Synnøve Solbakken / Silent Film with Live Music: A Norwegian Lass / Stummfilm mit Live-Musik: Über den hohen Bergen

Synnøve grew up as the daughter of very pious farmers on a sunny mountain farm. Her childhood friend from the valley, Thorbjörn, is considered a rowdy, so her parents reject him as a potential husband. But Synnøve rebuffs all her other suitors. That includes the young farmer Knud, who provokes a fight with Thorbjörn during midsummer celebrations … This John W. Brunius film of a story by Norwegian Nobel laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson is impressive for its depiction of nature – vast fjords, wild mountain streams, and blazing midsummer bonfires. The director drew inspiration for his portrayal of rural life from the work of the national-romantic Norwegian painter Adolph Tidemand (1814–1876), in particular the paintings "The Haugians” and "Fight at a Country Wedding”, but other scenes in the film also closely resemble Tidemand’s paintings. 

Electronic music for a black-and-white silent film? “Yes, of course”, says Daniel Sorour, cellist and composer of acoustic and electronic music, who does his best to avoid travelling the beaten path.  “Electronic film music is usually heard more in the horror or thriller genres.  But why not experiment with it for a silent – especially since it’s a regional film set in the 19^th century?  Electronic music doesn’t always have to sound sinister, or like machines.” For this love story about two farmer’s children from dissimilar social strata, Daniel Sorour also plays the acoustic violoncello, creating a rarely-heard soundscape that lends another dimension to the film.