operation with the radio, and not least to rouse public opinion in favour of an Icelandic symphony orchestra. As Jon Leifs put it: “Music without an orchestra is like poetry without a printer.” The exhibition took place in January and February, 1947. The guidebook, with a picture of the ancient folk music instrument, the “langspil” (bowed lyre), on its cover, was prefaced with an introductory prologue about “the composer in Iceland” that roughly translated begins: The Icelandic composer is now working under more or less the same conditions as the poets of the thirteenth century. They wrote down their works on vellum, without any profit. There is, however, one important difference. Their manu- scripts passed from hand to hand, were copied and recited so that the whole population knew of their existence. Some of them are still in existence today. The Icelandic composer writes his works on perishable material. Few can read it, and still fewer - or noone at all - are capable of performing it in this country. There is scarcely anybody who can copy it. The poets of the early years were afforded a livelihood by the large farms and monasteries. For a composer today, the only hope of making a living is by writing popular songs that have nothing to do with artistic development. The purpose of this music exhibition is to allow people to look at compositions that cannot be heard. Icelandic and foreign music are displayed side by side . . (J6n Leifs: Guidebook for the Music Exhibition, 1947). A picture of a symphony orchestra of Beethoven proportions was to be seen at the exhibition and Jon Leifs gave a detailed commentary on it in the guide. He told of its structure, how it was built up and what a conductor did: Icelanders have been skillful horsemen for many centuries. We know that dexterity and experience are needed to tame horses. An

(1) Front Board
(2) Front Board
(3) Front Flyleaf
(4) Front Flyleaf
(5) Front Cover
(6) Front Cover
(7) Page [1]
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(9) Page I
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(191) Back Cover
(192) Back Cover
(193) Rear Flyleaf
(194) Rear Flyleaf
(195) Rear Board
(196) Rear Board
(197) Spine
(198) Fore Edge
(199) Scale
(200) Color Palette