Jón Leifs (1899-1968) was 17 year old when he traveled to Leipzig, Germany to become a composer and conductor. In the 1920s and again in the 1930s, Jon traveled in Iceland to write down and record folk songs. These recordings are invaluable documentation of Icelandic music heritage.
The portable harmonium was made around 1900. Jón bougth the instrument in Berlin 1921 and used it when he travelled in Iceland to collect folk songs.
Jón actively fought for the rights of artists and musicians. He participated in founding the Federation of Icelandic Artists 1928, established the Society of Icelandic Composers 1945 and the Associatin of Composers and Owners of Performance Rights (STEF) 1948.
The Icelandic Music Information Centre lists 185 compositions by Jón Leifs. Many of his works have nationalistic connotations, built on folk songs or themes from the Sagas, and some are big and make great demands on the performers. Examples are the Organ Concerto (1940), Saga Symphony (1941) and the Eddas.