“La Cinémathèque Française in Paris commissioned me to write and perform the score at the presentation of the restored version of Nosferatu. I was a bit overwhelmed by its success. It was sold out! I wasn’t going to repeat it. But people kept asking…” – explains Jozef van Wissem, speaking about the series of events that led to the recording of his newest LP – “Nosferatu. The Call Of The Deathbird“.
Jozef comments: “In the beginning, the soundtrack was more improvised and reactive to the images, but after a few times, the audience kind of showed me the way.” Van Wissem describes this experience as one of the most unusual in the composer’s discography. Preferring to score the music before seeing the film, Jozef is attracted by how his creation integrates into the structure of a movie. In a minimalistic way. Using only particular sounds and textural elements that speak to you like good prose: “I have the same with literary work,” – agrees Jozef: “For example, the writing of Bukowski. Very to the point, short sentences, but a lot of information in a few words“.
While the specifies of working on a horror film had given a different feel to van Wissem: “I think that music in horror films gives the composer more freedom to experiment than in any other genre. It seems more open. Experimental sound in film nowadays is something producers are afraid of. Experiment is the lifeblood of music“.
“I found an old 7-inch single with recordings of extinct birds in a market in Rotterdam,” – explains the composer, speaking about the connection with “The Call of The Deathbird.” Enhancing the sounds of birds singing, van Wissem combined them with the Baroque lute play and suspense-type-of-bass pattern. Manipulating the electric guitar sounds in an alternate tuning, Jozef van Wissem manages to create the feeling of fear, something equal to what the victims of Count Orlok have experienced.
“Nosferatu. The Call Of The Deathbird” is out now via Incunabulum Records. Order the album here.
Nov 3rd: SIGNAL FESTIVAL, CAGLIARI
Nov 5th: LEIDEN FILM FESTIVAL, LEIDEN
Nov 8th: CAFE OTO, LONDON
Nov 9th: CAFE OTO, LONDON
Nov 10th: COLCHESTER ART CENTER, COLCHESTER
Nov 11th: THE LUBBER FIEND, NEWCASTLE
Nov 12th: NIGHT PEOPLE, MANCHESTER
Nov 14th: LA SOURCE BEER CO, BRUSSELS
Nov 15th: POINT EPHEMERE, PARIS
Nov 16th: IBOAT, BORDEAUX
Nov 17th: LA MAISON DE SAVOIR, ST LAURENT
Nov 18th: EGLISE DE LA MAISON DES CHOEURS, MONTPELLIER
Nov 19th: CAVES DU MANOIR, MARTIGNY
Nov 20th: CIRCOLO DEV, BOLOGNA
Nov 21st: KINO SISKA, LJUBLJANA
Nov 23rd: REPLUGGED, VIENNA
Nov 24th: VRATNICE, ROZNOV
Nov 25th: ABANDONED METRO, PRAGUE
Nov 26th: STARY KLAZSTOR, WROCLAW
Nov 27th: NIEBO, WARSAW
Nov 29th: BLUE NOTE, POZNAN
Nov 30th: UT CONNEWITZ, LEIPZIG
Dec 1st: BETONHALLE, BERLIN
Dec 2nd: STENGADE, COPENHAGEN
Dec 3rd: FOLKTEATERN, GOTEBORG
