Ólafur Arnalds – Island Songs – iii. Raddir (ft. South Iceland Chamber Choir)

A small, wooden, stave church, known as the ‘Church of Sailors’, sits in an empty and solitude landscape, with views of the ocean from a lonely beach. Hilmar and Georg, father and son, conductor and composer, gather here with a choir made up of people from the local area. Together with Ólafur and the South Iceland Chamber Choir, they will produce the third Island Songs composition.

For the third single we found a peaceful and beautiful location in Strandakirkja, a very small church right by the sea. My first attempt at writing for for choir, this was the largest crew so far on Island Songs; with Hilmar and the South Iceland Chamber Choir, who he conducts. Georg Kári, Hilmar’s son, is now a member of and frequent composer for the choir, plus the film and production crew and string quartet.

Collaborator / Hilmar Örn Agnarsson & Georg Kári Hilmarsson
Hilmar: Conductor & Georg: Composer

The different sound each instrument possesses tells a story, evokes emotion and each plays a part to create a whole picture. Stories can be abstract but through music we can create a clear image in the listener’s imagination. The musician feeds into this narrative as we’re always giving the audience a part of our lives, our story, we are completely vulnerable.

Musicians
Synthar: Ólafur Arnalds, Choir: Kammerkór Suðurlands, Violin: Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir, Violin: Laufey Jensdóttir, Viola: Karl Pestka, Cello: Hallgrímur Jónas Jensson

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