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Holiday Time [Norwegian-Style]: The Christmas of Solan & Ludvig - Knut Avenstroup Haugen


MovieScore Media joins the holiday celebrations by releasing Knut Avenstroup Haugen’s score for the hit Norwegian animated film The Christmas of Solan & Ludvig. The film was by far the most popular theatrical feature in Norway last year with over 800,000 admittances, meaning every 6th Norwegian went to see the film in less than two months. MovieScore Media releases the score in digital stores following the recent DVD and Blu-ray release of the film in Norway. The film is awaiting international distribution through Trust Nordisk.

Based on the popular characters created by bestselling author Kjell Aukrust, the Christmas story takes place in Flåklypa where local residents are horrified by the prospect that they might have to celebrate without snow. Inventor Reodor Felgen is tasked with creating a snow machine, but his plans backfire as per usual… The Christmas of Solan & Ludvig is a sequel to the 1975 animation classic The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix - Norway’s first feature length stop-motion film was so popular that it sold more tickets than the population of the country! The soundtrack release coincides with the holiday-themed DVD premiere of the movie.

Joining the ride on the (not yet) snowy mountains is Norwegian composer Knut Avenstroup Haugen who is becoming one of the most in-demand composers of his native country. Haugen began his career as a composer for video games, his best-known scores are the various installments from the Age of Conan series, including the IMFCA Award-winning Hyborian Adventures or the Hollywood Music in Media Awards-winning Savage Coast of Turan. Haugen’s works have also been performed on grand occasions such as  the World Ski Championships or the 200th Anniversary Celebrations of the University of Oslo. More recently the composer’s score for his debut motion picture Fuck Up was nominated for an Amanda Award (handed out at Norwegian International Film Festival).
 


The story and characters of The Christmas of Solan & Ludvig are rooted in Norwegian tradition and convey a vivid yet caricatured image of the Norwegian countryside. The style of the score is timeless and based on strong melodies ranging from tongue-in-cheek easy listening tunes to stirring orchestral tracks - all infused with a healthy dose of Norwegian national romanticism and a helping of Christmas spirit. Alongside the orchestra, the boys choir and the big band, the score utilizes exotic instruments like musical saw, accordion and jaw harp to capture the homeliness of the village and the inhabitants’ quirkiness.
 
It's a happy score filled with a magic that invokes a Holiday sound, with a strong mystery hidden with it's notes. I have not heard of this film, but this doesn't stop me from enjoying it... as I will add it to my list of new great holiday releases from Knut Avenstroup Haugen... and label MovieScore Media...
 
Jeremy [Howlin' Wolf]

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