Northern Ireland.

[@thomascrowell2517]

Today was a beautiful day.

[@jimbor12]

Same in Budapest:) A lovely program and Bartok was a nice surprise

[@kieranleopold9115]

Man, his articulation on the Bach - stunning.

[@bifeldman]

His quiet hand is every piano teacher’s dream.

[@myravanhoff1551]

I am a huge fan of Mr. Olafsson. His music is my go to when I want to be quiet and have his music embrace me. Love Mr. Olafsson's Bach interpretations, his personality and passion. Thank you for having him here.

[@JohnMackey]

I saw him play with SF Symphony, and as an encore, he played that Bartok, which I’d never heard before. Just beautiful.

[@kelleyforeman]

My favorite Goldberg interpreter since Gould!

[@S.Shea2432]

I'm truly in Awe. What's not to LOVE about this Breathtakingly Beautiful, so peaceful, & relaxing performance? 😍💜💜

[@elliotselmon7581]

EXACTLY!! Thinking and feeling the same way... AMAZING!!

[@S.Shea2432]

@@elliotselmon7581, We have great taste in music. 😊

[@peacefulwanderer2050]

"The Arts and the Hours" is stunningly beautiful!!! This young (at least I can call him young) artist plays with such simple passion and delicacy. Thank you Víkingur Ólafsson- thank you Tiny Desk.

[@robhickford9169]

"..simple passion and delicacy.." One phrase some sometimes tell it all.

[@ivansilver2252]

Love this!! I wish more classical performances were also filled with story telling like this. Very engaging.

[@pianoatthirty]

What an incredible musician. Totally free of pretension or the desire to show off. Just pure, genuine music making from the heart.

[@rob9447]

His homemade lockdown videos from Berlin were also on an upright. He is truly a master.

[@plasmaWisp]

What a pleasant surprise to see my favorite contemporary pianist doing a tiny desk! Ólafsson's albums and his selection of pieces for his repertoire has exposed me to so many pieces I never would have thought to seek out myself.

[@seongtaek84]

The upright piano is in impeccable condition. what a wonderful sound!

[@staffanolofsson8201]

I believe mr Bach should be very satisfied hearing Vikingur playing this way. Wonderful!

[@RheaBorja]

That performance was transcendent -- more classical music, please!

[@michelebianchi3104]

The upright piano SINGS incredibly well! It has a very muffled sound, very very suited to the context and music you chose to play. All pieces are beautiful, but the Ave Maria was breathtaking! Thank You Maestro Vikingur!

[@kimschube]

Víkingur Ólafsson is the most creative and unrivaledly talented pianist of our time. He is not just good at playing the piano, but he organically weaves the epic by putting the music together. In a way, he gives off a nuance that goes beyond a performer and is more like a composer. I'm really looking forward to his future moves.

[@elliotthayes1176]

THE most? Try ONE of the most….

[@___xyz___]

No, Kim is correct. He is indeed the most. He won. The battle is over. There aren't any more good pianists. Many pianists are good, but they can't all be best. The rules were simple. We pick an arbitrary pianist at random. Víkingur Ólafsson just happened to be picked. So now we don't have to compete any more.

[@kimschube]

​@@elliotthayes1176I'm not commenting to convince you. I just wrote how I felt, like all the other replies, but I don't know why it's so controversial. I just said he's the best because I feel he's the best. To me, the best writer is Hermann Hesse, the best philosopher is Nietzsche, the best composer is Bach. And the best pianist is Olafsson. This is irreconcilable to me. They are irreplaceable to me. What's wrong with this? I'm saying it's the best because I feel it's the best. Let's say you consider something to be the best. Then I suddenly appear and say, "No. It's just one of the best." Will you change your mind???

[@mpelayoserna]

This is by far one of the best concerts in this channel and KZbin. Thanks for sharing, and thanks to Víkingur for his art. Timeless.

[@cooldebt]

What wonderful choices - French baroque is not so much played, being somewhat overshadowed by Bach and the Bartok was so lyrical and the Icelandic Ave Maria was beautiful (with a beautiful story behind it!) - an excellent Tiny Desk Concert!

