Ólafur Arnalds – Island Songs – iv. Öldurót (ft. Atli Örvarsson & SinfoniaNord)

Barely 100km south of the arctic circle, the city of Akureyri nestles into Eyjafjörður. Snow capped mountains shelter the city from the harsh winds, where forest and botanical gardens flourish. This is the place composer Atli returned to, after many years in Hollywood writing film scores.

I am joined by my dear friend Atli, who has recently returned to Iceland after living and working as a film composer in Hollywood for the last 20 years. Also in collaboration with the wonderful SinfoniaNord, the recording took place in Akureyri at the newly built concert hall by the harbour. I was inspired by the huge windows on the side of the building that overlook the fjord. Öldurót is one of several Icelandic words we have for ocean waves.

Collaborator / Atli Örvarsson
Composer

It’s that basic understanding you have with your own people, the little unspoken things which are so hard to define and quantify but constitute what we call a culture.

Musicians
Synths: Ólafur Arnalds, Conductor: Atli Örvarsson, Orchestra: SinfoniaNord, Violin 1: Lára Sóley Jóhannsdóttir, Violin 1: Sigrún Harðardóttir, Violin 1: Olga Ólafsdóttir, Violin 2: Björk Óskarsdóttir, Violin 2: Aldís Bergsveinsdóttir, Violin 2: Steinunn Atladóttir, Viola: Eydis Ulfarsdottir, Viola: Sigrun Mary McCormick, Cello: Ásdís Arnardóttir, Cello: Steinunn Arnbjorg Stefansdottir, Oboe 1: Matthías Nordeau, Clarinett: Ármann Helgason, Clarinett: Haukur Gröndal, Horn 1: Ella Vala Ármannsdóttir, Horn 2: Helgi þorbjörn Svavarsson

Crew
Director: Baldvin Z, Director of photography: Jóhann Máni Jóhannsson, AC Focuspuller: Snorri Fairweather, Director’s Assistant: Vigfús Þormar Gunnarsson, Sound recorder: Benedikt Árnason, Lighting: Viktor Davíð Jóhannsson, Sound engeineer: Arnþór Örlygsson, Recording Assistant: Þórarinn Guðnason, Production Coordinator: Sólveig Ásta Sigurðardóttir, Transcriber: Snorri Hallgrímsson