Favourite Nordic film composers?
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Since this is a Norwegian site, but with an international audience, I thought it would be interesting to have a thread where us Nordic folks recommend some of our own, and the non-Nordic folks recommend what’s registered for them on the international scene.
What are some of your favourite Nordic film composers — dead or alive?
I can’t say I have real favorites as my knowledge is a bit (quite) limited but here are some more or less recent TV scores I found quite fitting:
- Jacob Groth: Millennium, Ørnen
- Halfdan E: Borgen
- Fläskkvartetten: The 2nd Wallander movie series
- Frans Bak: The Killing (The original version)
- and a little older: Stefan Nilsson: Pelle The Conquerer
Good selection, Malte. Stefan Nilsson is genius. PELLE THE CONQUEROR is one of my favourite Nordic scores of all time, and I treasure my Nilsson compilation dearly.
Frans Bak I know personally; I particularly loved his recent score for the series DISPARUE.
Halfdan E is a friend of mine too, and he regularly does good stuff, although he’s missing that one big breakthrough assignment.
Fläskkvartetten is a group that doesn’t get the credit they deserve. Their score for the Norwegian movie EGGS was great; one of the best Norwegian films of the 90s.
Jacob Groth I’m familiar with, but haven’t really taken the time to check out his work.
I love Søren Hyldgaard’s work, as well as Björn Isfält — two composers that were taken from us way too early.
I am not surprised that you know a bunch of them personally 🙂 I have to explore more of their work.
I am totally unfamiliar with Søren Hyldgaard but I do know at least “My Life As A Dog” by Isfält.
I also know Bengt Nilsson, Adam Norden, Johann Johannsson, Johan Söderquist, Tuomas Kantelinen and Atil Övarsson peripherically who I think are also Nordic composers. I thought Ceiri Torjussen was Nordic but is actually Welsh.
I sometimes think about who is the “greatest” living composer within each Nordic country. Of course, what ‘greatest’ means is in the eye of the beholder. But some international exposure is needed for my parameters, I think.
NORWAY — no doubt, the greatest living legends of Norwegian film music are Bøhren & Åserud. But they never had much exposure outside Norway, and they’ve not been very active in the last 20 years. I’m tempted to choose Knut Avenstroup Haugen — based on the immense success of his videogames scores, especially AGE OF CONAN. But soon also a new DUNE game.
DENMARK — Per Nørgård is still alive, age 92, and probably the greatest composer living in Denmark at the moment, but he only did a few scores. Again, I’m tempted to go to videogames and choose Jesper Kyd. He’s a big shot in that industry.
ICELAND — after the passing of Jóhann Jóhannsson, there’s no doubt that the greatest living Icelandic film composer is his protegée, Hildur Gudnadottir. No offense to Atli Örvarsson, Olafur Arnalds and others.
FINLAND — this is tricky. There was a time I would say Tuomas Kantelinen, but these days I’m more tempted to choose Panu Aaltio.
SWEDEN — this is easy. Johan Söderqvist continues to dominate throughout the Nordic countries (he also does lots of Norwegian films). He’s probably the greatest in the Nordic countries right now, after the death of Jóhannsson.
As as side note: Some time ago I discovered an ice ballet, “Snow Queen” in English, by Kantelinen via our French-German broadcaster arte: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/112555-000-A/die-schneekoenigin-als-eis-ballett/ (probably the video is geo blocked for you though…)
I’ll check that out, thanks! Good to hear that he’s keeping busy. There haven’t been any buzz scores by him lately, AFAIK.
Eirik Myhr is a Norwegian composer who is also a member here, and I hope will chime in soon. He’s been a friend of mine for at least 15 years, and he’s produced some fine scores, especially for theatre. My favourite thus far is probably THE LIONHEART BROTHERS, a play based on the Astrid Lindgren book. He’s currently working on a new theatre adaptation of Narnia, nothing less. I’ve heard some clips, and they sound beautiful. Any words on the progress, Eirik?
Chiming in to wish everyone a happy easter! 🐣
Good to be back on the forum, and what a great idea to bring it back, Thor!
In this age of Facebook Fatigue™, I have often missed the good old-fashioned messageboard format.Thanks for the kind words. My theatre score for THE LEGEND OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (which is in fact the first new stage dramatisation in over 40 years to be approved by the C.S. Lewis estate!) will be released in full in the autumn. But before that, there will be three singles, the first one already in one week. You can in fact pre-save it here: https://frontl.ink/kaqbqgn
My favorite current “Nordic” composer is hands down Esa-Pekka Salonen. What a terrific and unique composer. He has not actually composed any film music, though he has conducted some.
Salonen is a superb composer. Like Mahler in his day was more known as a superb conductor, so it is with Salonen, but he is a very original, fascinating and modern composer. Salonen actually only became a conductor so he could ensure at least someone would perform his music.
I would have to double-check, but I believe I only have two Salonen albums. The Herrmann CD and the Debussy CD with IMAGES/LA MER/A L’APRES-MIDI D’UN FAUNE. So not very impressive collection.
But thanks for the heads-up! I’ll try to sample some of his own compositions.
Well, those two are very good ones for sure, both of the recording you mention I have and would highly recommend. The Salonen recording of Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune may be the one I would pick if I could keep only one of the recordings I have. I’ve got more Salonen (Mahler, Bartók, Lutoslawski, etc.); of all the recordings of Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps I have, I think Salonen’s is my favorite (packs a lot of whop).
