Jóhann Jóhannsson

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name; this person is properly referred to by the given name Jóhann.

Jóhann Jóhannsson
Birth name	Jóhann Jóhannsson
Born	September 1969 (age 42) Reykjavík, Iceland
Origin	Iceland
Occupations	Composer and producer
Website	http://www.johannjohannsson.com

Jóhann Jóhannsson (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈjoːuhanː ˈjoːuhanːsɔn]; born September 19, 1969 in Reykjavík, Iceland) is an Icelandic composer and producer. The BBC has called him "an intrepid musical enigma" and his work has been called "elegant, haunting and melancholic". His music is frequently informed by minimalism, film music, baroque music and drone music and combines classical orchestration with electronic music .

Jóhann's arresting ‘Englabörn’ album from 2002 was one of the very first and most influential releases in the broad-reaching post-classical / modern composition field. Jóhann Jóhannsson has since released several albums with the 4AD, Touch and FatCat labels.

While Jóhann’s background in Iceland’s flourishing alternative music scene has influenced his work, ‘Englabörn’ combines echoes of holy minimalism, Erik Satie, Purcell and Moondog with the electronic music of labels like Mille Plateaux and Mego. Later works include ‘Virthulegu Forsetar’ (2004), scored for a brass ensemble, electronic drones and percussion, and the orchestral albums Fordlândia (2008) and IBM 1401, A User's Manual, a composition which uses sounds produced from the electromagnetic emissions of the old IBM 1401 mainframe computers.

Jóhann's work has been widely acclaimed. Kitty Empire wrote about 'Virthulegu forsetar' in The Observer: “It´s hard to classify this beautiful album by Icelandic composer Johannsson. On this, his second album, he employs an orchestra of 11 brass players, glockenspiel, piano and organ, with added bells and electronics; so it lies somewhere between classical, ambient music and experimental soundtrack”, while Andy Beta gave 'Englabörn' a score of 8.9 in Pitchfork Media: “exceptionally restrained, the piano moving like droplets off of slowly melting icicles, the violin breathing warmth from above. The hesitation of each breath and falling bead feels as though it were a Morton Feldman piece condensed to three minutes.”

In 2010, Jóhann collaborated with the experimental filmmaker Bill Morrison on ‘The Miners Hymns’ (2011), a film and accompanying composition for brass band, pipe organ and electronics which "celebrates social, cultural, and political aspects of the extinct industry, and the strong regional tradition of colliery brass bands". The piece had a live premiere in Durham Cathedral in July 2010 and was released on CD and DVD in May 2011. The album was called "A gorgeous brass-based requiem for northeast England’s former mining community" by the BBC.

Jóhann has won awards for his film music at the Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Sapporo International Short Film Festival. His numerous film scores include ‘The Good Life’ (Eva Mulvad, DK 2010), ‘Varmints’ (Marc Craste UK 2008) and ‘For Ellen’ (So Yong Kim US 2012). Jóhann is an accomplished composer for contemporary dance and theater and his collaborations with the internationally renowned choreographer and dancer Erna Omarsdottir, IBM 1401, A User's Manual (2002), and ‘Mysteries of Love’ (2005), have been performed widely across Europe.

He is a co-founder of Kitchen Motors, an art organization/think tank/record label which specializes in initiating collaborations, promoting concerts and exhibitions, performances, chamber operas, producing films, books and radio shows based on the ideals of experimentation, collaboration and the search for new art forms.

Jóhann founded Apparat Organ Quartet in 1999 which has released two well received albums since 2002 and has gained acclaim for their live performances in Europe, America and Japan. Jóhann has also produced and written music with Marc Almond (Stranger Things album), Barry Adamson and Pan Sonic, The Hafler Trio, Jaki Liebezeit and others.

Jóhann has performed in venues all over the world with his ensemble, including Centre Pompidou, London's Barbican Centre, Brussels' Palais des Beaux Arts, and the Prague's Rudolfinum.