[@PostAutonomy]

Boy them ivories be gigglin! They’ve never had such a tickle!😅❤

[@alistairdunnington]

I like these words

[@PostAutonomy]

@@alistairdunnington that word salads got some zing right?! 🤣👌🏻

[@vanessanost]

the second piece is so gorgeous. It's nostalgic and brings love and loss and bittersweet.

[@aj57794]

Tiny Desk really scratches all of my musical itches-I can listen to BLK ODYSSEY, Berhana, Omar Apollo, and Olafsson all on one channel?? Amazing

[@sarasacher-jandova2490]

Such a brilliant idea to present classical music at npr tiny desk! Thank you and please do more! This could open so many new doors and minds in favour of classical music!♥️

[@quaver1239]

There used to be far more classical music on NPR. Then NPR became "woke", and then it tumbled.

[@murdo_mck]

Oh everybody has played at Tiny Desk: Marc André Hamelin, Taylor Swift, people like that.

[@Clivesharrison]

Beautifully combines clarity and artistic expression in performing the music of some of my favourite composers, and talks about it so knowledgeably but with simplicity and grace - one of the finest musicians of our time and so pleased to hear him at Tiny Desk

[@sallysson]

This is the first time I've seen a Tiny Desk solo and deservingly so.

[@chawanavaughn]

This was resplendent 🥲

[@wendywong8542]

The Arts and The Hours is what I've been playing on repeat since the day my dog was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It's through your beautiful interpretation of this piece that gives me the calm I need to get through this difficult time. You are absolutely right when you said, "the art is long and life is short" Thank you NPR for bringing this insane talent to the Tiny Desk concerts.

[@RosCharron]

A truly spiritual experience! Thank you Mr. Ólafsson for bringing us on this journey with you!

[@williamhornabrook8081]

I like how they sometimes have straight up chamber music performances on here.

[@jrock2720]

I saw Vikingur live at his first visit to Carnegie Hall, touring on his Mozart album. It was a sublime performance and his albums are a very frequent listen for me. Thank you, Tiny Desk!

[@hurricane_hazel]

What a wonderful tiny desk concert. He also seems like a completely decent and lovely human being. How refreshing.

[@quaver1239]

He IS (does not just "seem like") a completely decent and lovely human being. Would be so good to have more people like him on NPR's Tiny Desk concerts.

[@hurricane_hazel]

@@quaver1239 OK, well I don't KNOW him personally so I said "seems like," but if you know him well enough to confirm then yeah...great.

[@RonjaMaltzahn]

That was beautiful. Thank you so much for this performance Víkingur, and especially your wordly introductions , opening the gates to the music, I really enjoyed it!

[@classicsbycandace]

Beautiful ❤

[@kayelyward8714]

Thank you! So beautiful!

[@AficionadoKO]

Calm and beautiful.

[@themusicroombyharris]

Very wonderful performance, thank you!

[@timjohns2751]

This made my day thank you

[@triagain2002]

my humble opinion is Bach would applaud the way you are digging in and bringing out so many levels and knitting them together like a lace - with steel deliberation 👏❤

[@TheRealDannAlexander]

Brilliant.

[@luano.l.desouza7400]

Gratitude for this!

[@jonjlangley]

Finally! Been waiting for this to land. Well worth the wait 😊

[@danielartist123]

Just wonderful!

[@timlynch5710]

Just saw him in Toronto. Mend bending, soul stirring, life changing.

[@rawrj]

Beautiful.

[@sheilabrown201]

Absolutely beautiful! I started my day with listening to this concert

[@dwandascott3947]

This music touches my soul and brought me to tears OMG. Genius… pure joy and beauty THANK YOU NPR

[@poppydaniel]

Incredibly lovely, Thank You!!!❤❤❤

[@LOperations]

This is wonderful

[@larshultberg6972]

Så fantastiskt vackert. Tack Vkingur.

[@staffanolofsson8201]

Jag håller fullständigt med!

[@stephanielivingston-thornt6629]

Absolutely beautiful!!

[@samcroft7084]

lovely start to the day!

[@sophiec3592]

I love this so much!

[@jcrouse7461]

Big fan of Mr. Ólafsson, tysm for having him on!

[@1219FAS]

Such talent and joy of beautiful music at its finest on display here.