My first encounter with Salonen as a composer was an album with five of his compositions, which I picked up in 2001: LA Variations, Five Images After Sappho, Giro, Mania, Gambit
I don’t think I ever listened to them all at once in a row, as I like to let them sink in, I started with “L.A. Vartiations” and then “Gambit”, and the others at a later time (even after I had some other Salonen albums). The last was “Five Images after Sappho”, which was beautiful when I finally listened to it, I just had to wait for the right moment. It’s a great album if you are interested in contemporary classical music by a great composer/conductor. Top album. That was my start with Salonen as a composer, I have since picked up most of what is officially recorded/released (violin concerto, piano concerto, etc.)As a starting point, the album “Wing on Wing” may be a good album for those with a film music background, it contains very “filmic” orchestral pieces, such “Foreign Bodies” and “Insominia”.
My most recent acquisition is his cello concerto with Yo-Yo Ma (released on Pentatone), but I haven’t yet listened to it.
Probably Johan Sderqvist and Nicklas Schmidt since I’m a huge fan of the Department Q scores and movies.
Johann Johannsson is probably the next one on my list, as a fan of Mandy.
I, too, love MANDY. It’s rather unique in Jóhannsson’s oeuvre. “Forging the Beast” is a wonderful track!
Nicklas Schimdt is an interesting pick, I know him a little bit.
One of the greatest Nordic composers, Per Nørgård, died three days ago, age 92 (he was born the same year as John Williams). While I’m familiar with BABETTES GJESTEBUD, I haven’t really checked out his other film scores or concert works. But I’ve heard bits of the latter in various classical quiz shows on TV over the years. Any recommendations by our resident classical buffs? Sigbjørn? Nick?
Can’t say I’m familiar with him, but there’s a box of his symphonies on Dacapo.
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/8-sinfonien/hnum/10943958
I am afraid, the only album of a nordic composer that I own are The Bermann Suites of Erik Nordgren.
There is for sure a lot to explore.
Indeed. It’s from a classic 70s puppetry family film, it even inspired the pod race in The Phantom Menace. 😉
Knut Avenstroup Haugen has just released his score for the videogame DUNE: AWAKENING. I really like what I’m hearing. The album is perhaps 20 minutes too long, but nothing a little whittling can’t fix. Check it out!
…and here’s my review, if you still haven’t checked it out: https://celluloidtunes.no/dune-awakening-knut-avenstroup-haugen/
Hey Mark, if you’re reading:
I’ve currently reached you in my complete collection walkthrough. Listening to your lovely, Bernard Herrmann/David Shire-ish DEN HENGTE MANNEN, and moving on to the lush, pastoral ANNE & ALET next. Are these still your only two soundtrack releases, or have there been more in the 10+ years since? I presume you’ve kept working for that Kristiansand-based film company.
Hi Thor,
Thank you for the inquiry! I can confirm these are the two commercially available soundtrack releases.
I just had a quick listen to excerpts from DEN HENGTE MANNEN, which I have deeply conflicting feelings about. On the one hand, I feel it represents my best film work from the perspective of craftsmanship and for its “stoic” tendencies that must certainly have been inspired by Prokofiev and Herrmann (but also the brilliant Norwegian Ørjan Matre who’s work I was infused with at the time). On the other hand, there was not much money involved (none at all, to be fair) so the circumstance of getting the score recorded were quite horrendous. It was a miracle we actually pulled it off, something I for the most part attribute to my own youthful naivety towards the dense subject of orchestral recording at the time. I also remember our friend Alan reviewing the score on his website with the striking phrase “it sounds like it was recorded in a tent!” – which might as well have been true.
After the film’s release, my thought was that it was better to accept the offer from a small local record company to release the soundtrack with its gaping flaws than not release anything at all, and I remain skeptical about whether or not that was wise (I’ve heard from a couple of musicians who heard the score and didn’t care for it, which I suspect they may have if the recording was adequately done).
The lessons were however learned for ANNE & ALET, where it was actually Knut (with a new fantastic score you mentioned above!) who pointed me in the direction of the string section of the F.A.M.E’s recording orchestra in Skopje. This time there was money, and I took his advice to enlarge the celli and bass sections for a more cinematic sound prone to the film medium, and crafted a homogenous sound that could be easily rehearsed and would minimize things like intonation issues that might occur. Where the music for DHM was stoic, relatively complex and layered, the A&A score was far more emotional and direct. By necessity of course, but to a certain degree also by choice. The truth is I care much more for the DHM score, but that’s an enthusiasm I share with practically nobody else!
There are a couple other film related things you could check out, if you haven’t already:
BAK FASADEN (2008) was my first feature score. My skills as an orchestrator were literally non-existent, but I worked hard enough at crafting the melodic themes that I recently posted most of the score on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/markcandasamy/sets/bak-fasaden-2008
SYMPHO NOIR (2015) was loosely based on the thunderous string-motif from Vivaldi’s Summer concerto. It was an “artsy” project where the music was recorded first, and the film was scripted and filmed to match my composition. A luxury project for a composer, but I had only three weeks to write (ended up taking four and a half though) and the recording session was a brief 3-hour seance with little circumstance to evaluate or make any adjustments, which makes me a little reserved about this one as well: https://www.tvagder.no/nb/video/3725
Thanks for the fascinating background info, Mark. I’m aware of those two other titles you mention; think I even sampled them once. But might be good to revisit!
Currently listening to the three albums I own of Matti Bye, an interesting Swedish composer. Met him once, in 2011, I think. Shy fellow, but very kind. Mostly known for beautiful, slow, melancholic, shimmering textures, in things like FARO and A SERIOUS GAME. But then he suddenly opened up with electronics in YOUNG ROYALS in 2021. That was a surprise. But also very nice score.
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