Versatile film and theatre composer
From prog band Ragnarök to Silver Bear winner A Soap.
Magnus Jarlbo is an established film and theatre composer, responsible for the scores of a great amount of feature films, short films and plays. His music career started with the band Ragnarök, in which he played trumpet and keyboard. They toured frequently during 1980–81. Magnus composed parts of their repertoire; he was already very interested in composing. In 1988, he compsed the score to the TV thriller Främmande makt, by Jan Hemmel, which resulted in his composing being his primary occupation.
“The Legacy” is screened all over the world
On New Year’s Day in 2014, the first season of the Danish TV series The Legacy (Arvingerne) premiered at DR1. Magnus Jarlbo, together with Sebastian Öberg (former member of “Fleshquartet”) wrote the music. The Legacy was a huge success, and the Danish critics competed with each other in praising the series. Regarding the Swedish premiere of the The Legacy on SVT 1, Johan Croneman wrote in his review in DN: “Magnus Jarlbo and Sebastian Öberg have created a beautiful soundtrack.” The series has been sold to many countries, and is screened all over the world, including the Benelux countries, Australia, USA and the United Kingdom, where it was shown by the BBC. In 2014, The Legacy received award for best drama series and best manuscript at the FIPA Festival – Festival International de Program Audiovisual in Biarritz. Listen on Spotify Watch trailer
“Beyond” awarded in Venice
Beyond, which premièred December in 2010, was no doubt a success both from the critics’ and the audience’s point of view. Magnus wrote the music in collaboration with Sebastian Öberg from Fleshquartet. It drew a lot of attention at Venice Film Festival and also received the International Critics’ Week Award. It was directed by Pernilla August and produced by Helena Danielsson and Ralf Karlsson. Natasha Senjanovic wrote this in her review in The Hollywood reporter: “The look of the film is grainy, which adds to its flashbacks, and the music is unassumingly simple and haunting”. Hynek Pallas wrote in Svenska Dadbladet: “Åsa Mossberg’s editing combined with the score make the time transitions so beautifully effective”.
In autumn 2009, children and adults could enjoy the 16 episode SVT series Cirkus Imago. Season 2 hit in the spring 2011, with another 16 episodes. The score was written by Magnus, and the directing was done by Morgan Alling, who also played one of the roles.
Jag är min egen Dolly Parton was one of the most noticed Swedish documentaries during 2011. The film is about the four female singers Nina Persson, Cecilia Nordlund, Lotta Wenglén and Helena Josefsson, and the music producer Gudrun Hauksdottir. It was directed by Jessica Nettelbladt, and Magnus Jarlbo was trusted to compose the soundtrack.
Award-winning documentaries
September 2008, the documentary Long Distance Love by Magnus Gertten and Elin Jönsson premièred at cinemas. It received many awards. Among them it was awarded best documentary at Hamptons International Film Festival in New York. “Delicious, atmospheric compositions”, Annika Gustafsson wrote about the original music in her review in Sydsvenska Dagbladet 2008.11.20.
During 2004, Magnus composed the music to the Norwegian Erlend E. Mo’s youth documentary Can you Die in Heaven (Kan man dø I himlen), which won the award for best children and youth documentary and best audio at the international competition Copenhagen Dox 2005. It was also nominated to the Robert Award 2006, in the category long documentary film.
In 2004, the Danish radio entertainment orchestra recorded Magnus Jarlbo’s score to the Danish all-night film Familien Gregersen, which was directed by Charlotte Sacks Bostrup.
Nominated to Danish Robert
During 2005, Magnus composed the score to the Danish director Pernille Fischer Christensen’s much recognised feature film A Soap. It won both the debutant award and a Silver Bear at Berlin Film Festival 2006, and was also nominated for a Robert (Danish equivalent to Oscar), in the category best film music 2006. Parts of the score was written in collaboration with Sebastian Öberg.
