Jozef van Wissem

While we are all looking forward to the new film adaptation of Nosferatu to be released at the end of this year, for now we can re-watch the 1922 version. Based on this original version, Jozef van Wissem has produced an album that describes the entire atmosphere of the film.

Jozef van Wissem's album “Nosferatu: The Call of the Deathbird” was commissioned by La Cinémathèque Française in Paris to serve as the score for the restored version of the classic silent film Nosferatu (1922). Released on Oct. 31, 2022, the album is an atmospheric and experimental work that reflects van Wissem's unique approach to composition. The music integrates the sound of the lute with electronic manipulations of found bird recordings, creating an eerie and hypnotic atmosphere that mirrors the film's haunting imagery.

Van Wissem's work on this album is characterized by minimalism and the blending of traditional and modern elements, including the use of distorted guitars and ambient drones. The album is structured into five acts, each contributing to the dark and meditative atmosphere evoked by the timeless horror of Nosferatu.

“It's like a part of my body,” Jozef Van Wissem says of the relationship he has with his chosen instrument, the lute. “Its complexity is what keeps me going because you can always find something new.”