[@MrDlenrek]

Very pleasing to listen to. Thanks

[@meggibson3791]

What a gift! Thank you very much ♥️♥️♥️

[@alro11]

WOW this guy is awesome! more of this plz 🎉

[@johnmcguire3999]

Vikingur’s since of timing and his freedom in these pieces is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for having him on!

[@zakariyakhan8710]

beautiful touch

[@FredjeGallon]

This time, you amazed me, and at the same time, you gals/guys did it wrong. I'm sorry, but the artist's breathtaking moments are also captured. Never the less, please keep this channel alive - I'm a big BIG fan!

[@franmoreiracascante932]

Beautiful and touching! Thank you!

[@tealgrey]

Feel like seeing and hearing his playing in my room. Happy.

[@slady7072]

A beautiful way to start my morning❤❤❤❤

[@salvorjonsdottir1556]

Thank you NPR! Hjartans þakkir Víkingur!

[@coreyhathaway2202]

I so needed this today! Thank you Vikingur and NPR tiny desk concerts!

[@pmacm1]

very beautiful and contemplative

[@sandytang1915]

Thank you very much 🥰

[@StringsCrusader]

Every single video I'm amazed at how fantastic these sound. Your Sound Engineer is a BEAST!!!

[@VNoche]

This was a magical experience. What a brilliant performance.

[@bengiozboyaci9891]

Beautiful. Felt every note inside my chest ❤️🙏🏻 💜

[@blingmeblingme101]

This is a special treat❤

[@lixi4579]

Wonderful performance and stories behind the music. Thank you!

[@ElisPalmer]

Priceless 🌟🩵🌟

[@edhornby4885]

I love the heavy rubato, when it's done well it's sumptuous. And the contrasting tempo control in the Goldberg is brilliant. Great performance

[@michellemonet4358]

What is heavy rubato?

[@gloriaballard]

Breathtaking!!! 🫶🏼

[@GraesMGIK]

Beautiful! Listening to this on a sunny Easter Sunday. Thank you NPR.

[@user-yn6zo4wp5b]

Thank you, I love this man and his music. 🎵 Thank you.

[@asvegas777]

I’ve been listening to his music all weekend and came across this - thanks algorithms i guess in this case! Thank you!!🦋♥️🌹

[@ishitashah5085]

What a moving and inspiring find of the day! Thank you

[@ThroughtheMines]

I'm not sure if it's the piano or the sound engineer, but I rarely hear an upright sound this clean and pure. So pretty!

[@andreapaul9869]

Maybe it’s the pianist :)

[@IcePeak99]

Mainly the piano technician and the pianist...

[@seheyt]

and some clever use of half damper register for the lower octaves, it appears. And yes the pedal control and registration are out of this world.

[@takaotsu3592]

Vikingur is an awesome name. Well played!

[@sighheinrich]

He is Icelandic but when I read the name in Danish, it looks like "Viking ur" which translates to Wiking Clock" in English :D

[@stevegrant7762]

Thank you for bringing the Rameau to my screen. It was simply gorgeous.

[@ninarobertson3901]

I will always be so grateful for NPR featuring artists I love and some I haven’t heard of! Another artist to add to my playlist ❤

[@SmallBlogV8]

You sometimes squeeze some huge bands (physically and pop-culturally) behind this desk, and yet one man with a piano can have just as much of an impact without even giving it full noise. It's an incredible instrument with a master like him at its helm.

[@Angelo2265]

Gracias por esto.

[@patriciawhytefengshui]

Víkingur Ólafsson, thank you for sharing your love & gifts with us. Very beautiful…wish you could tour South. Love also the versatility of Tiny Desk…Amazing 🙏💗🌟💎

[@PatrickDieterKlavier]

FANTASTIC!👏

[@Sentinelmouthguards]

Beautiful. Thank you for making my morning rich with emotion.

[@nicolasrondon213]

Happy Birthday Bach♥ And thank you for the rendition, Vikingur.

[@cathleensibley1679]

Loved every note! Loved your arrangement of Ava Maria! Brava!👏🏻👏🏻

[@united4music]

amazing sound

[@desireapple2630]

I admire his mastery of tone colors and dynamic shaping, as well as his natural and fluid performance. It's impressive.

[@GregNicoghosian]

Thank you for bringing Rameau to the present….such beautiful music an so beautifully performed ❤