Magnus also created the original soundtrack to Åke Sandgren’s feature film Den man älskar, starring – among others – Rolf Lassgård, Jonas Karlsson and Sofie Ledarp. It premièred autumn 2007. The music was recorded by Danish radio entertainment orchestra, conducted by David Firman.
Anders Gustafsson’s feature film Percy, Buffalo Bill and I had its Swedish premiere in 2005. Börje Ahlstedt had one of the lead roles. The film is based on Ulf Stark’s book of the same name. Magnus wrote an extensive soundtrack that moved between different musical worlds.
An animated classic
Per Åhlin’s animated, feature film classic, Dog Hotel, (Hundhotellet) – a mysterious story, with music by Magnus Jarlbo – has been shown many times over the years on SVT and many other channels. The film had its premiere in 2000. The voices were done by, amongst others, Hans Alfredson, Johan Ulveson, Pernilla Wahlgren and Tomas von Brömssen.
Collaboration with Variety theatre Barbès
Magnus has also got a collaboration with the variety theatre Barbès, and their artistic directors Pelle Öhlund and Nina Jämth, spanning many years. Barbès work in a strictly surrealistic style, switching between the absurdly comical and the deeply tragic. Magnus has set many of their productions to music, among others Performance 1994, Tapetdamen 1997, En vanlig dag 2000 and Dagen då Leopold blev ond 2005.
In the autumn 2004, Barbès set up a dramatised, choreographed “concert performance” which was based completely on original music by Magnus Jarlbo. Sweet Box was very well received, both by its audience and by critics. “Sweet box is a peculiar, delightfully musical and rippling production”, Malena Forsare wrote in her review in Kvällsposten, and Boel Gerell wrote the following in Sydsvenska Dagbladet: “a steaming progress report from solitude”.
Barbès’s critically acclaimed production Ingen anledning till panik premièred in September 2008. “The ever-trustworthy composer Magnus Jarlbo surpasses himself with music which is completely integrated with everything going on on stage”, says Sydsvenska Dagbladet’s critic Fredrik Pålsson.
Education
1997-2000 Composition / Arrangement, Malmö Academy of Music, Lund University.
1982-1984 Music studies, Skurup Folk High School.
Assorted works
Films
2023 Composer, Touching Freedom, documentary feature, directed by Manal Masri
2021 Composer, Earth: Muted, documentary feature, directed by Mikael Kristersson, Åsa Ekman & Oscar Hedin Hetteberg
2021 Composer, Prince of Dreams, documentary feature, directed by Jessica Nettelbladt
2020 Composer, Journey to Utopia (Rejsen oil Utopia), documentary feature, directed by Erlend E. Mo
2019 Composer, Funkiskungen, documentary feature, directed by Jessica Nettelbladt och Stefan Berg
2018 Composer, Until we fall (Til vi falder), feature film, directed by Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm
2017 Composer, Letters to a serial killer, documentary feature, directed by Manal Masri
2016 Composer, Man With A Pram, documentary, directed by Mikael Strandberg
2016 Composer, Walk With Me (De standhaftige), feature film, directed by Lisa Ohlin
2015 Composer, Circus Imago – One Chance in a Million, feature film, directed by Morgan Alling
2014-2017 Composer, The Legacy (Arvingerne), TV series, Director: Pernilla August
2013 Composer, The Hidden Child, (Tyskungen), feature film, Three Friends, directed by Per Hanefjord
2012 Composer, Ballroom dancer, documentary feature, directed by Christian Bonke and Andreas Koefoed
2011 Composer, Harbour of Hope, documentary feature, directed by Magnus Gertten
2011 Composer, I Am My Own Dolly Parton (Jag är min egen Dolly Parton), documentary feature directed by Jessica Nettelbladt
