John Barry: The John Dunbar Theme Context Born in 1933 as John Barry Prendergast, the budding young musician worked closely with film from a young age. His father owned a cinema in York, and it was here that his love for film music was born. Barry undertook his national service Read more…
John Williams: Leaving Hogwarts Context John Williams’ score for Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone has been the basis for all of the Harry Potter film scores. Unlike many other soundtracks, this one in particular is very popular, with most tracks being instantly recognisable. Williams is intelligent in the way he orchestrates previous themes Read more…
Arthur Honegger: Pacific 231 Context Composed in 1923 under the original title Mouvement Symphonique, Arthur Honegger’s popular orchestral work is one his most performed works. Soon changed to the title Pacific 231, the piece highlighted Honegger’s love for locomotives. He once commented saying: “I have always loved locomotives passionately. Read more…
George Gershwin: Walking the Dog Context George Gershwin’s short ditty Walking the Dog has become a staple work for clarinettists. Composed in 1937, the work was originally used for the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film score Shall We Dance. Interestingly, most of the score from the film has remained Read more…
Yann Tiersen: Comptine d’un autre été, l’après midi Context Composed as part of the soundtrack for the 2001 film Amélie, Comptine d’un autre été, l’après midi is one of the most iconic tracks. Composed for solo piano, the title loosely translates into ‘Nursery Rhyme from Another Summer’. Yann Tiersen composed Read more…
Carl Davis: Cranford Theme 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 include Read more…
Sergei Prokofiev: Kijé Suite Context Originally composed for the film Lieutenant Kijé, the accompanying Kijé Suite was composed in 1934. This was Prokofiev’s first commission to compose film music. Interestingly, Prokofiev was not an obvious choice to commission for this film. At this point in his life, Prokofiev was living Read more…
Max Richter: On the Nature of Daylight Context As part of Max Richter’s 2004 album The Blue Notebooks, On the Nature of Daylight has received international acclaim. The album itself is a protest album about the 2003 Iraq War paired with feelings and emotions from Richter’s troubled childhood. The Blue Read more…
John Williams: Theme from Jurassic Park Context Composed for the 1993 Steven Spielberg film Jurassic Park, the theme to the film has remained one of John Williams’ most iconic works. The soundtrack was conducted a month after its composition, with Williams conducting a large proportion of the recording. However, after Read more…
Hans Zimmer: The Battle Context Hans Zimmer was approached to compose the soundtrack for Ridley Scott’s popular film Gladiator in 2000. The film follows main character Maximus Decimus Meridius as he experiences slavery and seeks revenge on the corrupted leader Commodus. Zimmer’s music reflects this with bold orchestrations, memorable melodies Read more…