Grant Kirkhope: Mid Boss Mayhem Context Scottish video game composer Grant Kirkhope was exposed to music from a young age. Kirkhope taught himself the guitar and was classically trained as a trumpeter at the Royal Northern College of Music. Kirkhope was involved in many different jazz ensembles, including big bands Read more…
Carl Davis: Pride and Prejudice Context Carl Davis CBE (1936-) is an American-born conductor and composer. He has lived in the UK since the early 1960s. Perhaps best-known for his silent movie music, Davis is also celebrated for his television and film music. Notable television series that Davis worked on Read more…
Howard Shore: Concerning Hobbits Context Concerning Hobbits is a short concert suite of music taken from The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack. Shore uses a range of leitmotifs and themes heard in earlier scenes to put together this light and peaceful suite. This piece has become at one with the Read more…
Howard Blake: Walking in the Air Context Voted as one of the most popular Christmas songs ever written, Howard Blake’s Walking in the Air can be found in the pivotal travelling scene of the 1982 animated film The Snowman. The original was written for a choirboy with a pre-broken voice. Read more…
John Williams: Somewhere in My Memory Context John Williams wrote the score for the 1990 film Home Alone, which came after a number of successful film soundtracks from the previous decade. The score was nominated for the Academy Award for the Best Original Score, with the theme song, Somewhere in Read more…
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Epiphany Context Featured in the 2020 Disney Pixar film, Soul, Reznor and Ross’ Epiphany plays at a pivotal point within the film. As the lead character reminisces at all the things he may have taken for granted, he soon realises that you can follow your Read more…
Howard Shore: The Thief Context Nominated for an Oscar Award in 2011, Howard Shore’s score for the 2011 3D animated film, Hugo, is full of musical delights. The film is based on Brian Selznick’s 2007 book The Invention of Hugo Cabaret, and is based in Paris, France. The Music Read more…
Howard Shore: The Shire Context Composed for the first instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Shire is a piece of orchestral underscore that showcases the beautiful landscape that the hobbits reside in. Howard Shore composed over 150 leitmotifs throughout the three LOTR films (even more if you Read more…
Bear McCreary: Godzilla Main Title Context The American film, TV and video game composer Bear McCreary (1979-) is one of the leaders in mainstream composition. He is best-known for his work on the new Battlestar Galactica (2004-09) TV series, as well as other popular shows such as The Walking Dead Read more…
Alan Silvestri: Back to the Future Main Titles Context Alan Silvestri composed the soundtrack for the 1985 sci-fi movie, Back to the Future, with the direction that the music had to be big and heroic. Silvestri had worked with Director Robert Zemeckis before, and so their good working relationship helped Read more…