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melodies, arranged in modern manner, which are known and appre- 
ciated outside Iceland. } 
Of other now living composers who have won appreciation within 
‘he country’s frontiers the following may be mentioned: Bjarni Thor- 
steinsson, Arni Thorsteinsson, Sigvaldi Kaldaléns, and Pill {sélfsson 
(the composer of a caniata for the millennial festivities 1930). — J6n 
Leifs has for a number of years lived in Germany. He has made a 
close study of Icelandic folk melodies, on which he has written a good 
deal. He has also composed a few orchestral pieces. 
Dramatic Art. About dramatic art in Iceland there is not much to 
say, for up to the present day it has only existed in school and ama- 
‘eur theatricals. The first play, so far as known, was acted by the boys 
of the Reykjavik Grammar School about 1791. These activities of the 
school boys came to an end some len or fifteen years later, and 
were not resumed till about the middle of last century, from which 
time and to the close of the century it was usual for them to per- 
form some piece or other in the Christmas holidays. From about the 
fifties comedies began to be acted by the younger members of society 
in Reykjavik, and in 1897 the Leikfélag Repkjavikur (the Reykjavik 
Dramatic Society) was formed. The society has during the greater 
part of its existence enjoyed some pecuniary support both from the 
State and the municipality. It has laid great stress on producing plays 
of acknowledged literary merit, and on the whole done good work, 
considering the difficulties with which it has had to grapple. 
There is no national theatre in Iceland; but since 1923 a 10 - 20 
per cent. tax has been placed on entertainments, and set aside as 
fund for which a theatre is to be built in the near future. At the be- 
ginning of the present year this fund amounted to some 400000 kr