Film music

[johncorrigan]

World Routes presenter Lopa Kothari meets A R Rahman, who brought about a revolution in Indian cinema in the 1990s with music that brought in fresh elements from Indian traditional and sacred music, plus western pop and classical. Rahman also insisted on a state of the art approach to sound quality, and two decades on, the technical standards in Indian films and in urban Indian cinemas are the equal of anywhere in the world. Emerging from the Tamil film industry, Rahman moved to Bollywood and then popularised Indian film music to a global audience, not least with his song ‘Jai Ho’ from ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Rahman is still based in the Tamil city of Chennai, and Lopa Kothari visits his studio, and also Rahman’s own music conservatory, where he is seeking to train a new generation of orchestral and traditional Indian musicians to perform for Indian films in the future. This programme is planned for broadcast on 22 September.

I doubt that this one will still be happening on Sunday - unless the R3 bean counters are having second thoughts about their appalling decision re World Routes.

[Beef Oven!]

Ligeti &
Carl Stalling

for a start

Yes, that'd be great for a start.

[Pabmusic]

Here's two that got away.

Gustav Holst apparently wrote music for a film called The Bells in 1931 - he also acted in it as an extra - but there seems to be no surviving copy of the film or the music, though Holst's correspondence tells us that he was very disappointed in the sound quality in the cinema.

Then there's the correspondence that suggests Elgar would have agreed to write the music for Colonel Blood (the theft of the crown jewels) but died before the agreement was formalised.

[johnb]

Whilst browsing for Roberto Gerhard I came across this CD with film music by Britten, Lutyens and, yes, Roberto Gerhard (This Sporting Life)!

http://www.theclassicalshop.net/Details.aspx?CatalogueNumber=NM%200073

[DublinJimbo]

Some films which haven't been mentioned (I think), and which I rather admire(d) for their music (whether original or well chosen):

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (John Williams — I loved the idea of aliens communicating with us through music)
Z (Mikis Theodorakis)
Midnight Express (Giorgio Moroder)
Diva (my introduction to that aria from 'La Wally')

[johncorrigan]

In Herzog's wonderful 'Fitzcarraldo', one of the most famous scenes has our 'hero' playing Caruso to calm the Amazonian native drums sounding out from the forests - only thing is the music seems to be coming from the Royal Drummers of Burundi all the way from across the South Atlantic. You'll maybe recognise it from Joni Mitchell's 'Jungle Line'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6m1QDBx5ec

[barwickgreen]

Meanwhile, over at Classic FM just over a year ago: Classic FM reveals the nation’s favourite movie music

In fact, they had a listeners' vote this year too (voting closed 5 August), top 100.



Star Wars came 2nd and lots of old favourites were there: Lawrence of Arabia, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Psycho, Vertigo, Dark Night, Schindler's List.

I hope people haven't got Movie Music voting fatigue just as Radio 3 is launching their version ...

I like everything about the Lawrence of Arabia score EXCEPT the main theme.

[barwickgreen]

I am as wary as the next for3-er about trivialisation, but credit where it's due: I just switched on and they're playing Charles Ives.

[Stillhomewardbound]

This is one of THE great pieces of movie music as fas as I'm concerned.

It comes it on 0.50" on this clip and it is Malcolm Arnold's 'Flash Harry' theme from the St.Trinian's films.

http://youtu.be/_8Cc-1HkQLU

[Nick Armstrong]

This is one of THE great pieces of movie music as fas as I'm concerned.

It comes it on 0.50" on this clip and it is Malcolm Arnold's 'Flash Harry' theme from the St.Trinian's films.

No need to trouble the 'Tube - it's readily available in my mind's ear! ...honky-tonk joanna and all. Perfection!

[mangerton]

No need to trouble the 'Tube - it's readily available in my mind's ear! ...honky-tonk joanna and all. Perfection!

Likewise!

[Barbirollians]

I ended up switching on Mr Pee's favourite Sky arts and came across a lovely Dowland recital with Iestyn Davies and the very gifted young lutenist Thomas Dunford . Lovely playing and singing.

[Resurrection Man]

Malcolm Smith (wonder if he is a member here?) posted the following on the Radio 3 facebook page and does, I think, very eloquently sum up why wall-to-wall film music on R3 is unsuitable ..nay bloody silly.

I find it a trial to listen to and have turned the radio off. Film music is all about 'sensation'; the emphasis of turn and dramatic twist - it is not concerned with development - how can it be when the scene ends in 40 seconds. It is simple 'hook' stuff; emotional and crafted but rarely subtle or complex. Such feeling, intelligence and subtlety as there may be is in the film; the music adds to raw emotion in a support of the narrative and its impact. Once a fortnight maybe. Just another demographic whizz from the marketing department. Has it not occured to R3 that it is not measured on listeners but output? If it is measured on listeners then just play the hit parade.

[eighthobstruction]

Just been listening to Discovering Music ref Bernstein : On the Water Front....much thanks [not] to iplayer producers for that 4 minute burst of Raiders of the Lost Ark pre DM

[ahinton]

I like everything about the Lawrence of Arabia score EXCEPT the main theme.

This might be of interest, for all that it might risj Jarre-ing some sinsibilities:

http://www.dailyclassicalmusic.com/articles/2009/01/lawrence.htm