Lofsöngur (Hymn), Iceland’s national anthem, is a hymn by Matthías Jochumsson set to music by Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson, both written for the national festival marking the thousandth anniversary of the settlement of Iceland in 1874. Words and music were first performed by a mixed choir at a festival service that began at 10:30 in Reykjavík Cathedral on Sunday 2 August 1874, as a hymn in memory of Iceland’s thousand years, and the King of Denmark (and so King of Iceland), Christian IX, was present at the service.
In 1942 Cyril Jackson handed over various papers of Matthías Jochumsson. Among them was his autograph manuscript of Lofsöngur. The autograph is in an exercise book and is Matthías’s fair copy from 1904. In the manuscript the hymn is in both Icelandic and Danish.
In 1953–1954 Elenore Sveinbjörnsson, Sveinbjörn’s widow, gave the Icelandic nation various manuscripts of the composer, among them a fair copy of the score of the hymn.
Matthías’s manuscript and Sveinbjörn’s score are kept in the Manuscript Collection of the National and University Library of Iceland and will be shown in an exhibition in the Library that opens in August.
The manuscripts of Lofsöngur will also be the Library’s Highlight of the month on its website from 1 August to the end of August.