2011 Composer, Circus Imago, (Season 2), TV series for SVT directed by Morgan Alling.
2010 Composer, Beyond (Svinalängorna), feature film directed by Pernilla August
2010 Composer, Dear Alice, feature film directed by Othman Karim.
2009 Composer, Circus Imago, TV series for SVT directed by Morgan Alling.
2008 Composer, Long distance love, documentary feature, directed by Magnus Gertten and Elin Jönsson.
2008 Composer, Ernst-Hugo, documentary for SVT, directed by Erik Bäfving.
2008 Composer, Lets be together, documentary feature, directed by Nanna Frank Möller.
2008 Composer, Min morbror tyckte mycket om gult, short film, directed by Mats Olof Olsson
2008 Composer The Dildo, short film, directed by Ulrika Rang
2007 Composer/arranger, To Love Someone (Den man Älskar), feature film, directed by Åke Sandgren
2007 Music consult, Maria Larssons Everlasting Moments feature film, directed by Jan Troell
2006 Composer, A Soap, feature film, directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen
2005 Composer, Percy, Buffalo Bill and I (Percy, Buffalo bill och jag) feature film, directed by Anders Gustafsson, script by Ulf Stark.
2005 Composer, About Sara, feature film, directed by Othman Karim.
2005 Composer, Can you Die in Heaven, documentary directed by Erlend E. Mo.
2004 Composer, Gregersen family, featurefilm directed by Charlotte Sachs Bostrup.
2004 Composer, Fragments of an unfinished journey, feature film by Baker Karim.
2003 Composer, Fluen, documentary by Anders Gustafsson.
2003 Composer, Invisible, short film by Kassandra Wellendorf.
2002 Composer, Boxerdrengen, documentary for Danish TV2 by Anders Gustafsson.
2000 Composer, Dog Days (Hundhotellet), cartoon feature film, Memfis Film / Pennfilm / Buena Vista International, directed by Per Åhlin.
1995 Composer, Passageraren, feature film, directed by Michael Drucker.
1993 Composer, Tag ditt liv, feature film, directed by Göran du Rées.
1991 Composer, Önskas, feature film, Sandrews, directed by Lars Johansson.
Theatre
2020 Composer, Sidonie and Nathalie, Malmö stadsteater, directed by Karin Parrot
2019 Composer, In 25 minutes i’m dead (Om 25 minuter är jag död), radio series for Swedish radio
2008 Composer, Featuring Pierre Björkman – Solo on stage, Moomsteatern, directed by Pelle Öhlund and Nina Jämth
2007 Composer, Snowangels, multimedia performance ordered by the city of Malmö
2004 Composer, Sweet Box, a dramatised chamber concert in collaboration with Variety theatre Barbès.
2003 Composer, Yngsjömörderskans last journey, directed by Michael Cocke for Theatre Nostra.
2001 Composer, The ballad Rut Berlau, directed by Claude Naville for Theatre Sagohuset.
2000 Composer and musician, A ordinary day, directed by Mario Gonzales for Variety theatre Barbès.
2000 Composer, Star wise, directed by Stellan Olsson for Regional theatre in Blekinge / Kronoberg.
1998 Composer, The lucky ones, Variety theatre Barbès.
1997 Composer and musician, Tapetdamen, Malmö dramatical theatre / Unga Teatern / Variety theatre Barbès.
1996 Composer, Fårakällan, directed by Karin Parrot for Malmö dramatical theatre.
1994 Composer, and musician, Performance, Variety theatre Barbès.
Orchestral/chamber music
2000 Composer, Elf, orchestral piece, first performed by Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra.
1998 Composer, chamber work, Sieben for violin, cello and alto saxophone, first performed by Musik i Skåne’s ensemble.
Other
2007 Nominated to a Robert (Denmark’s Oscar) for the music to the feature film “En Soap”.
2003 Stim scholarship
1985-1986 Theatre musician, Skånska Teatern.
1980-1981 Member of the band Ragnarök, Tours in Sweden, France, Yugoslavia, Germany.