Jóhann Jóhannsson
© Jónatan Grétarsson / DG
Jóhann Jóhannsson (1969–2018) was a highly influential Icelandic composer that fused classical and electronic music, and worked across film, television, theatre and dance. Among his most revered film scores are Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners”, “Sicario”, and “Arrival”, and James Marsh’s “The Theory of Everything”. Starting out as an indie rock guitarist, Jóhannsson became a driving force of the neoclassical movement in the 2000s. He died in his adopted hometown of Berlin at age 48.
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7 Albums That Shaped Neoclassical and Modern Classical Music
From intimate piano miniatures to cinematic, ambient-leaning compositions, neoclassical and modern classical music have redefined how we listen over the past two decades. This selection brings together ten albums that continue to shape the sound, language and atmosphere of the genre today.
Icelandic Neoclassical & Modern Classical Composers
Iceland has become one of the most important centres for neoclassical and modern classical music. Artists such as Jóhann Jóhannsson and Ólafur Arnalds have shaped a distinct sound that blends minimalism, ambient textures and cinematic composition. Here are five essential albums that define the Icelandic scene.
Inside the Cloud: Alice Sara Ott Reimagines Jóhann Jóhannsson
An interview with German-Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott about her new project, which reimagines some of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s most famous works for solo piano.
Jóhann Jóhannsson: The Early Years
A dive into Jóhann Jóhannsson’s formative early years in the Icelandic capital, where he played guitar and keyboards for rock, indie and electronic bands; collected—and formed a group based on—vintage organs; and blurred the boundaries between music and art with the progressive Kitchen Motors collective.