Discography

Albums

• Englabörn (2002, Touch)
• Virðulegu Forsetar (2004, Touch)
• Dís (2004, 12 Tónar, in Iceland; 2005, The Worker's Institute, in the US)
• IBM 1401, A User's Manual (2006, 4AD)
• Englabörn (2007, 4AD)
• Fordlandia (2008, 4AD)
• And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees (2009, Type)
• The Miners' Hymns (2011, Fat Cat)

Singles

• The Sun’s Gone Dim And The Sky’s Turned Black (2006, 4AD)

Selected works

As composer

Feature films

• Íslenski draumurinn by Robert Ingi Douglas (Iceland, 2000)
• Óskabörn þjóðarinnar by Jóhann Sigmarsson (Iceland, 2000)
• The End of St. Petersburg by Vsevolod Pudovkin (Russia, 1927)
• Maður eins og ég by Robert Ingi Douglas (Iceland, 2002)
• Dís by Silja Hauksdóttir (Iceland, 2004)
• Wicker Park by Paul McGuigan (United States, 2004)
  • Writer and performer for tracks: "Sálfraedingur", "Ég Átto Gráa Aesku", and "Ég Sleppi Thér Aldrei"
• Blóðbönd AKA Thicker than Water by Árni Óli Ásgeirsson (Iceland, 2006)
• Ashes and Snow by Gregory Colbert (US 2005)
• Personal Effects by David Hollander (US 2009)
• By Day and By Night by Alejandro Molina (MX 2010)
• Dreams in Copenhagen by Max Kestner (DK 2010)
• The Miners’ Hymns by Bill Morrison (UK 2011)
• The Good Life by Eva Mulvad (DK 2011)
• For Ellen by So Yong Kim (US 2012)

Short films

• Keepsake by Tim Shore (United Kingdom, 2003)
• Propinquity by Jonathan Skinner (United Kingdom, 2006)
• Varmints by Marc Craste (United Kingdom, 2008)
• Junk Love by Nikolaj Feifer (DK 2011)

Television documentaries

• Corpus Camera (Iceland, 1999, Stöð 2)
• Leyndardómar Íslenskra Skrímsla (Iceland, 2000, Sjónvarpið)
• Erró- Norður, suður, austur, vestur (Iceland, 2000, Stöð 2)

Plays

• Margrét Mikla by Kristín Ómarsdóttir (1996, Icelandic Take-away Theatre)
• Vitleysingarnir by Ólafur Haukur Símonarsson (2000, Hafnarfjördur Theater)
• Fireface by Marius Von Mayerberg (2000, RÚV)
• Englabörn by Hávar Sigurjónsson (2001, Hafnarfjördur Theater)
• Kryddlegin Hjörtu by Laura Esquivel (2002, Borgarleikhús)
• Viktoría og Georg by Ólafur Haukur Símonarsson (2002, Icelandic National Theatre)
• Pabbastrákur by Hávar Sigurjónsson (2003, Icelandic National Theatre)
• Jón Gabríel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen (2004, Icelandic National Theatre)
• Dínamít by Birgir Sigurðsson (2005, Icelandic National Theatre)
• Døden i Teben by Sophocles/Jon Fosse (2008, Det Norske Teatret)
• Ganesh versus the Third Reich by Back to Back Theatre (2011, Back to Back Theatre)

Stage works

• IBM 1401, a User's Manual with Erna Ómarsdóttir (2002)
• Mysteries of Love with Erna Ómarsdóttir (2005)

Awards

• First prize for Best Original Score for Varmints at the Rhode Island International Film Festival (2008)

External links

• Johann Johannsson.com - Official website
• Biography of Johann Johannsson at Touch Music
• Kitchen Motors.com - Johann Johannsson's record label
• Beggars.com - The biography, discography and promotional photos.
• Interview with Jóhann Jóhannsson on Headphone Commute (September, 2011)