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[Commlist] CFP - Nordic Film Music and Sound (Journal of Scandinavian Cinema special issue)
Wed May 01 18:14:06 GMT 2019
*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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