[Commlist] CFP - Nordic Film Music and Sound (Journal of Scandinavian Cinema special issue)

*Nordic Film Music and Sound*

A special issue of the /Journal of Scandinavian Cinema /(Intellect)

Guest editors: Gunnar Iversen (Carleton University), Pietari Kaapa 
(University of Warwick), Kate Moffat (University of Stirling)

‘Working from a multifaceted musical palette with a vast variety of 
experiences to draw from, the Nordic film and media composers are known 
for their ability to do whatever it takes to tell the story; whatever it 
takes to serve the film. You can say that Nordic composers make their 
movies and directors win prizes’ (Nordic Film Music Days).

Nordic cinema has consistently enjoyed a curious relationship with 
popular culture. As part of small nation cinemas, audience sizes are 
restricted, requiring institutional support to sustain a healthy film 
industry. Thus, Nordic cinemas have tended to prioritize artistic or 
experimental filmmaking, resulting in respected international auteurs 
like Ingmar Bergman, Lars von Trier, Roy Andersson and Pirjo Honkasalo.

While these filmmakers have been explored endlessly in international 
scholarship, film music and sound remains a frequently ignored aspect of 
their work. Beyond the Nordic region, and specifically in relation to 
Hollywood cinema, there is an emerging body of research focusing on the 
role and relevance of the film score as a key signifier of narrative 
meaning (such as Murphy’s harmonic taxonomy [2006, 2014], which explores 
the reciprocal relationship between text and orchestration). The work of 
both domestic and internationally recognizable composers from the Nordic 
countries remains largely unexplored in the context of these theoretical 
interventions, a problematic oversight due to the complex histories of 
musical innovation from these countries. Similarly, the role of sound as 
well as voice (dialect, sociolect, gender) remains a field that has been 
neglected in film studies in general but has been important in Nordic 
film production.

These concerns have become even more urgent with distinct 
transformations in Nordic film production, which has seen increased 
investment in popular and especially genre cinema since the 1990s.  
Subsequently, Nordic film scores have moved from experimental 
soundscapes to emulating international trends and standards, both in use 
of melodic content and in the incorporation of large orchestras and 
advanced synth soundscapes. Film composers like Tuomas Kantelinen and 
Søren Hyldgaard have consolidated professional careers as industry 
specialists and often broken out into global film culture. We can also 
consider the increasingly transnational presence of Nordic composers and 
multi-instrumentalists like Ólafur Arnalds (whose portfolio includes the 
BAFTA award-winning score for British noir series /Broadchurch/ 
[2013-15]) and Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Academy Award nominations for Best 
Original Score in /The Theory of Everything/ (Marsh, 2014) and /Sicario/ 
(Villeneuve, 2016). Equally, discussion of scores by the likes of Henrik 
Skram, Trond Bjerknes, Panu Aaltio and Johan Söderqvist, whose work 
reaches across a broad range of visual media and genres, remains 
significantly underdeveloped in both domestic and international contexts.

//

/Journal of Scandinavian Cinema/has prioritized this emerging field for 
an upcoming special issue, triggered by a rising interest in this area, 
especially following composer Ludwig Göransson’s recent Best Score Oscar 
for /Black Panther /(Coogler, 2018)//(as well as several Grammies for 
his producing work for Childish Gambino) and the continued success of 
Nordic Film Music Days.

The influence of European composers, Hollywood and other global trends 
on Nordic soundscapes, as well as of Nordic composers on global 
standards, opens a discussion on the crisscrossing of sonic identities, 
ideas and methods. Also key here is the role Nordic identity plays in 
building aesthetic relationships between music and narrative, especially 
in relation to the region’s distinct musical histories. Consequently, 
film music represents a critical site of investigation, particularly in 
the context of the increasingly globalizing film and media cultures of 
the Nordic countries. By studying these recent developments, we can also 
use the innovation and diversity reflected in Nordic soundscapes to 
further strengthen the case for supporting and promoting the artistic 
merit of film composition and sound design more generally.

At stake here are areas of considerable relevance for /Journal of 
Scandinavian Cinema/. This includes an increased investment in exploring 
Nordic success stories in international markets, but also significant 
innovation in domestic production.

The issue encourages submissions on the following themes and also 
welcomes work outside/combining these areas:

  * The role of the professional film composer
  * The Nordic soundtrack community (fans and communal events such as
    Nordic Film Music Days)
  * Transnational soundscapes
  * Moviescore Media (Nordic soundtrack label specializing in
    international film scores)
  * The history of Nordic film music (especially the respective Studio
    Eras)
  * Classical cross-overs (Einar Englund, Jukka Linkola etc.)
  * Sound and genre
  * Indigenous soundscapes (e.g. Minority cultures and music/sound)
  * The role of voices, dialects and sociolects in Nordic film culture
  * Technology, industry, practice and education
  * The broader role of music cultures
  * Synergy and the creation of soundscapes – for instance examining the
    relationships and thematic interplay between landscape and sound in
    Nordic film culture
  * The relationship between sound and themes of duality, opposition,
    temporality and authenticity
  * The role of technology in the shaping or re-shaping of musical
    conventions, including the channels of production, distribution and
    collaboration
  * The diversity of musical training and backgrounds
  * Influence of other genres considered indigenous (metal; Tuomas
    Holopainen and Nightwish)

Projectedtimeline for contributions:

Proposals of 500 words maximum – 1 August 2019

Full article submission (8000 words maximum) – February 2020

All contributions will undergo double-blind peer review. Publication is 
slated for December 2020.

Please email the guest editors ((GunnarIversen /at/ cunet.carleton.ca) 
<mailto:(GunnarIversen /at/ cunet.carleton.ca)>; (Pietari.Kaapa /at/ warwick.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(Pietari.Kaapa /at/ warwick.ac.uk)>; (k.l.moffat /at/ stir.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(k.l.moffat /at/ stir.ac.uk)>) to discuss potential contributions.


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