Víkingur Ólafsson

Rameau, Debussy and Glass may initially appear to be a very strange threesome. However, when listening to their piano works, the intriguing musical relationship between them soon becomes clear. All three artists used shades and colours in their compositions to create unique musical paintings that we can hear in a musical dialogue at this recital by Víkingur Ólafsson.

The secret of Ólafsson’s ability to reveal the rich spectrum of colour in any piece of music lies in his synaesthesia. This rare gift means he can see colours when he hears music, and it played a key role in his discovery of the deep connection between Jean-Philippe Rameau, Claude Debussy and Philip Glass. Despite living in different eras, the trio shared an understanding of harmonies and colours and how these can seem to dissolve into space and time. The three composers also have one more thing in common. Víkingur Ólafsson dedicated his first and third CDs to them in recordings that propelled him to a new pinnacle of success.